My Little Pony: How the Magic of Friendship Grows (Season 1)by Majestical4729Chapters2. How the Magic of Friendship Grows, Part Two3. A New Start4. Jealous Teacher5. Best vs Most Popular6. Immediate Family Relationship Problems7. The Lil'Heroic Ten8. Something Surprising9. Independent Morality11. Apple House12. Corrosive Reunion13. Medallion of the Lion15. The Solo Mission16. Need of Help17. Rush Away18. Mature Madness19. Wars of Scare20. Return of the Moles22. Double Think23. A Hearth's Warming Present Crisis24. To Be or Not to Be25. Stone-Hearted, Part One26. Stone-Hearted, Part Two1. How the Magic of Friendship Grows, Part One10. Development of Relationships14. Find and Resolve21. Neurotic Situation2. How the Magic of Friendship Grows, Part TwoPreviously on My Little Pony... "How am I supposed to be like Princess Twilight, if I start learning about friendship in a super different environment?" Luster asked. "Relax, Luster, you have friends right here! Us! We'll help you go through the day and night!" Alkali assured. "I don't think I can learn friendship here." Luster sadly told her friends. "Here, I kept getting special treatment because of being the daughter of the Heads, students keep overwhelming me with their attention and care, and I'lll barely get to have some creature who likes me for who I am and not because of my position, just like a friend would!" "Luster," Sunshine approached, "I know it's hard for you, being the one student here with the most attention, but don't forget; you already have tons of friends by your side, us!" "Princess Twilight Sparkle!" Luster greeted. "Luster Dawn! How can you forget to bow before me?!" "Princess Twilight Sparkle just acted a little...mean to me today," Luster told her friends, "I think something's wrong." "If something's weird or causing you to get suspicious, you should trust your feelings," Buffer reminded Luster, before turning to her friends, "So if Luster thinks that there's something odd with Princess Twilight Sparkle, we should at least try to make sure everything's fine!" "This plan is going perfectly!" 'Twilight' sneered to herself, "Tomorrow, when every creature comes to that silly event, after Rainbow performs her rainboom, I'll cast my spell on them all, making them all my loyal subjects, and they will only have me to adore! Making me in complete and total control of all of Equestria and beyond!" Following where the events of the first episode left off, the ten creatures watched in horror as 'Twilight' laughed evilly as the green brew bubbled. Luster started to show despair as her round oval eyes turned into trapeziums, as tears started to form. She could not believe it; her mentor, her idol, the famous heroine and Ruler of Equestria...turned out to be evil?! This could not be! "Please say I'm having a nightmare," Luster told her best friends. "You're having a nightmare?" Yellow Bright asked, doing what Luster just said. "This cannot be happening!" Luster whispered in disbelief. "I can't believe it, neither!" Sunshine Rays added. "How can any creature believe it?!" Falcon Dive asked. "Princess Twilight can't be evil!" Luster claimed. "But you heard her plot!" Volcano argued. "She's going to control all of Equestria and beyond!" Evergreen added. "Tomorrow!" Buffer continued. As the creatures began an argument, 'Princess Twilight Sparkle' overheard the growing noise and soon discovered them, and responded by using her magic to freeze them, levitating them in front of her. "You creatures are nothing but fools! Thinking that you could get away with spying on me, the Ruler of Equestria?! Well, you are all lucky that my cauldron is reserved for tomorrow, but that doesn't mean that you are all really lucky! Because I can't have you ten out and about, now that you've discovered my plans..." The creatures whimpered as 'Twilight' expressed a wicked look and made her horn glow. The next thing they knew, 'Twilight' casted a spell that sent them sinking below the throne room... Opening up her eyes, Luster found herself, and her best friends in a crystal cave, with the four walls and ceiling and floor all around them, trapping them. "Where are we?" Krona asked. Luster gasped, "The catacombs underneath Canterlot!" "You mean, the same place Queen Chrysalis imprisoned Princess Cadance during the royal wedding?" Volcano asked. "Yes, it is, and it's still abandoned even after the Legion of Doom imprisoned Twilight's friends on the day her coronation is supposed to happen," Luster recalled. "Speaking of Princess Twilight Sparkle," Sunshine Rays said, "I can't believe what we saw her do last night!" "How can she be...evil?!" Alkali asked. "And how can she be power-hungry?" Buffer asked. Luster could not help but express sadness whenever she heard her best friends mention her mentor being bad, before Nature Bloom asked, "You alright, Luster?" "NO! I just can't believe that my mentor is...evil..." Luster cried. "We can't believe it, neither," Evergreen admitted, "But we can't let it affect us," "Yeah, we're the only creatures who know about her evil plot, so it's up to us to stop her!" Falcon Dive announced. "But how are we supposed to do that?!" Buffer asked. "Well, I may not want to face my mentor, but I don't want Equestria suffering even more. I'm in with all of you to save every creature," Luster declared, "Krona, try to use your strength to smash the walls," "Krona's BEST when it comes to SMASHING!" Krona proudly claimed, before charging at the wall, destroying it as she stormed through. "Well done, Krona!" Luster praised, before leading the team, "Come on, every creature! Let's go!" While running, Buffer asked Luster, "Um, Luster? I know that I told you that it's best for you to not use teleportation, but in this case, can you please try using it to get us out?" Luster stopped, causing the whole team to do the same, "Oh my gosh, I forgot! Thanks, Buffer!" The ten gathered around as Luster's horn glowed, but unfortunately, Luster discovered something they all forgot; the catacombs were magic-sealing catacombs that prevented all uses of magic. "Oh no, we all forgot! The catacombs can seal off all magic! That means no dragon breath, no changeling transformations, no Kirin turning into a Nirik, no hippogriff turning into a seapony, and no unicorn spells!" Luster sadly announced. Every creature gasped to discover their many disadvantages, before Evergreen calmed them down,"Calm down, every creature, panicking never helps!" "But...but...but..." Falcon Dive started, "We have no idea what time it is! Plus, Princess Twilight's going to control all of our friends and fellow creatures if we don't stop her!" "We need to hurry!" Volcano added. As every creature dashed through the tunnels, Evergreen told them, "Alright, we have to hurry, but stay calm at the same time," "And how are we supposed to do that?" Buffer asked, before bumping into Yellow Bright, Nature Bloom and Alkali. "The tunnel's getting narrower!" Luster exclaimed. "Well, look on the bright side, we can still go through, just...not all together at once!" Yellow Bright pointed out, before racing through the tunnel, followed by Alkali, who raced after him. "Every creature, STOP!" Krona suddenly shouted, freezing Yellow Bright and Alkali. "What is it, Krona?" Buffer asked in a concerned tone. "Krona don't think that she can follow her creature friends," Krona told the group, speaking in third-creature as usual, "Tunnel's so narrow, Krona can't fit! Friends should go off without Krona, for the sake of Equestria." "But, Krona! Friends will never leave friends behind!" Nature Bloom pointed out. "Yeah, for all the time in the School of Friendship, we always learn what true friendship is like, and what true friends do," Volcano added. "But Equestria need saving! You should save every creature and not choose trying to help Krona over them," Krona sadly told her friends. "Krona, are you sure you want to be left behind?" Luster asked, approaching the yak. "Krona does not want to be left behind," Krona admitted, "But Equestria's really a lot more important than Krona, friends should choose it over her. Go, Krona doesn't want every creature hurt because of her!" Krona urged. "No way, Krona!" Falcon Dive protested, "The School of Friendship has taught us students to be loyal to our friends, and we're not leaving any one of them behind! We're taking you with us!" "But how? Without any magic or super power, all we can do is try to squeeze her through the tunnel's," Sunshine Rays pointed out. "Or maybe we can try it a different way," Volcano suggested, "Krona, can you lie down, flat on your back?" "Of course Krona can!" Krona proudly replied, before doing as told. "Good, now, please don't react until I say you can," Volcano instructed, as he and the rest of their best friends flipped Krona side way, with her right side in contact with the floor, in order to drag her through the tunnel without the problem of her getting stuck. Once they were at the end of the tunnel and in an open cavern, Volcano allowed Krona to flip herself back up, as the group resumed their journey, with Luster telling Krona, "Krona, I can't believe that you were willing to say that you think that we should leave you behind. I mean, it's against everything the School of Friendship taught you!" "Krona does not like going against what she learnt at friendship school," Krona admitted, "But Krona knew that it was for the better in that situation!" "So, you're not scared of us possibly telling our teachers what happened?!" Sunshine Rays asked. "Especially since we got Honesty Class?" Buffer added. "You could get sent back a grade or worse!" Volcano added. "Or worst of all, get all of us into trouble, if we left you behind!" Falcon Dive concluded. "Krona was just telling the truth," Krona told every creature, "If she didn't, she'd probably get stuck in that tunnel and made things worse for every creature!" "Even if it's showing something that can...ruin your studies and reputation?!" Nature Bloom asked. "Even if it's crazy, Krona knew that telling the truth is the right thing to do!" Krona proudly declared. "That's pretty great, but...we still got all of Equestria and beyond to save!" Yellow Bright reminded, causing the whole group to race through the caverns and caves. Not long after their conversation about Krona's willingness to tell truths that could ruin things for her, the group encountered a second obstacle; multiple tunnels to choose from. "If we go down the right one, we'll get out." Luster stated, "But go down the wrong one...there's no telling what horrible things can happen." Nature Bloom whimpered, "How are we going to find the right tunnel?" "Step aside, every creature, I know Physics can get us out of this," Volcano declared, "All we need is a really loud sound, send it through the tunnels, and listen for the echo. If we hear a loud echo, it means that it's a dead end, but if we don't hear it, it means that there's a long tunnel down." "Or maybe we should just smash the dead end with Krona's brute strength," Falcon Dive suggested, "I mean, shouldn't we worry that a tunnel that doesn't lead to a dead end can actually lead us to more tunnel trouble?" "Or, maybe we should try to fly Krona up the ceiling and have her smash it?" Alkali asked. "But I figured that..." Volcano began, only to be cut off by Falcon. "Your way is the best? Come on, Volcano! We can't risk getting even more lost!" "And a really loud sound can be a little dangerous," Luster added, "We might risk making the whole catacombs shake or collapse as particles vibrate, plus, even deafen ourselves." "So we should just smash the ceilings!" Falcon exclaimed, before he was stopped by Sunshine. "Falcon, are you crazy?! We might risk causing the catacombs to collapse by doing that as well!" "Oh, so know you're telling me that there's no way out?!" Falcon asked. The creatures then started a huge argument about how they were supposed to proceed, before Buffer broke it up by shouting, "QUIET!" Everycreature was silent as they turned their attention to Buffer. "Every creature, I know we all want to get out of here as fast as possible, and not get lost, but arguing is not helping. We should be listening," he told his friends. "But, we all have different opinions!" Alkali reminded. "And we can only make one choice out of all the choices," Sunshine Rays added. "How do we know who to listen to?!" Falcon Dive asked. "By letting every creature clearly state their opinion, and point of view, and most importantly, listen." Buffer explained, "So, Falcon thinks that we should just get Krona to smash our way out, but Sunshine says that it would risk making the whole catacombs collapse on us. Volcano suggests listening for echoes, which can be a lot safer." "But if the sound's too loud, it will still risk making the catacombs...collapse." Nature Bloom whimpered. "So we need a sound that is just right." Buffer declared, before asking, "Would Krona's shouting be enough?" "As long as it's not too loud," Volcano replied, before stepping aside to let Krona send her voice down the tunnels, and listening for the echoes. After finding a tunnel that barely had an echo, the group rushed through it, while thanking Buffer for his good listening knowledge and skills. "If it weren't for you, we'd probably still be arguing!" Yellow Bright commented. "Or do something foolish with one of our ideas," Alkali added. "Or worst of all, lose our friendship," Nature Bloom whimpered. "Don't worry every creature, I know listening at the back of my head," Buffer claimed. At the end of the tunnel, the creatures' eyes widened as they looked around in disbelief. They had found a huge cavern filled with all the treasures a rich creature would have; shores of gold, piles of gems, seas of jewels, chests of pearls and more. Overwhelmed by the great opportunity together rich immediately, most of the creatures could not help but charge at the treasures, with the intentions of taking it with them. "STOP!" Sunshine Rays shouted, causing her friends to halt."We should not take any of these treasures, if we did, we're doing something wrong!" "But, we're not just going to help ourselves," Falcon Dive protested, "We'll help others by donating all these treasures!" "But the treasures don't belong to us!" Sunshine Rays pointed out, "If something does not belong to us, we should not do whatever we want with it, like we were its owners! We should leave it the way it is, and that means leaving each and every bit of these treasures alone." "Thanks Sunshine," Luster approached the pegasus, "For...preventing us from doing what's wrong." "That's what true friends do!" Sunshine Rays replied, "Remind each other the right thing, and ensure they do what is right." The ten creatures left the treasures alone and resumed their journey, before stopping in front of a huge boulder that was equal to their sizes combined. "Can Krona smash it?" Alkali asked. "Krona may be strong, but even she knows that she can't smash a boulder like that." Krona replied. "Or maybe we don't have to smash it," Volcano suggested, "Since gems are usually harder than rocks, and dragons can eat and chew on gems, I suppose..." "That you can...eat it?!" Yellow Bright asked in a shocked tone. "Not exactly eat it, but chew, bite and spit it out, until I create an opening for all of us to go through." Volcano explained, "But it's going to take a while." "It will take ages!" impatient Falcon Dive complained. "Now, now, Falcon. Remember, complaining never helps," Evergreen reminded. "But all of Equestria is in danger!" Falcon Dive argued. "Keep up your work, Volcano, I'll keep every creature in check," Luster told her dragon fiend. While waiting for Volcano to clear the boulder, the rest of the creatures started playing small games such as tic-tac-toe or 'guess what I am describing', or even the well-known scissors, paper, stone. After what felt like forever, Volcano announced that he had finished creating an opening big enough for every creature. After helping the flightless creatures up the opening that halved the boulder, the group complemented Volcano's hardworking spirit. "That was really impressive, Volcano!" Luster praised, "I mean, none of us, nor any creature else would have the heart to do what you just did!" "Yeah, we'd probably give up on the first minute, or decide that we don't want to do so," Falcon Dive sarcastically added. "If we had your ability, that is." Buffer added. "Volcano's very hardworking!" Evergreen told the others. "In both studies and non-studies," Volcano proudly added, before they heard a loud, terrified scream. "What's wrong?" Luster asked. "THAT!" Krona pointed a hoof at a huge spider that was the size of a bed, and had the colour of the crystals in the surroundings. "A Crystal Cave Spider!" Nature Bloom exclaimed, "I usually read a lot about animals and plants outside of regular Biology education, and of course, read about spiders." "Who cares?! Let's just get it to leave us alone!" Falcon Dive declared, charging at the spider. The spider responded by shooting sticky substance at the griffon, causing him to retreat. Seeing the spider attempting to hurt their friend caused Luster to instruct her friends, "Alright, every creature! Let's give it a little motivation to back off!" The creatures charged at the spider, but was stopped by Nature Bloom who prevented them from hurting the beast by placing herself in front of them, "WAIT!" After the others halted, Nature Bloom told them, "Don't hurt the spider!" she then turned to the Crystal Cave Spider that her friends tried to attack, "It's alright, calm down. I'm really sorry about my schoolmates and what they did to you." Feeling ashamed of themselves, Nature Bloom's best friends backed off and watched her communicate with the spider, ending the talk with, "Thanks you for the understanding, and hopefully no creature will ever bother you again." "What did it say?" Luster asked her changeling friend. "She said that she forgives you all, as long as what you did to her does not happen again," Nature Bloom answered. The creatures expressed guilt for their actions as Sunshine Rays apologised, "We're really sorry...for what we did." "It's alright," Nature Bloom assured, "All is forgiven, plus, the spider told me the way out to thank me for saving her from... all of you." "About that..." Falcon Dive scratched his head, "Really sorry for starting the whole attack thing." "Don't worry, it's over now," Nature Bloom told every creature, "Just remember to not judge others by species, you should at least try to be nice to them before doing something like...what you did." "And we got to get out of here ASAP!" Luster reminded, leading her friends through the caves. As they ran, Nature Bloom was starting to get overwhelmed by her friends complements for her amazing animal taming skills. "You were just like the School of Friendship's former Kindness Teacher, Professor Fluttershy!" Alkali commented. "We really are lucky to have you in our group!" Yellow Bright added. "That taming was really awesome!" Falcon Dive exclaimed. "Maybe you all should stop talking and save your breath," Nature Bloom suggested, trying to avoid unwanted attention. The group screeched to a halt as they noticed a dead end in front of them. A deep canyon with a bottom that was a hundred metres below them stared at them, to Nature Bloom and Krona's horror. "What now, Nature Bloom?" Luster asked. "The way out is at the bottom of this canyon!" Nature Bloom whimpered. Falcon Dive claimed, "No big deal, we can easily fly all of our friends down and out." "Um, not all of our friends." Buffer pointed out, turning every creature's attention to himself and Krona. "Krona can barely fit through the canyon's walls, unless she slides down the slope." Luster explained. "Slide?!" Krona asked, while shivering. "Are you scared?" Evergreen asked in a concerned tone. "Krona admits it; she's scared of heights!" Krona announced for the whole group to hear. "Come on, Krona!" Alkali cheered, "Think of it this way; it's just a while, and it's a super fun slide!" To further encourage her friend to slide, Alkali slid down the slope with her wings closed tight, so she could not use flight. "You'll so regret not doing this, guys! It's fun!" Alkali shouted to her friends, who were watching her from above. Encouraged, every creature decided to slide down the slope after Alkali, with Krona being the only creature who had yet to slide down. Realising that her Best Friend needed more encouragement, Alkali flew back up and told Krona, "To really give you enough encouragement, I'll slide down with you, and all of our friends will help by being there to ensure that you reach the bottom safely." Assured and encouraged, Krona closed he eyes and slid down, with Alkali right beside and squealing. Slowly opening her eyes and finding things fun, Krona happily exclaimed, "SLIDING DOWN IS BEST!" Once the girls reached the bottom, Buffer approached his best friends, "You made it!" "And sliding is great!" Krona exclaimed. "And fun!" Alkali added, approaching Krona. "Thanks, Alkali, for showing Krona that sliding is fun!" Krona thanked her hippogriff friend. "You're welcome, Krona. I knew that all you needed is a little encouragement." Alkali replied. "That's sweet, guys, but we really need to move on!" Volcano reminded, "Equestria's in danger!" "And we got to save it!" Luster added, before leading the group on another run. As the creatures stampeded through the caverns, they suddenly heard crystals colliding, looking up, they watched in horror as the crystals on the ceiling were loose, threatening to fall on them. Fortunately, Evergreen managed to respond quickly, telling her friends, "Every creature, freeze!" As their attention faced the Kirin, the creatures were not moving, causing the crystals to stop. "The crystals are fragile," Evergreen explained, "The vibrations caused by our movement and noise caused them to move, so we must be very careful, quiet and gentle while walking through here." "But Equestria..." Falcon Dive begun, before Evergreen cut him off. "As long as we gently step on the floor, and do not hurry, we'll be fine. Calm down, and think of soothing thoughts." The creatures followed Evergreen's instructions as they travelled through the cavern, while she looked up at the ceiling, when there were no more crystals above them, Evergreen announced that they could resume their run. "Thanks for helping us get pass the crystals, Evergreen." Nature Bloom thanked her Kirin friend. "Yeah, we might have been goners if it weren't for you!" Yellow Bright added. "She totally learnt about crystals from me!" Volcano pointed out. "Yes, I did." Evergreen confirmed, "But it wasn't just me; all of you cooperating with me and being calm helped. Sometimes, you have to be patient, calm down, and accept the facts." Suddenly, a loud snap could be heard. The creatures looked down and gasped, they were stepping on a skeleton body! Looking around, more skeleton bodies were seen, making the group huddle together in fear. "Skeletons are the remaining of dead beings," Nature Bloom said her thought out loud, "And if there are many skeletons here..." "Many creatures died here!" Volcano added. "But why?!" Sunshine Rays asked. "Come on, every creature!" Yellow Bright announced, "Let's just look around and be careful of things and just carry on our journey!" "Yellow Bright! Are you crazy?!" Krona asked. "We have no idea what caused so many deaths here, and if we don't take it seriously, we might suffer the same fate as all of these dead creatures!" Luster added. "We should take it seriously, without letting fear overwhelm us," Yellow Bright pointed out, "Come on, guys, maybe these skeletons are fakes, or, the remaining of creatures that passed away elsewhere, but moved here." "But there's still a chance that these skeletons are real!" Alkali whimpered. "We should be really, very careful!" Evergreen pointed out, "Even when we're positive." "Don't worry, every creature! I know that we have to be positive, but not too positive that we don't take any cautions or precautions. I'm only saying that we should try to fill our minds with positive thoughts to calm down, not negative thoughts that make us scared." Yellow Bright explained. "That is most likely the right level of positivity." Sunshine Rays commented, before Yellow Bright went on with a list of positive things to tell his best friends. Listening to Yellow Bright, the group calmed down, walking out with barely any fear. Soon, they were out of the cavern filled with skeletons, all in one piece. "Hey, there aren't any skeletons around!" Alkali exclaimed, noticing that the surroundings were clear of bones. "We're finally out of those awful, terrifying caves!" Nature Bloom heaved a sigh of relief. "Thanks, Yellow Bright, you really helped us stay calm." Evergreen complemented. "You would say calm, while I would say positive!" Yellow Bright proudly declared. "That's great," Falcon Dive commented, "But what is even more great is...the entrance is just over there!" Every creature turned to look at the opening that Falcon Dive was pointing at. "Finally!" Sunshine Rays exclaimed. Overjoyed to see that they were finally getting out of the caves, the ten creatures raced towards their destination, unintentionally causing a rock slide as the rocks nearby were set loose due to the vibrations caused by the creatures' running. "ROCKSLIDE!" Krona screamed, causing the whole group to scatter in different directions, trying to avoid getting hit by the falling rocks. Falcon Dive, being the fastest member of the group, dashed around the scene, scooping up his friends and bringing them to the entrance for safety, one by one. After saving Nature Bloom, Falcon rushed back into the cavern to help one last creature; Krona. Unable to lift Krona out, Falcon Dive bravely kicked the falling boulders that threatened to fall on his friend away. Once every creature was out, Luster thanked Falcon Dive, "Falcon, thanks for saving all of us. That was really brave of you." "Especially when you could have just save yourself," Yellow Bright added. "No need to thank me, every creature, I'm just caring about others more than I would care about myself." Falcon Dive proudly declared. "For some creature impatient, you are surprisingly heroic." Evergreen commented. "For once, I finally worship your selflessness, Falcon." Sunshine Rays added. "Thanks, Sunshine Rays. At least there's something I'm good at, and good for: Being selfless, and I know that its definition is concerned more with the needs and wishes of others than with one's own, but I can tell that it's more than that, it's about being able to sacrifice your own good for every creature else's." Falcon Dive replied, a second before the sky turned dark. "Oh no," Luster Dawn whimpered, gazing at the dark sky. "Is this supposed to happen?" Nature Bloom asked. "No, it's afternoon, so the sky should not be dark right now." Volcano stated. "Maybe some dark clouds got loose from the Weather Factory?" Yellow Bright asked. "No, it's dark magic." Luster explained, "We got to stop Princess Twilight!" With her unicorn magic back, Luster teleported herself and her best friends to the opened field near Ponyville, where they scream in shock to see the crowd silently watching 'Princess Twilight Sparkle' casting a spell that changed the sky's colour. Worst of all, their screams were easily heard, turning every creature's attention towards them. 'Princess Twilight Sparkle' ordered the brainwashed crowd to capture the ten not brainwashed creatures, starting a battle. "Princess Twilight's forcing us to battle every creature we know, love and care about?!" Nature Bloom asked in a horrified tone. "And fight in a super unfair war of ten versus ten thousand?!" Sunshine Rays added. "Are you sure there are exactly ten thousand of them?" Krona asked. "It's an estimation," Sunshine Rays clarified. "Uh, guys? Maybe we should talk less for now, because they're coming!" Buffer pointed out, as the army of brainwashed creatures charged at the not brainwashed. Luster quickly used her magic to create a force field to protect her and her friends, but the brainwashed yaks attacked the field with their Brute Strength, forcing Luster to teleport the group to safety in her dorm at the School of Friendship. "That was close," Evergreen commented. "I'm glad that we didn't hurt our friends," Nature Bloom heaved a sigh of relief. "But they were attacking us!" Krona pointed out. "Only because they're being brainwashed!" Sunshine Rays explained. "Um, Luster?" Falcon Dive asked, approaching to the friend he mentioned. "Are you alright?" Alkali asked in a concerned tone. "No. We were too late to save Equestria!" Luster cried, "Worst of all, it was not just Equestria we failed to save: all of Equestria's allies from beyond were there, brainwashed as well. We doomed the world!" "I would not say so, it's not our fault that Princess Twilight brainwashed every creature," Buffer stated. "But we could have stopped her! But we didn't." Luster sadly explained, "And now, all of our friends...our families...our neighbours...every creature we ever knew...all brainwashed and controlled to serve a tyrant." "Maybe we can still survive somehow?" Yellow Bright asked. "No, Yellow Bright. We have to save every creature!" Falcon Dive pointed out. "Yeah, we came so far, we can't just give up now!" Alkali added. "But what can we do? We're no match for all of those creatures. And there's no doubt that Princess Twilight's looking for us to brainwash us!" Luster asked. "We find a way as we keep on thinking hard!" Volcano answered. "Like, think of how to deal with them?" Buffer asked. "Most likely." Sunshine Rays told him. "Well, I know a trick or two in areal combat, and that trick actually requires at least two creatures capable of flight, as they lead their opponents into crashing into each other while the trick performers just move out of the way in time." Falcon Dive stated. "And I have been doing smoke tricks and improvising them for quite some time now," Volcano added, "I bet that can help." "And I can turn into a Nirik, and use walls of fire to trap non-kirins." Evergreen contributed. "Krona can only smash, but that won't be good against yaks," Krona stated. "But it will be good against another one of our opponents," Luster pointed out, having been encouraged by her friends' conversation, "Your suggestions and every creature else's have encourage me to make a plan and save every creature!" "That's wonderful!" Nature Bloom commented. "So, Luster Dawn, what's the plan?" Alkali asked. "Well, we all know that we are heavily outnumbered," Luster began, before Nature Bloom added, "And none of us have the intentions of attacking or hurting the brainwashed army." "Right." Luster responded, before explaining, "But there's something we all have that the brainwashed army does not..." Some time later...'Princess Twilight Sparkle' was standing on top of a hill, explaining her plan to conquer every inch of the world to all her brainwashed minions. A second later, the ten creatures returned for a second battle, with Luster catching their attention, ""Hey, every creature! Do you want to know something better than power? It's friendship!" 'Princess Twilight' laughed, "Oh, please! You ten have made a big mistake catching my attention like that!" she then pointed her hoof at Luster's group, ordering her minions, "GET THEM!" The ten heroes bravely split up, dividing the army in the process, as the brainwashed creatures chased each one of Luster's friends. Nature Bloom used her shapeshifting magic to transform into a younger Rainbow Dash, and used the famous pegasus' speed to outfly the real Rainbow Dash and the Pegasi. Falcon Dive was just as fast as Nature while she was transformed, flying in all sorts of directions to confuse the minions. On the ground, Volcano used his smoke to prevent some of the brainwashed creatures from seeing everything, while Evergreen, having transformed into a Nirik, used her fire to trap a portion of the army. Luster used her magic to turn the ground that an army of brainwashed creatures were standing on into sticky sap. Krona used her smashing to prevent some brainwashed unicorns from performing spells. Buffer and Yellow Bright led two separated groups of brainwashed minions towards the area perpendicular to where Falcon Dive, Nature Bloom, Alkali and Sunshine Rays made the brainwashed fliers crash into each other, so the falling creatures would land on the brainwashed non-fliers. "We're so sorry and we are actually trying our best not to hurt you!" Nature Bloom called to the brainwashed creatures, after changing back her regular form. Luster then used her magic to subdue the brainwashed unicorns temporarily, while teleporting Krona to the group, as they regrouped around their leader. Luster then teleported her and her friends right underneath 'Princess Twilight Sparkle' surprising the said pony, while knocking her off the ground. "Princess Twilight! What's gotten into you?! You have always been satisfied and grateful for the Magic of Friendship, all these years! How can you turn on everything you've learnt about it now and be so...power-hungry?!" Luster asked, trying to reason with her 'mentor'. "The 'Magic of Friendship' is a little filly's tale! Why would you want it when you can have all the power in the world?!" 'Princess Twilight' protested, "I've always been so powerful inside with my magic, there's no need for ridiculous friends to share everything with!" "Seriously, after everything you've been through with them, that's what you call them now?" asked Falcon Dive. "Oh, come on! Would Princess Celestia and Princess Luna want their successor to be like this?!" Krona asked. "Evil and power-hungry?" Sunshine Rays added. "And nasty?" Nature Bloom ended. Enraged by being called 'nasty', 'Princess Twilight' made her horn glow as she glared at the creatures, "You creatures are troublesome enough! I shouldn't brainwash you...I should destroy you ALL!" 'Twilight' released a huge magic beam at the ten creatures, attempting to finish them. Luster quickly responded by creating a force field, but her force field was starting to weaken as she started to get exhausted, while her 'mentor' continued the attack. A second after Luster's force field shattered, 'Twilight' sent a huge beam at the ten creatures, who quickly responded by gathering around Luster, embracing what was presumed to be their final group hug... Thinking that her enemies were gone, 'Twilight' laughed evilly before gasping in shock as she realised that the creatures were unharmed: Luster had conjured up a new force field that protected them. Realising something, Luster gasped, "I get it now!" "Get what now?!" 'Princess Twilight' asked. "The magic that protected me and my friends did not come from me, it came from my friendship with them," Luster Dawn explained, "The Magic of Friendship did not come from the Elements of Harmony, the elements were just symbols. The real magic has always been in those who possess true friendship. Each of my friends has a unique good value that they showed to the rest, helping the whole group out of the caves, and maintain their friendship. Being able to get pass all those obstacles together have proven their friendship strong. And the more they show and understand friendship, the stronger they are, both individually and together." During Luster's explanation, she and her friends glowed and floated up before 'Twilight', to her shock. The moment Luster finished explaining, the Magic of Friendship empowered her and her friends, changing their appearances: Krona's lighter stripes on her fur and mane turned bright strong red, with the same going for the spots on her clothes. Volcano gained lighter orange lines on his body while his wings grew larger with the same pattern on it. Buffer received peach streaks on his fur. Yellow Bright's mane had thin yellow stripes and changed shape as it flowed. Sunshine Rays' mane flowed and her wings grew to match those of Celestia's, with streaks that were strong, bright green. Evergreen's mane developed bright cyan stripes. Falcon Dive's wings expanded and received strong blue stripes. Alkali's mane received indigo stripes. Nature Bloom's wings grew to look like those of a butterfly, while her hooves gained a violet flower pattern. Luster Dawn grew taller to look like Princess Celestia, with her mane gaining additional shiny golden streaks while flowing. The very next second after their instant transformations, the ten creatures used the Magic of Friendship to create a magical rainbow with the colours of red, orange, peach, yellow, green, cyan, blue, indigo, purple and shiny gold, that rose into the sky, before it charged down at 'Twilight', hitting her and releasing a magical rainboom of the same colours. The rainboom undid all the spells 'Twilight' had casted as it passed by the surroundings, releasing every creature from her control. The crowd watched as Luster and her friends changed back into their original forms and approached a fallen pony who was not Twilight at all. "Princess Twilight Sparkle?" Luster asked, a moment before she heard some creature behind her saying, "I am here, Luster Dawn, my faithful student." "Princess Twilight Sparkle?" the ten creatures asked in shock, turning to look at where the rainbow hit 'Twilight' and left a unicorn weakened, before turning to see where Twilight was that moment. "What is going on?!" Luster asked, confused. "Eclipse Instant, my former star student at the School for Gifted Unicorns, had casted a spell to switch my body with hers." Twilight explained, "She fooled the guards into locking me up in the dungeon and subduing my magic by impersonating me. I was horrified and worried about Equestria ever since, until I heard a loud explosion and suddenly turned back to normal." "So...the pony we faced...wasn't you?" Luster asked. "It really wasn't." Twilight confirmed, causing Luster's eyes to widen as a smile grew on her face. "Thank goodness you're always the good, great pony I know you are!" Luster exclaimed, happily hugging her real mentor. "Of course I always am, and will be, Luster." Twiliight assured, embracing the hug, before she turned to her fallen former student, "Eclipse Instant, it's been three long years since I tried to reason with you; power makes you hungry for even more, you should make some friends and learn true friendship instead. More importantly, power ultimately isn't as satisfying as it seems, it does not give you what friendship can. You can seek friendship out, or forever be on your own, against all of us." With tears in her eyes, Eclipse Instant cried, "I'm so sorry! I really am! I didn't know and never thought of it this way!" "The Magic of Friendship does not belong to just me and my friends," Twilight pointed out, "Any creature can have and share it, and that 'any creature', meant every creature." "But, now that I've done something horrible to every creature, how am I supposed to even make a friend?" Eclipse Instant sadly asked. "I believe that my friends and I are more than willing enough to give you a chance," Luster Dawn declared. "Totally! The more friends, the merrier!" Alkali cheered. "And the past does not matter anymore," Krona added. "For most cases," Sunshine Rays corrected. "And this, is definitely one of the most cases," Volcano confirmed. "Because who you are now is what matters," Nature Bloom explained. "We must be willing to accept the fact that we made mistakes, and not wish that they can be deleted," Evergreen added. "So, will you accept friendship, this time?" Luster asked Eclipse, reaching a hoof out to the remorseful villainess. With a tear flowing out of her eyes, Eclipse Instant placed her hoof on Luster Dawn's, accepting the offer. "Luster!" Starlight called, as she and Sunburst, approached their daughter. "What happened back there?" Sunburst asked. "It's a really long story..." Luster told her parents, "With some interesting elements and values that I would like to share with every creature." "Take it away, my faithful student." Princess Twilight Sparkle warmly instructed. "Every creature in this crowd, I've been learning friendship at the School of Friendship for a while, learning the values of Honesty, Kindness, Laughter, Generosity and Loyalty, taught by the teachers. But today, during my adventure with my best friends, each of them showed a new value that they have." Luster announced, before explaining each of her friends' values, making them feel proud. "Krona showed her integrity, when she told the truth about what she was thinking, despite it being against what she learnt about friendship, in order to prevent an unfortunate outcome that would happen if she did not." "Buffer showed his listening skills when he stopped an argument between his friends by listening to what each of them had to say, and identifying who should be listened to." "Sunshine Rays showed her morality when she prevented us from taking the treasures that we found, which is something wrong as the treasures did not belong to us." "Volcano showed his diligence, when he was hardworking enough to clear a boulder that could take days to clear." " Nature Bloom showed her niceness, when she warmly approached a Crystal Cave Spider and respected it, despite its earlier attack." "Alkali showed her encouraging spirit by giving Krona the hope and motivation she needed to slide down a slope." "Evergreen showed her patience throughout the journey, staying calm and not complaining much, and most importantly, helped all of her friends be patient enough to walk through a cavern filled with fragile crystals slowly and carefully." "Yellow Bright showed his positivity, by helping his friends think positively, when they were overwhelmed by few and negative thoughts." "Last but not least, Falcon Dive showed his selflessness, when he bravely saved every creature at the risk of his own life." "And Luster Dawn, who led us through the adventure, and the battle against Eclipse Instants's brainwashed army and Eclipse Instant herself, showed that she, Luster Dawn, is a great leader." Luster's best friends announced, "Therefore, Luster showed us her leadership!" "And they are all wonderful good values to show and know," Princess Twilight commented, "Such a shame that they had to be named individually or simply called 'Luster Dawn and her friends' values' when we would like to mention them all." "Can you please give us a second, your Majesty?" Luster asked politely, before Twilight nodded, allowing the unicorn and her friends to have a huddled up discussion for a few seconds. After the short discussion was over, Luster Dawn announced, "My best friends and I have decided, that we would like to be known as 'The Heroic Ten', from now onwards. And, the good values that we showed, shall be known as 'The Elements of Purity', inspired by the Elements of Harmony." "And we are all honoured to have them known far and wide, and celebrate the victory of our new heroes, on their Graduation Day!" Princess Twilight added, followed by the loud cheering of the crowd. "Graduation Day?!" the Heroic Ten asked in a confused tone. "You all have proven that you have learnt enough about friendship at the school," Princess Twilight explained, "By introducing new elements that can help strengthen and maintain friendship to all of Equestria and beyond, you have shown that you no longer need the school's lessons: You are all ready to learn friendship, on your own." "Thank you so much, Princess Twilight Sparkle!" Luster thanked, while letting out a tear of joy. "And it's about time! We've waited forever to graduate!" Falcon Dive complained. "Um, Falcon? Remember, patience..." Evergreen reminded. "And niceness," Nature Bloom added. "Sorry, every creature. Looks like I need to learn some more patience and niceness from my best friends," Falcon apologised, causing every creature to share a laugh. Rainbow Dash performed another Sonic Rainboom for every creature to watch that day, this time for the newly named Heroic Ten's celebration. Luster was glad that she got to see a Sonic Rainboom for the first time in her life, and share the moment with her best friends. Rainbow then landed beside her husband Soarin, and their ten-years-old twins, Sonic and Rainboom. Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich, alongside their son Lil'Cheese shot confetti out of their party canyons. Discord summoned his wife Fluttershy's bird choir so she could conduct their music. Spike held up a chest that his wife Rarity opened with her magic, revealing graduation gowns in it, before levitating the gowns and placing them on the Heroic Ten. Applejack and her husband Caramel gave the creatures a scroll each, before Princess Twilight Sparkle used her magic to levitate ten graduation hats, and place them on the ten heroes' heads. After Starlight and Sunburst declared, "The Heroic Ten has graduated from the School of Friendship!" Twilight approached her star student. "Now that you and your friends aren't students at the school anymore, I am allowing you all to move into my former residence, the Castle of Friendship. And please, take Eclipse Instant with you, and ensure that she changes for the better." "Don't worry, Princess Twilight, we will." Luster assured. "And, whenever you learn or discover something about friendship, please kindly send a report to me." Princess Twilight added. "Just like you used to do when you were Princess Celestia's student!" Luster Dawn stated. Twilight chuckled, "Of course, Luster Dawn, my faithful student." Luster smiled, in response. The scene then shifted to the evening in front of the Castle of Friendship, where Luster, who had changed out of her graduation gown, slowly strolled alone as the background turned black, with a spotlight shining on her. For the very first time, the series' theme song was introduced: A flashback begun as Luster Dawn reflected on her time in Canterlot as Princess Twilight Sparkle's student, studying hardly, avoiding every creature around. Luster Dawn lamented, "For my whole life, I've always been only focused on my studies. Never thought of making friends, and avoiding all the parties. Strongly believing that friendships were a waste of time, and ultimately fade." Flashing back to the scenes in the future setting of the 'The Last Problem'. Luster Dawn sang,"But then Princess Twilight Sparkle proved that friendships can be maintained. She then sent me off to Ponyville, to be with the friends I've made!" Luster was shown wandering around Ponyville like a tourist, looking around before she looked at her best friends during the verse. Choir sang, "My little pony." Luster Dawn sang, "I never knew what friendship really is." Choir sang, "My little pony" Luster Dawn sang,"Until my best friends showed me its magic and bliss." Krona sang, "Telling the truth," Buffer sang, "Listen to each other." Sunshine Rays sang, "Do what is right," Volcano sang, "Working hard and together." Nature Bloom sang, "Treat others with respect," Alkali sang, "Give hope, support and motivation!" Evergreen sang,"Able to accept," Yellow Bright sang, "Looking on the bright side of the situation!" Falcon Dive sang,"Put others before you," All sang, "That is all so true." Luster Dawn sang,"Oh, and how I used to never..." Choir sang, "Ah...ah...ah" Luster Dawn sang,"Know what friendship really is!" A montage with footage from the previous episode and this episode showed the Heroic Ten as's greatest moments of showing their friendship, ending with them defeating Eclipse Instant with the Magic of Friendship, and the reformed villainess accepting Luster's offer of friendship, during the verse. All sang, "This is where the magic happens, (where the magic happens.) this is where the magic lives. (where the magic lives) Our friendships weave together, stronger. The bonds grow deeper, lasting longer. And the greatest spell we'll know, (we'll know) Is how the Magic of Friendship grows." The Heroic Ten gathered close for a group photo that Eclipse Instant magically took using her magic to perform one of her highest-level spells, before sending the photo to Princess Twilight Sparkle, who was sitting in her throne with her Royal Advisor Spike beside her. Receiving the photo, Twilight smiled, and sang the final line. "How the Magic of Friendship grows." 3. A New StartSomething has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.4. Jealous TeacherAuthor's Note Jealous Teacher serves as the fourth episode of the series. Summary: Unable to get his students' attention, Volcano recruited Alkali to be his teaching assistant to secure the students' interest. But when the students praise and give credit to Alkali and not acknowledge that he was the one reason Alkali could teach the right knowledge, Volcano started becoming jealous of his Best Friend. Some of the educational subject information are copied (or sort of copied) from videos or their descriptions. The videos are: Animal Cell posted on Youtube on Aug 8 2015 by It's AumSum Time, a video which is 9 minutes and 45 seconds long, for the Biology lesson. Map Skills-Calculating Bearings in a Geography Examination posted on Youtube on Nov 10 2017 by Geographer Online, which is 6 minutes and 35 seconds long, for the Geography Lesson. Featured Characters: Principal Calligraphy, a female white-coated cat with multi-coloured hair, and violet eyes, inspired by Principal Celestia. She is a former resident of Klungetown, who moved to Canterlot where Improvement Academy is. She is the school's principal and founder who started the school a decade ago during Princess Twilight Sparkle's reign. Like her inspiration, she is kind, wise and forgiving. Volcano and Alkali's students, many different species of teenagers who disliked Volcano's classes until Alkali went with him. Royal Guards, two identical pegasus males who resemble most of the royal guards during Celestia and Luna's reign. 4. Jealous Teacher One afternoon, in the Castle of Friendship, Luster was in the library practising some spells with Sunset Shimmer, a moment before Volcano entered. "Oh hi, Volcano!" Luster greeted, before asking, "So, how did your Teacher Exam go? Past with flying colours?" "NO!" Volcano cried out loudly, "I got A star for the knowledge, but F minus for the teaching!" "What?! How can you get F minus?! You're a famous hero now!" Sunset asked. "How can the students not want to learn from a famous hero who just saved them and all of Equestria and beyond, not so long ago?!" Luster added. "They gave me a whole lot of bad comments, with all of those comments saying that my lessons are boring!" Volcano replied, showing the unicorn mares a paper that was filled with lots of different claw, mouth, wing or hoof writings. Luster read the first comment out loud, "Is Professor Volcano an all-subjects teacher, or a boredom teacher?! The only thing he can teach us is how to be bored!" Sunset read the second comment, "How can his friends not fall asleep whenever he is around?! Is he only interesting and not boring when he is not talking?!" Luster read another comment, "How can some creature like Professor Volcano be a famous hero who stops villains? Maybe he made everything so boring that the villains changed their minds and wanted to surrender?!" "I am not anything like that! And I totally don't teach boredom, I teach all subjects! And I can separate them just fine! My lessons aren't boring!" Volcano angrily declared. "Maybe they aren't boring for you, but are for the students." Sunset replied, making Volcano give out a nervous chuckle. After the series' theme song intro played, Volcano responded to Sunset's words, "I never thought of it like that. I was only focusing on my point of view, that I was not focused on what my students' points of view could be!" "So, what do you think that they find that's boring?" Luster asked. "I think...everything..." Volcano chuckled nervously, before a series of flashbacks began: During English Lesson... "Words in the adverbial form are used when describing an adjective. In the sentence, 'The road ahead is dangerously unstable', the adjectival form is used when describing something or some creature. Reversing time is impossible. The word 'impossible' is the adjective here. Continuous Tense is used when an action occurs simultaneously with the prior action, or any other action..." Volcano wrote what he was saying on the blackboard, not paying attention of how uninterested his students looked. During Math Lesson... "All non-zero digits are significant. Zeroes that are in between non-zeroes are for sure, significant. Such examples include 105, 200, 4.006 and many more. Zeroes in between non-zeroes and decimal points are also significant, and such examples include 11.04, 2.05 and 300.06. For zeroes that do not have a non-zero digit before them, they are surely insignificant. Such examples include 0.1, 0.01,0.001, 0.0001 and more. Now for zeroes at the end of the number, they can be either significant or insignificant, like 100 has two zeroes, and you can choose to have both of its zeroes significant, or the one in the middle significant while the one at the end insignificant, or both of them insignificant. Moving on..." The students started getting bored, followed by yawning, before falling asleep as Volcano wrote down what he was saying chunked in one huge paragraph. During Biology Lesson... "The Animal cell is surrounded by a semi-permeable cell membrane. The cell membrane allows only specific materials to move in and out of the cell.The different parts of the cell are called organelles. Nucleus, Mitochondria, Endoplasmic Reticulum, Golgi Apparatus, Lysosomes. The cytoplasm is a jelly like substance. Cytoplasm provides a surface for all the organelles in the animal cell. Nucleus being the control center of cell decides and controls most of the functions going on in the cell. Mitochondria are the sites for cellular respiration in cells. They are the powerhouses of the cell because they release energy rich compounds called ATP. ATP is needed for the functioning, growth and maintenance of the body. The endoplasmic reticulum is a large network of membrane bound sheets. They help in transporting and exchanging materials between the various regions of the cytoplasm.The endoplasmic reticulum is of two types: The smooth endoplasmic reticulum. The rough endoplasmic reticulum. The smooth endoplasmic reticulum helps in the formation of lipids. Lipids are essential components of the cell membrane. The rough endoplasmic reticulum has ribosomes. Ribosomes help in building proteins in the rough endoplasmic reticulum. The protein is..." Volcano's long description was making the students fall asleep as he went on. During Geography Lesson... "Bearings actually tell us in what direction something is in, and bearings are more accurate than using compass points. We must always measure the angle clockwise from the North. It is important to always pay attention to the direction you will be the taking the bearing from. Finding the bearing from point A to Point B is actually different from finding the bearing from the Point B to Point A. To find a bearing, mark the north line of the point you are finding the bearing from, then draw the line connecting the points, then measure the angle clockwise from the North line to the point. Remember, the degree must be in three-digits. So if it is a number less than 100, for example 45, you have to write your answer as 045. Now, for the other way around, which is finding the bearings from the other point to the original point..." The students yawned as Volcano continued writing. During Equestria and Beyond History Lesson... "Before the era of Princess Twilight Sparkle, most weddings in Equestria have the newly weds, the chief witness, the flower girl, and the best mare. This went on until Rainbow Dash and Soarin's wedding in Cloudsdale, when Rainbow wanted her first non-pony friend, Gilda, to be the best non-mare, or technically, the position of best mare, without being a mare. After the wedding, all of Equestria and beyond decided that they should no longer just call a wedding's best mare best mare: They changed it into best creature, to respect every creature and give them a chance to serve regardless of species and gender." The students looked a bit interested only when the captain and co-captain of the Wonderbolts' names were mentioned, before gradually becoming bored again. After the flashbacks ended, Luster commented, "Those explanations were really long...I can see why your students dislike them so much." "What am I going to do?! Those are not just any students! Those are students at Improvement Academy!" Volcano explained, "The one and only school in all of Equestria for the students who are the poorest in their studies! They need my knowledge!" "But how are you supposed to get them to know what you know?! They don't like your lessons, and don't listen to you." Sunset pointed out. "The word 'listen' gives me an idea..." Volcano replied. The scene immediately changed from inside the castle of Friendship library to outside the castle, where Volcano had a conversation with Buffer. "Sorry, Volcano. I may be the listening expert, but not even I can make sure every creature will listen!" Buffer told the dragon, "But I know some creature who can!" "Who?" asked Volcano, in a confused tone. "One of our best friends, and a member of the Heroic Ten." Buffer replied. "I'm sorry Buffer, but I don't get who you are talking about." Volcano responded. "Alkali, of course! She's the encouraging expert. She'll totally know what your students like, and I'm sure she will get your students' interest as she encourage them..." "Alkali?! You got to be kidding me, Buffer! She's the one creature in our team to know everything about having fun, and nothing about being serious! And she may cause confusions if she came along for Chemistry lessons." Volcano cut Buffer off. "Why would you say that?" Buffer asked in a confused tone. "Because she is named after alkalis! Alkalis from Chemistry! Alkalis that turn red litmus paper blue! Alkalis that react with acids to form salt and water as they neutralise!" Volcano explained. "But other than that, she'll be fine! Plus, she isn't her little brother, Acid." Buffer pointed out. "But...she is always the kind that makes things fun! She'll totally dislike classes and lessons that aren't fun!" Volcano pointed out. "Or maybe, she can make them fun and interesting enough for your students to learn." Buffer told Volcano, in a positive tone. "Are you sure you're not Yellow Bright in a buffalo's disguise?" Volcano asked. Buffer chuckled, "I am not Yellow Bright, I just learn from his positive things and positive sayings." Later that day, in the Castle of Friendship Throne Room, Volcano told Alkali all about his decision to make her his teaching assistant. "Really?! You think I can be a teacher?!" Alkali asked. "Technically, a teaching assistant. My teaching assistant who will help me teach the students." Volcano clarified. "Thanks, Volcano! Now I'm finally getting a job! With a job, I can earn some bits for all of us for the rest of our lives!" Alkali exclaimed. "If you made it. I may know all the right information, but I can't get my students to absorb it. They think my teachings are boring!" Volcano told the hyperactive hippogriff. "Don't worry, Volcano! I can assure you, your students will not find your lessons boring with me around!" Alkali declared. "Good. Now, all I have to do is to teach you at least some of the basic information you need to know as a teaching assistant. If you can show the principle that you know the basics, you'll totally get in!" Volcano announced, taking out his notebook, "Here's the notebook I had written before I became a student at the School of Friendship. It contains all the information I ever needed, including some additional ones that aren't so important. Now, all you have to do in this one hour time period, is to write down the notes in your own notebook, before writing down what you know in front of me without any reference!" "That's...a lot." Alkali commented. "If you can't make it, I'm sure I'll figure another way to convince Principal Calligraphy to let you in as my teaching assistant." Volcano assured. "Never mind Volcano, I have to at least try to help one of my best friends here." Alkali told the dragon. "If you say so, I'll be back to check on you once one hour is over!" Volcano replied, closing the door. One hour flew by and Volcano returned to check on Alkali, "Alright, one hour is up! Now, write down everything you can remember on these sheets of paper." Alkali did as Volcano told, much to his surprise, as he never thought that Alkali could remember so much in a short amount of time. His eyes turned wide oval as he scanned through Alkali's words. All of them were so newly arranged and the same as his notes. "How did you do that?! I mean...not even I can remember that much in an hour!" Volcano asked in disbelief. "Well, I may not be serious, but I can still do things. I totally copied your notes, but made a few alterations in my notes..." Alkali replied, showing Volcano a new bow of scrapbooks she made. "Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Additional Mathematics, Elementary Mathematics, Geography, Equestria and Beyond History? How did you remember all of those details, or more importantly, write that fast?!" Volcano asked. "Well, I actually wrote your basic information down only, figured that the additional ones should be reserved for later. And unlike you, I made some cartoon characters to help me remember! Plus, used coloured pencils instead of just plain pencils made of graphite." answered Alkali, as she opened her scrapbook for Volcano to see. "You are so...amazing...Alkali...I guess I was wrong about you." Volcano scratched his head. "Wrong about me? What is it that you're wrong about me?!" Alkali asked. "Nothing. But we still have to make sure that your name does not cause any confusion for Chemistry lessons. Especially when we mention alkalis." Volcano pointed out. "Alkalis?! Ooh, they are my most favourite part in all of chemistry!" Alkali squealed. "You are named after them, because all the colours you have are the colours strong alkalis' pH values have when they are represented on the pH scale." Volcano explained in a plain tone. "And they feel soapy, and soaps are made of them, and soaps can make bubbles, which are fun to play with!" Alkali continued. "Did I forget to mention that alkalis taste bitter?" Volcano sarcastically asked. "I know that, but I sure am not bitter, and I still love them!" Alkali exclaimed. The next day, Volcano brought Alkali to Principal Calligraphy's office. "Good morning, Principal Calligraphy, as I told you, since I can't get my students to be interested, I figured that I had to bring a friend of mine with me, to get the students to be interested. And, she is not going to be a teacher, but my teaching assistant, once you see her methods and approve her." Volcano greeted the principal. Principal Calligraphy placed a file that she was holding aside, revealing her appearance to Alkali The principal was a cat with white fur and hair flowing down her head, which had the colours of Princess Celestia's mane. "Wow, you really look like Princess Celestia if she was a cat!" Alkali commented, before getting hushed by Volcano. "Alkali, she's the principal, show some respect!" "That is actually alright, Alkali. I understand that you are new, and you have never worked at a school before as one of the staffs. I hope that you can and will be the teaching assistant that the school needs." Principal Calligraphy told the newcomer in a tone that strongly matched Princess Celestia's usual tone. "I totally will do as you say, Principal Calligraphy," Alkali saluted. "Good, now would you please show me how you will teach, as in, the way you will teach what you know?" the principal asked. "Totally!" Alkali replied, "But I am going to need three creatures for my enactment to explain covalent bonding, so I need your help." "Alkali! She's the judge...I mean...examiner...I mean...principal! You cannot ask her for help in..." Volcano told the hippogriff, before being cut off by the principal. "Don't worry, Volcano. I can see that Alkali believes that things will be a lot clearer for the creatures involved. Taking part in her enactment will give me clearer knowledge of what the students will learn from her methods." "Thank you for participating, Principal Calligraphy, and I hope that you will not be offended by my decision of casting you and Volcano as the oxygen atoms as you two walk on two legs, while I play the carbon atom as I am different and walk on four..." Alkali began, before being cut off by Volcano, "Alkali! Are you out of your mind?! Giving yourself a position that is more special than the one you give to the principal?! You totally..." "It's alright Volcano, I'm sure that if this method is more effective the way Alkali planned, I accept it." Principal Calligraphy assured. "Alright, now to make this enactment more interesting and clear, you're going to have hole hoops and dots and crosses!" Alkali announced in a cheerful tone, unpacking her bag and taking out the said equipment. "What?! Seriously, this is what you bring to teach?!" Volcano asked. "It is to teach, in a fun way." Alkali told her Best Friend, before explaining, "Now, the oxygen atoms need eight valence electrons..." A few hours passed, and after Alkali's final presentation, the principal commented, "Alkali, all those methods are extraordinary, and way beyond what the other Teaching Assistants do. And since they are very interesting, fun and enjoyable, I am sure that they will be absolutely beneficial to the students here. You are approved and therefore, you can be Volcano's Teaching Assistant." "That is great to know, Principal Calligraphy." Volcano replied, before telling Alkali, "Come on, Alkali! Now to see if you really are the teaching assistant that I needed." The teenaged students in the classroom were busy chit-chattering amongst themselves, a moment before they heard footsteps headed their way. Stopping all conversations, the students rushed back to their seats before their teacher entered. "Good afternoon, students." Volcano greeted, "Today, I have brought my teaching assistant, an old Best Friend of mine for over two years, to help you all learn better. Meet Miss Alkali." "Hi, every creature!" Alkali cheerfully greeter as she entered, "I am indeed..." "Alkali from the Heroic Ten!" the students exclaimed in unison. "What?! But...I am from the Heroic Ten, too! I helped the whole team through the catacombs by diligently clearing up that giant boulder until I created an opening for all of them to fit through!" Volcano pointed out. "Now, now, every creature, I am not here for all of your love and attention, I am here to help you all learn your education lessons so you will pass your tests!" Alkali told the students in a Pinkie Pie-like tone. The students groaned after hearing what their heroine had to say, with a yellow changeling commenting, "I though we were going to have fun." "Especially after Professor Volcano's descriptions made us so bored, that we fell asleep!" a grey-green Kirin added. "Don't worry, every creature! Because we are going to learn things...the fun way!" Alkali announced in a hyperactive tone, followed by the students exclaiming in unison, "YAY!" In a montage, Volcano tried explaining the lessons his way, as usual. But every time he finished the sentence, Alkali repeated it in her hyperactive, cheerleading tone, as she encouraged the students to repeat the sentences with different tones and voices. Alkali's methods were indeed, very effective, as the students started liking their lessons and were able to remember all the details they needed to know. At the end of the day, a few minutes before dismissal, the students were cleaning up the classroom without annoyed, unsatisfied expressions on their faces. "Wow, Alkali. I have never seen these students so willing to learn or clean the classroom before!" Volcano told his Best Friend, "You really encouraged them in ways no creature else could!" "What can I say? I am the encouraging expert, and I always know how to encourage!" Alkali replied, before the school bell rang. "Dismissal time!" the hyperactive hippogriff announced in a singing tone, but to the heroes' surprise, the students seemed reluctant to go. "What's wrong? You students are always begging to go home!" Volcano asked the class. "That's only because Miss Alkali wasn't there to make things fun." a female griffon student replied. "Now that she's here, we love lessons and classes more than ever!" a male blue Earth Pony stated. "Because lessons that she teach are fun!" a male yak student declared. "Alright, since you all like lessons now, can you promise me that you will all come to class, like you should?" Alkali asked. "We sure will!" the students replied, before rushing out of the classroom. "Wow, with you around, they really changed." Volcano commented. Soon, not long after Alkali became his teaching assistant, Volcano was in the hallway that contained the rooms he and Alkali teach their students in. In an unpleasant, annoyed tone, he mumbled to himself, "With Alkali's loud, singing, cheerleading and playing methods going on every time she's around, the other classes may never get the silence they need! Good thing I know how to install vacuums in the walls. As Physics stated, sound waves can only travel through mediums, and therefore, they cannot travel through vacuums." After he finished his sentence however, Volcano could hear voices that did not belong to him, saying, "Miss Alkali is so cool! She made learning a trillion times more fun than it can ever be!" Knowing that the vacuums would prevent any sound from entering and leaving the classrooms, Volcano knew that some creature else was in the hallway, headed towards him. Hiding in the nearest classroom, he hid from the passers, while leaving a tiny opening in between the door and wall, so he could still overhear the conversation. "I wish I was in Miss Alkali's class, she's like the best teacher around!" another voice claimed, making Volcano gasp. "But...but...but Alkali's not really a teacher! She's a teaching assistant! My teaching assistant!" Volcano said to himself, before listening to more voices. "That's because she is the best teacher around! She makes everything fun!" the first voice declared. "Her Bearings Game was so interesting an enjoyable! I can't wait to show you now it goes!" a student told her company. "Her rearranging of sentences in all sorts of ways helped me remember information clearly." a male student contributed. "Her Chemistry Balancing Equations enactment made us remember the basics clear as day!" another student added. "Her Equestria and Beyond enactment made us remember the whole story super well!" a male student stated. "But, she would never know any of that super well herself, if it were not for me to be there to ensure she got all the facts right!" Volcano complained, only for himself to hear. "I cannot wait to nominate her for the upcoming Monthly Award Ceremony as the Best Teaching Staff!" a female student declared, making Volcano's eyes turn wide oval. "Now that you mentioned it, I can't wait to nominate her, too!" one of the students exclaimed. "I totally will nominate her, as well!" another student joined in, contributing to the growth of Volcano's fury and jealousy towards Alkali. After the students' voices could no longer be heard, Volcano stepped out of his hiding place and back into the hallway, with his face darker than ever. "Alkali...so bubbly, cheerful and lovable...just wait till the awards come!" That evening, during dinner time at the Castle of Friendship, Volcano was unhappier than ever, barely showing a smile as he ate his meal. Nature Bloom quickly took notice of her best friend's expressions and asked, "Um, Volcano? Are you alright?" "Sure. Why wouldn't I be?" Volcano answered in an unpleasant tone. "By listening to your tone and observing your expressions, I can identify that you are not telling the truth, Volcano." Buffer pointed out. "What?! How can you lie, Volcano?! You just graduated from the School of Friendship less than a month ago!" Krona asked. "Sorry, it's just that I am not in the mood for telling the truth about a certain something lately." Volcano replied. "What is that something?" asked Evergreen. "We totally understand if you are not comfortable about telling us, but cheer up! We're your best friends! We won't make fun of you!" Yellow Bright told Volcano in a cheerful tone. "Some friends would like teasing their friends, but we obviously are not those kind of friends," Sunshine Rays assured. "So, what's the problem?" asked Falcon Dive. "It's no big deal, guys. I am not a teenager anymore, I am a young adult older than nineteen, and I can handle things by myself." Volcano told his best friends. "It is not that we care about you like we re taking care of you, Volcano." Luster explained, "We are your best friends!" "And that is true, best friends!" Sunshine Rays added. "Because we really care about you!" Falcon Dive contributed. "Each and every little thing about you," Nature Bloom continued. "Or anything that have something to do with you," Evergreen filled in. "We all care about them!" Buffer resumed. "Like true friends would!" Krona declared. "And if you're facing a problem, we will help in any way we can!" Yellow Bright finished. "Thanks for your care and support, every creature, but this is something that I should be handling...by myself." Volcano told the creatures, before poring his dinner into his snout, chewing it and swallowing it, as he left. "Are you sure this is the Volcano we know?" Falcon Dive sarcastically asked his best friends after the dragon's departure. "Well, we've been with Volcano for over two years at the School of Friendship..." Nature Bloom stated, before Luster cut her off. "Technically, most of us have been with Volcano for over two years at the School of Friendship." "Of course Luster," Evergreen responded, a moment before Alkali entered the dining room. "Hey, every creature!" she greeted in her usual cheerful tone, "Where's Volcano?! I thought he's joining us for dinner, as usual!" "He did, but he wolfed down and gobbled up his meal in five seconds flat," Sunshine Rays sarcastically stated. "And then he left," Yellow Bright concluded. "That's...so...not him!" Alkali commented, "Could he be replaced by an imposter?!" "I am not replaced nor impersonated!" Volcano's voice called, "I am just feeling a little grumpy, and wanted to take a break, as soon as now! And in case you that isn't enough, here's my knowledge as proof: I went to the School of Friendship because I had nothing else to learn about education! At the rare, once in a blue moon, New Students Welcoming Fair, I first met Alkali at the Magic of Science booth, where we watched some interesting science experiments! Then, we went to the Make A New Friend Event where we parted ways and made new friends! Alkali met Evergreen, I met Yellow Bright. Soon, after talking and sharing facts with our new friends, we moved onto the Multiple Friends Section, where we had to make and accept another friend. Buffer joined Alkali and Evergreen, Nature Bloom joined me and Yellow Bright..." "Alright, alright! That's enough, Volcano!" Alkali called to him, "You totally proved that you'e the real you." "Great! Now I'm going to rest!" Volcano called back. "So, how did teaching go?" Yellow Bright asked. "Teaching was fun! Or mostly, because I teach it in a fun way!" Alkali answered, "The students loved my sentence rearranging games, cheerleading and singing methods to help them remember, and my enactments that I allowed all of them to take part in!" "Wow, for some creature fun-loving, you really got teaching potential." Evergreen commented. "You are not even Volcano, but you really know how to teach!" Nature Bloom added. "Probably because I know how to encourage!" Alkali replied. "Wow, now I really wish that you were my teacher back in the school I was in, before the School of Friendship." Falcon Dive commented. "Who wouldn't? Fun Teachers are BEST!" Krona exclaimed. "I knew that you were the right choice to be Volcano's teaching assistant!" Buffer gratefully told Alkali. "And the students are making progress, and they like class, and they keep on cheering on me! Or, cheering for me? Or, whatever. But the main point is, classes are fun and lovable!" Alkali cheered, with her hyperactive tone transforming into a singing tone at the end of the sentence. Unknown to the nine creatures, Volcano overhead their conversation, and got even more jealous of Alkali getting all the love and praise. He angrily groaned before storming off to his room. The next day, Volcano and Alkali returned to Improvement Academy to teach their students, as usual. But not everything was as for usual, as Volcano began trying to make his lessons interesting like Alkali would. Only, instead of cheerleading, singing, and enactments, he tried using flash cards and trivial games to teach, in hopes of getting the students' love and praise. Unfortunately, things did not go the way he hoped at the end of the day. "Alright, every creature. It's almost dismissal time, so, before you go, is there anything you would like to say about how my lessons are today?" Volcano asked the students. "Professor Volcano really seems to finally decided to teach us the fun way," one of the students told his classmate. "But since he only started being like this after Miss Alkali came, he mostly got that idea from her!" the classmate responded. "Did you change your ways, only because Miss Alkali inspired you to do so?" a male teenaged light grey-coated pegasus student asked. Knowing that his best friends would never like dishonesty, Volcano told the truth, "Well, you can say inspired, but I would say, copy. I figured that if I were like Miss Alkali in the way I teach, you will finally...like me the way you like her." "Nice confession, Professor Volcano," the female griffon student told her teacher, "But we are still interested, and will give the credit to Miss Alkali." "Because if it were not for her, we would still be falling asleep during your boring lessons! And you would never change if it were not for her!" a male, teenaged minotaur concluded, before he joined the other students, thanking Alkali as they went out of the room. Volcano watched in jealousy before marching after every creature. In a montage, as the days flew by, Volcano attempted to make his lessons more interesting, but Alkali kept beating him in earning the students' love and praises. Whenever Alkali made a mistake, Volcano pointed the mistake out by mentioning the actual fact, but unfortunately, the students still praise Alkali, never acknowledging what Volcano always do for them. The actual teacher's jealousy towards his teaching assistant grew with each passing second, to the point that he would try to avoid having meals with her, even when the rest of their friends were around. One evening, Luster Dawn asked the rest of the Heroic Ten, with the exception of a diligent dragon and an encouraging hippogriff, about Volcano's odd behaviour around Alkali. "Does any creature find it strange that Volcano is acting really bitter around Alkali? I mean, he kept on trying to avoid her for these few days!" "Now that you mentioned it, it is kind of...strange." Nature Bloom responded. "Not strange, but something's up, for real." Sunshine Rays added. "So...what is that something that is up?" Falcon Dive sarcastically asked. "I don't know, but it cannot be good." Sunshine Rays answered. "How are you so sure?" asked Evergreen. "She's concerned for every creature's personalities, basically for their morality." Buffer replied. "And all kinds of other things," Yellow Bright added. "Volcano seems to be very grumpy lately, and since he kept on wanting to avoid Alkali...I figure..." Sunshine Rays began a theory, making Krona gasp. "Sunshine Rays figured that Volcano does not like Alkali?!" "But, they are best friends for two years plus now!" Luster pointed out. "I'm afraid that not every friendship goes so smoothly after it is formed," Nature Bloom stated. "But, how can Volcano start disliking Alkali?" Falcon Dive asked. "That is something we need to investigate," Sunshine Rays answered, "If Volcano won't tell us, and Alkali being somewhat oblivious, we have to find out ourselves," "Should we warn Alkali?" Yellow Bright asked. "We better, but not make her freak out," Sunshine Rays replied. "Understood," Luster responded, before instructing, "Evergreen, Nature Bloom, you two will go find Alkali and warn her!" "Roger that!" Evergreen replied, striking a posture. "We'll try to use the least scary words we can think of," Nature Bloom added, before trotting off with Evergreen. "So...what about the rest of the Heroic Ten?" asked Krona. "We have to investigate, and I think I know where we can start." Sunshine Rays announced. Gentle with their steps and wing flaps, the six heroes bravely snuck through the hallway, until they reached the door to Volcano's room. Using one of her latest spells, Luster created a magical vortex that revealed what was on the other side of the door, without letting any creature inside see them. Seeing that Volcano was asleep, the heroes quietly snuck in and picked up all sorts of things in his room, trying to find a clue. Falcon Dive eventually found something that the others figured was a strong clue. "Guys, I found Volcano's record book, and it seems to have all the details of what Volcano is like at Improvement Academy, Falcon told his best friends. "That's great, Falcon! We can totally find out what was happening between Volcano and Alkali by reading it!" Sunshine Rays stated. "But it's pretty long...and it's a record of what is happening to Volcano at Improvement Academy over twenty-eight days." Falcon pointed out. "That's a lot!" Krona complained. "Reading that could take hours!" Buffer added. "But not if you're a super fast reader," Yellow Bright figured, causing the others to look at Luster. "Well...I may be a fast reader, but I think it is safer, if I read a copy of the actual book," Luster responded. "But, we don't have a copy!" Sunshine Rays pointed out. "Just watch," Luster told her best friends, before levitating the record book in front of her, and sending a beam to zap it, and create an identical duplicate. Noticing that Volcano seemed a bit startled from his slumber by the noise, Luster quickly gave Falcon the real record book to return, while she and the others quietly rushed out. After the book was placed back where it was found, Luster teleported Falcon to the team, who silently closed the door and make their getaway with the copy. The next morning, all kinds of creatures went to Improvement Academy to attend the Monthly Award Ceremony. Alkali waited nervously as she sat in alongside the other teaching staff, looking around for Volcano , The dark orange dragon showed up eventually, and sat far away from his Best Friend, looking away from her, shocking her. Despite being warned earlier by her friends about Volcano's attitude, Alkali flew towards her long-time friend. "Hey, Volcano. I'm so sorry I had breakfast and left before you, it's just that...our best friends told me that it was for the better." "Great job for your listening skills, listening to them, Alkali. I really needed some space from you," Volcano negatively replied. "What?! But...but why?" Alkali asked, in a hurt tone. "It's not worth talking about right now, the ceremony is about to start!" Volcano pressurised her, just before the room turned dark, proving his words true. "Thanks for the reminder, Volcano!" the hippogriff said, before rushing back to her seat. "Great. Now some creature finally thanked me." Volcano sarcastically said to himself. Principal Calligraphy stepped onto the stage, underneath the yellow spotlight, where she began her speech, "Every creature in this crowd, we are gathered here today to witness and acknowledge several of our school's best creatures and what they did that makes them the best for this month." Meanwhile, in the Castle of Friendship, Luster was writing down the most important details she could find, while the others examined the details. "Uh, we are never going to find our answers by looking at all this!" Falcon Dive complained. "Patience, Falcon. Remember, complaining never helps!" Evergreen reminded. "Plus, you can be positive, and try to think of some possible bright sides and good things like me!" Yellow Bright added. "Well, I think we are getting somewhere by reading all these; we figured out that Volcano was trying to earn the students' love and praises," Nature Bloom pointed out. "But the students kept on liking Alkali over him," Sunshine Rays stated. "And, Volcano had pointed out Alkali's mistakes for Math Lessons! Look, 8 x 60 = 8 x 6 x 10, but 3 x 14 is not equal to 3 x 10 x 4!" Krona read. "The same thing goes for Biology Lesson when he pointed out that chloroplast and chlorophyll are not the same! The chloroplast is a cell organelle where photosynthesis takes place, while the chlorophyll converts the light it absorbs into chemical energy!" Buffer mentioned another example. "And Volcano pointed out a major notice that the students should take note of. The students must never answer chemistry questions about the change of state with the knowledge from Physics' Internal Energy lessons." Evergreen stated. "But he never got any praises or credit nor anything he did!" Nature Bloom pointed out. "The students kept on only liking and praising Alkali!" Falcon Dive contributed. "And Volcano kept on expressing some really awful expressions, watching Alkali get all the students' love." Buffer added. "I may look on the positive side very frequently, but do you think that Volcano is...jealous?" Yellow Bright asked. "Now that you say it, I think Volcano is jealous! Jealous of Alkali!" Luster gasped, causing the whole room to gasp. "Calm down, every creature! Panicking does not help!" Evergreen told her friends. "Calm down?! Do not panic?! We're having a crisis here!" Falcon Dive complained. "Volcano jealous of Alkali! He can do anything to her, and that anything is. Not. Good!" Krona declared. "There's an award ceremony today, what if Alkali wins an award?!" Nature Bloom asked. "And Volcano does not?" Sunshine Rays continued. "He'll go from jealous, to jealous Evil Queen from the Pony Tale!" Yellow Bright dramatically exclaimed. "Are you talking about The Evil Queen from the Pony Tale, 'Snow White and the Seven Foals?' "Buffer asked in a normal tone. "Guys, we got to do something!" Luster announced, "If we don't, who knows what Volcano will do?!" "Something really awful?" Nature Bloom replied. "We got to get to the ceremony in Improvement Academy, right now!" Luster declared, teleporting the team out of the castle. "Um, is this the School Hall where the Monthly Award Ceremony is taking place, or what?! I don't see any students, families of the school staff, teaching staff, or principals!" Yellow Bright asked, looking around the area the team teleported themselves to. "Of course it isn't!" Sunshine Rays told the Earth Pony, "We're not even in the school!" "We are outside Improvement Academy, and in front of the main entrance." Evergreen pointed out. "The school has magic-absorbing protection!" Luster gasped, "So no creature can use magic to get in!" "Then how else are we going to get in?" Nature Bloom asked. "Um, we can walk, or fly?" Falcon Dive sarcastically answered. "It won't be that easy," Krona stated, pointing at two white Pegasi in Royal Guard attires, "Royal Guards over there are just going to prevent us from entering so easily." "Maybe we should just tell them the truth?" Buffer suggested. "Great idea, Buffer! That's what we'll do." Luster praised, before trotting towards the entrance. "Excuse me, Royal Guards?" Luster asked, approaching them before she cleared her throat, "I am Luster Dawn, as you know, Princess Twilight Sparkle's star student. And, my best friends and I really need to pass this entrance so we can attend the Monthly Award Ceremony right now." "So sorry, Miss 'Luster', but we cannot just let any creature in, without a security check." one of the Royal Guards responded in a strict tone, using his wings to prevent Luster from entering. "You don't recognise the leader of the Heroic Ten?" Buffer asked. "The famous heroes who just saved you and all of Equestria and beyond, a month ago!" Falcon Dive added. "And the heroes who introduced the Elements of Purity?" Yellow Bright finished. "Of course we know what Luster Dawn and the Heroic Ten look like," the other Royal Guard begun, before his companion finished the sentence for him. "But in the aftermath of Eclipse Instant switching bodies with Princess Twilight Sparkle, we had to conduct security tests to check every creature's identity, and never fall for any imposter's tricks." The Royal Guards gave the creatures a blank paper each, instructing them, "Write down everything that is about your identities, including full name, species, gender, birthday, birth place, parents/guardians...." "Urgh! The Heroic Ten actually do not have time for this!" Krona declared. "Our Best Friend Volcano is getting really jealous of Alkali!" Nature Bloom stated. "Who knows what he will do if Alkali won this month's best teaching staff award?" Sunshine Rays pointed out. "Please, let us through! It is very urgent!" Luster pleaded. "Sorry, miss. We cannot make any exceptions. Not even for famous heroes or royalty." one of the guards replied. Luster Dawn groaned, "But, I am Luster Dawn! The star student of Princess Twilight Sparkle! As well as the biological daughter of Head-mare Starlight and Vice Head-stallion Sunburst of the School of Friendship in Ponyville, even though they could not and did not raise me, sending me to Sire's Hollow to be raised by their parents so they could run the school!" "Sorry, young lady, but every creature knows that." One of the guards responded. "I grew up not knowing anything about friendship, and was still anti-social after I performed an irreversible age spell on myself that makes me a decade older than I chronologically am, when I got into the School for Gifted Unicorns. I was soon sent to Ponyville, where I made friends with Falcon Dive, Yellow Bright, Evergreen, Alkali, Nature Bloom, Volcano, Sunshine Rays, Buffer and Krona! We got through everything together, especially when we defeated Eclipse Instant with the Magic of Friendship we possessed." Luster stated another fact that she knew. "Every creature knows that, too." the other Royal Guard stated, "So sorry, miss. But the only way you can prove yourself is to fill up this paper with your identity description. The same goes for your friends." "Uh!" Falcon Dive groaned and face-clawed himself. "And now, for the award we are all waiting for...the Best Teaching Staff Award!" Principal Calligraphy announced, "Without further ado, let us welcome the winner of this award, who is surprisingly one of the two newest teaching staffs, as well as one of the two heroes of Equestria who work here! And that creature is..." Alkali looked nervous while Volcano looked extremely interested, but not in a pleasant way. "Miss Alkali!" the principal announced, making the crowd cheer, while Alkali was overwhelmed. "What?!" Volcano said to himself, as he watch his Best Friend walk up the stairs and onto the stage. His face turned from dark orange to red, as the events unfold. "Congratulations, Miss Alkali," Principal Calligraphy told the hippogriff, presenting the latter a golden trophy. "You really are inspiring, and something Improvement Academy has never seen before! You are the first-ever teaching staff to win the Best Teaching Staff Award, on their very first Monthly Award Ceremo..." Before the principal could finish her sentence, she was interrupted by Volcano's enraged growl, as he leapt out of his seat, rose into the air, causing every creature to gasp in horror as they watched. "Volcano?!" Alkali asked in shock, before he charged down towards her and the principal. Fortunately for the girls, Falcon Dive flew in and used his pushing force to change Volcano's direction. "Alkali! Volcano is..." Falcon tried to warn the hippogriff, but he was stopped by Volcano, who flipped over, sending the griffon towards the empty seats. Following Falcon's 'defeat', Sunshine Rays and Nature Bloom tried tying Volcano up with rope, while Luster approached the confused girls on stage. "Alkali! Principal Calligraphy! Volcano is jealous of a certain indigo hippogriff, and now he is super mad." "Volcano is jealous of me the whole time?!" gasped Alkali, "But, why?!" "Long story summarised!" Yellow Bright explained, "Volcano actually has a lot of contribution to what you've been teaching, Alkali, by pointing out your mistakes, ensuring that you teach the right information!" "But, unfortunately, the students love you so much that they don't give him any credit," Evergreen added, "He even installed vacuums in the walls to prevent your loudness from disrupting the other classes, but no creature seems to acknowledge that!" "No creature acknowledges what Volcano does!" Krona pointed out. "And they kept giving you all the credit, including the credit that he actually deserves, being the one reason you can teach the right information!" ended Buffer. "In that case, Volcano deserves the award as well!" Principal Calligraphy claimed, just before Sunshine Rays and Nature Bloom were thrown aside. "Volcano, I have made a new decision, and I would like you to know, that Alkali is not the first-ever teaching staff to win the Best Teaching Staff Award on their first Monthly Award Ceremony anymore." the principal told the furious, out-of-control dragon, calming him down. "You and Alkali have won the Best Teaching Staff Award, as the very first pair of winners in the history of Improvement Academy!" "Wait, what?!" asked Volcano, in a confused tone. "Alkali could not have taught the right information to the students, if it were not or you to check on her! Teaching the right information is just as important as being able to teach, and therefore, I consider you two an official team. From now on, you both will get to win awards, together." the principal declared. "Thank you so much, Principal Calligraphy! We really are so lucky to have you as the founder, and principal of our school." Volcano thanked, before he turned to Alkali, "Alkali, I am so sorry I got so jealous of you, and never told the truth. I bottled my emotions up, and became a disaster! And...I'm really sorry about how I acted these few days." "I'm so sorry, too, Volcano." Alkali apologised, "I was so overwhelmed by the students' love for me, that I never thought about you! I was so oblivious to you until...some creature made me notice. I should have cared about you, checked on you, like all our best friends would!" "It looks like you two have learnt something about friendship!" Luster Dawn pointed out. "Indeed, we totally have!" Volcano responded, before he and Alkali wrote a letter to Princess Twilight Sparkle. Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle, We may have graduated from the School of Friendship a month ago, but we just forgot some tips about true, good friendship, until we learnt a valuable lesson about it. True good friends will never stop being concerned for their friends, and they will never bottle up their emotions and not admit the truth until disaster strikes. They should always care about each other for as long as they remember each other, and tell each other the truth about any unpleasant emotion they have at the start. This valuable friendship lesson is indeed, a good lesson that we will always remember. Signed, two of your faithful student's best friends, Volcano and Alkali "That's a really good moral!" Sunshine Rays commented, catching every creature's attention. "But are there any ones that teach you that you should not do nothing about tossing your friends at the walls?" Nature Bloom added. "Or the empty seats!" Falcon Dive ended, showing up. Volcano let out a nervous chuckle, "Whops, I am really sorry about all of that. Why don't I make amends for that by cleaning up your rooms for the rest of the year?" "Sure, but you still got to keep your words!" Sunshine Rays demanded. "I totally will," Volcano responded. "And now, we got a ceremony to finish." Principal Calligraphy declared. After all the damage was fixed and the return of the audience, Principal Calligraphy announced Alkali and Volcano the first pair of winners, and the first official team in the school, as she gave them both the golden trophy that they raised up high with their claws for the crowd to see, cheer and applaud. 5. Best vs Most PopularAuthor's Note Best vs Most Popular serves as the fifth episode of the series. Summary: The Heroic Ten help the author of the most popular story in Equestria and beyond for the moment, create a new book that is truly the best while trying to show that it is better to choose the best over the most popular. Featured Song: The Real, True Best Featured Characters: Grandeur, an earth pony with a grey coat with light amber eyes. He resides in Our Town and creates books under his author nickname, G.R Floor. The Heroic Ten set out looking for him in order to convince him to write better, beneficial books, and not uncommon genre books that are popular but not a good influence. Moonshade Fright, the scary alter-ego of Sunshine Rays. Whenever Sunshine needed to point out serious consequences to creatures who would not be bothered to stop their wrongdoings, she would put on a costume that make her coat look black, her eyes look evil red, her mane look dark blue, indigo, dark purple, and her cutie mark look like a blood red moon. As Moonshade Fright, Sunshine's tone would be a lot scarier, and mysterious-like. Despite wielding her keyboard in its regular appearance, she plays the sound of an organ as she switched to organ option, to make her even scarier. 5. Best vs Most Popular "I can't believe that all of Equestria and beyond have new columns in every bookstore and shop that features the newest and most popular books!" Luster told Sunshine, as the two mares entered Ponyville's Bookstore. "I may have decided to come along, but I'm not really here to be a fan of new or popular books." Sunshine told the excited unicorn. "Of course you aren't," Luster responded, "As some creature moral, you have to check on everything you know that exists." "Especially what every creature is doing." Sunshine finished, looking at the columns. "Ooh, a new non-fictional book about more recently discovered Biology!" Luster said her thoughts out loud, "A new Geography Guide, a new Math Tips Revision book? New fictional books about Romance, Slice of Life and Comedy?! And one about some amazing heroes..." "WHAT?!" Sunshine Rays shrieked all of a sudden. "Sunshine, no need to fuss, the heroes in this new book aren't us; it's some creature's imaginary characters." "Luster, that is not what I'm fussing about." Sunshine explained, holding a book in her hooves, "It's this!" "Grogar, the Most Feared Ruler and Emperor of Equestria in History, and his Point of View?!" Luster read the title out loud, in a tone that transformed from normal to shocked. "And that's not all." Sunshine told Luster, before pointing towards the column the book was from. Luster gasped to see that it was placed in a royal position: The top of the shelves, in a golden shelf, meaning that it was the number one most popular! After the series' theme song intro played, Sunshine Rays voiced out her thoughts, "How can something like this be the number one most popular?! It's awful! No offence, really." "Now, Sunshine, remember what Nature Bloom always say: We must be nice and not judge any creature, nor animal, or basically, never judge anything by their background. The School of Friendship taught us that as well, we must keep this lesson in our hearts and at least try to believe that it's not as bad as we thought upon knowing the background." Luster told her Best Friend. "So, you're saying that we should not judge it by how bad its background is, and still...take a look inside?" Sunshine asked. "Maybe it's the most popular for being surprisingly interesting in the inside," Luster suggested, opening the book with her magic. To the girls' horror, the chapters were about how Grogar grew up being wicked and cruel, and an abuser of power. "Alright...we really got a bad start, but maybe the chapters aren't as bad as their titles..." Luster began, flipping the pages with her magic, before she dropped the book in horror, screaming in fright alongside Sunshine. "So, what's the positive side now, Luster?" Sunshine Rays sarcastically asked. "There is no positive side, Sunshine. I should have known." Luster sighed. That afternoon, the Heroic Ten hosted a team meeting in the Castle of Friendship. Well, more precisely, the meeting was hosted by Luster Dawn and Sunshine Rays. "This is not good, every creature!" Sunshine Rays stated, pacing back and forth in front of a pony-sized image of the most popular book. "A book like this is a horrible book! And worst of all, it is the most popular around!" "And?" Falcon Dive sarcastically asked. "And there are a lot of horrible consequences of having this book, or any other book like it, being the most popular! I actually know five, ranging from bad to worst." Sunshine Rays explained, before taking out and putting on an outfit that made her alter-ego came to life. She also took out her keyboard, which had the ability to play the sounds of all kinds of different instruments. Sunshine Rays usually used her keyboard's original grand piano option to play music, but as Moonshade Fright, she would use the organ option, to assist her in being scary. "Moonshade Fright here," Sunshine Rays' alter-ego began, "And I am here to show you all the terrible consequences your wrong doings can, and actually will cause, if not stopped!" the dark figure announced in a loud, scary tone, making Nature Bloom whimper. Moonshade Fright may be the same pony as Sunshine Rays, but Sunshine sure was a lot scarier as her alter-ego, whom she made to scare immoral creatures into stopping their immoral ways. "Here are the top five consequences of having a horror, villain book as something popular. Ranging from five to one, bad to worst!" Moonshade's voice boomed, scaring the sensitive Nature Bloom. "Bad thing number five: Like all books and things that exist, this book can be an influence to some creatures! In other words, this book can affect its readers! And since this book is bad, it will affect its readers in a bad way! Or most likely, make them think that it is cool or awesome to be bad, when in reality, it is not!" After Moonshade Fright made another loud boom with her voice, she continued, "Bad thing number four: This book is the most popular! And that means a lot of creatures like it! We will never be able to convince them that it is not good! Because they got power in numbers, while we do not! And the more popular and liked this book gets, the harder it is to solve the problem!" Falcon Dive backed down a bit when Moonshade snapped in front of him, before she resumed her explanation, "Bad thing number three: Because of their liking for it, fans of this book will never believe any creature who says that the book is not the real best, and should not be the most popular! They will get so blinded by their love for the wrong things, that they will not care about the real right and wrong, or the real good and bad!" Moonshade scared Yellow Bright for a brief second with her suddenly turned extremely loud voice, as she stomped her hooves on the ground loudly. He eventually recovered just as fast as Moonshade Fright could scare him. The alter-ego then went on explaining, "Bad thing number two: This most popular book may not be read by every creature, as there are at least some creatures who do not read it. But, those readers and fans can actually spread the word, and convince all their close ones, friends and family, to see it! The cycle will actually repeat, spreading this book and its influences far and worldwide, like a contagious disease within a year!" Moonshade Fright's voice, in the form of sound waves travelled from her vocal chords to her best friends' faces. Nature huddled close to the rest of the team, as Moonshade played her organ once again, "Now I am going to show you the number one worst consequence, of. Them. ALL! Bad thing number one: Every creature who wants to be popular would mostly try to follow whatever the most popular is, or is like! That means, if the most popular book is about an infamous villain and a horror story, they may think that making villain horror stories will earn them the attention, fame and popularity that they wanted! Thinking that way, many authors may create horror stories, and make them popular all over the world, influencing every creature to do what is wrong...and the cycle will go on...until it engulfs the world!" Nature Bloom fainted as Moonshade Fright finished the latter's scary explanation. Taking off her costume and putting away her keyboard, Sunshine Rays hurried towards her unconscious friend., "Nature Bloom! I am so sorry! I should have told you to leave the room so this would not happen!" Nature Bloom eventually regained her senses and opened up her eyes, "Sunshine Rays?" "Yes, Nature Bloom. It is me, and my keyboard is in regular grand piano option again." Sunshine stated, pressing the keyboard with her feathers making the sound of a grand piano, as proof. "And I really am so sorry for scaring you, especially when you are not a supporter of the book that I am against." "It's alright, Sunshine. Just...please do not do it ever again." "Now, you pointed out all the bad things that could happen, but how are we going to stop it?" Evergreen asked. "Before it actually does happen?" Buffer added. "Hang on, every creature, I thought Luster is the leader of the Heroic Ten!" Alkali pointed out. "I may be and still be, but that does not mean I will know everything and come up with all the plans. In this case, Sunshine Rays knows what to do." Luster told every creature staring at her. "Well, I know that there's a lot to do, but I know that the number one ting is to prevent the cause of more problems, before we solve the problems themselves! And that means..." Sunshine Rays began, before being cut off by Krona, "That we're going to stop the production of more books?!" "Technically, I am going to have a word with the author of this book." Sunshine Rays declared, "And convince whoever that is, that this book may be popular, but it is not really good just because it is liked by many! The author should totally write a new book ASAP, to fix all the damage, and that new book is going to be the real best!" "Um, two questions?" Falcon Dive asked, "One, you do not even know anything about the author's whereabouts, and two: How are you going to convince the author to write a story that is the real best, and not what is out of the ordinary and popular?!" "Perhaps a little Moonshade Fright, just in case," Sunshine Rays answered, "And, I got my best friends by my side." "Ooh, she's talking about us!" Alkali squealed. "Of course she is!" sarcastic Volcano responded to Alkali. "Krona loves adventures with best friends!" Krona declared. "I'm always willing to go with my best friends," Buffer stated. "Ready to stay calm, no matter what." Evergreen announced. "And I am always ready to tell you about all the positive things." Yellow Bright contributed. "An adventure! I am in!" Falcon Dive declared. "So am I," Luster Dawn added, before every creature looked at Nature Bloom. "I may be horrified or terrified of scary adventures, and especially scary creatures , but...I am still willing to go with my best friends." Nature Bloom announced, before the whole team joined their hooves and claws. After releasing their claws and hooves in the air, Luster announced, "Now let's go find that author!" "One problem; we do not even know where the author is!" Nature Bloom pointed out. "But maybe you can help us find out!" Volcano told Luster, "You are a unicorn, can't you perform some sort of...author-finding spell?" "Well, I do remember reading about a spell that can allow me to find the creature by scanning their names, so maybe..." Luster stated, before her horn glowed as she sent a beam at the image of the book, which had the author's name on it. The rest of the Heroic Ten watched in amazement as their leader created a magical intangible compass made of her magic aura that pointed the way. "This magical compass must be pointing the way to the author of the book! Let's follow it!" Luster Dawn instructed, leading the Heroic Ten on another adventure. Following the compass, the team took the Friendship Express to a train station near Starlight Glimmer's old village, Our Town. "The village my Mum created and ruled over before the Council of Friendship came and changed things for the better!" Luster Dawn gasped, "I can't believe that I am finally visiting this place!" "You actually would have if you attended the School of Friendship on our first year," Falcon Dive told Luster. "Not to make you feel bad, Luster, but we already visited here during a field trip," Nature Bloom explained. "And, we met almost every creature here," Evergreen contributed. "Head-mare Starlight's old friends, Double Diamond, Party Favour and Night Glider and their daughter, and basically the whole village, but not individually," Volcano stated. "That's alright every creature, at least we will know some creatures and not feel like...total newcomers who know nothing." Luster responded, before leading the team into Our Town, "Let's just find the author and accomplish our mission, or goal." As the heroes entered the village, they started gaining the attention of the creatures living there, to their discomfort. "Are those the Heroic Ten?!" an earth pony asked her friends. "Most likely, because that's Luster Dawn!" one of the friends replied. "Uh...maybe we don't get to stroll around Our Town like the way we did during the field trip, after all!" Alkali cried, as every creature paid attention to the famous heroes. "Look on the bright side, at least they like us!" Yellow Bright pointed out. "Luster Dawn?" a familiar voice asked, catching the heroine's attention. Luster turned to see the owner of the voice, gasping. "Eclipse Instant?!" "And Shapeshifter," Eclipse responded as Shapeshifter stood beside her, "It's been a long time since we last saw you, even though it's only been a month since we left Ponyville on a world tour to fix the damage Shapeshifter caused." "We already convinced the Wonderbolts to spread the word, and helped all kinds of creatures from Appleloosa, Cloudsdale, and even Madam Pinkie's family's rock farm!" Shapeshifter explained. "But we figured that it still isn't enough, so we're still travelling. I'm afraid we can't return any sooner," Eclipse sadly stated. "Don't worry, I'm sure you can fix all the damage and eventually return to Ponyville some day." Evergreen assured. "We know, but one thing we don't know, and will like to know, is what are all of you doing here?" Eclipse asked the Heroic Ten. "It's...a pretty long story..." Buffer replied. "Sunshine Rays and Luster Dawn found an awful most popular book in Ponyville Bookstore! Heroic Ten gathered for a meeting about the book, and decided to go and find the author, and tell whoever that is to write a new, really the best book to fix the damage!" Krona explained. "Damage? What damage?" a confused Shapeshifter asked. "That's...a really long story, as well." Nature Bloom answered. "But we believe that it may be a lot better, to explain in private," Volcano added. "If we can find some place that is private, that is." Luster contributed, looking at the crowd around them. "Don't worry, we know somewhere you can get the privacy you need!" Eclipse told the heroes. The Heroic Ten soon found themselves in Eclipse and Shapeshifter's neat temporary residence in Our Town's Hotel. "Welcome to our room, or...our temporary room for as long as we stay here," Shapeshifter told the heroes. "Our Town leaders, Double Diamond, Party Favour and Night Glider allowed us to stay for as long as we had to, or basically...for as long as we have to ensure that the whole of Our Town don't see us as the villains we used to be," Eclipse explained. "So...how's everything going for you two?" Buffer asked the reformed villains. "Well, we had a bumpy start," Shapeshifter honestly answered. "When we first came, creatures hid from us," Eclipse continued. "Until I told them the truth that Eclipse really had changed for the better, and I fooled every creature into thinking that she was still...immoral." Shapeshifter added. "shapeshifter then showed them the forms he used when he deceived every creature, and told them his backstory and reason," Eclipse went on. "We told them the friendship lesson about forgiveness, and the fact that no creature is perfect," Shapeshifter explained. "They gradually started becoming warmer and friendlier towards us, but we decided to stay a little longer to make sure that not even a single creature views us as who we used to be," Eclipse concluded. "Good to know that you're making good progress," Sunshine Rays commented, "While we, on the other hoof, are still yet to find the author of the book that should not be the most popular! Who is this...G.R Floor?" "Well, one thing we're sure of, that can't be the author's real name!" Luster declared, "Whoever the author is made that alias, or basically, a nickname, to cover up his or her identity!" "But, your magic compass can still find whoever the author is, can it?" Nature Bloom asked. "Well, most likely." Luster answered, a second before Shapeshifter brought in a large platter with cupcakes on it. "Well, since it's almost three, I figured that we all should take a snack break!" the orange changeling announced. "Snack break?" Falcon Dive asked, before his stomach grumbled. "Wow, we really have not eaten anything ever since the meeting," Yellow Bright commented, after hearing his stomach growl. "Can we please have some of your cupcakes?" Evergreen asked the reformed villains. "Sure, when I said 'we all should take a snack break', I am totally talking about us, and you." Shapeshifter replied. "Do you really think we can eat twenty-four cupcakes all by ourselves?" Eclipse asked in a joking tone. "Now that you mentioned it, that totally makes sense," Volcano commented. "Quit talking already! Let's eat!" Alkali exclaimed. The scene changed to the moment every creature finished the cupcakes, all full and satisfied. "Thanks a lot for the cupcakes, Eclipse Instant and Shapeshifter! The cupcakes are the BEST!" Krona exclaimed. "I think you meant, 'were the best'? Because the cupcakes are not around anymore!" Volcano pointed out. "Whatever." Krona plainly replied. "Now that we are not hungry anymore, we can go back to looking for G.R Floor, or, whoever the author is," Luster declared. "And I cannot wait for the moment when we meet him!" Sunshine Rays commented. "Can Shapeshifter and I join you?" Eclipse asked. "And why is that?" asked Buffer. "Well, we need to spread the word of our reformations, and figured that this is the perfect opportunity! Or...something that can help." Shapeshifter explained. "We really changed for the better, and we would like every creature to know that!" Eclipse added, "So if we helped you convince this author to write better books..." "You can totally prove that you are no longer...horrible!" Alkali finished the sentence. The reformed villains nodded, before Shapeshifter asked, "So...can we hep?" "Of course you can! And we totally accept help from friends," Luster replied. The scene changed to show the Heroic Ten and their former enemies in front of one of the houses in Our Town. "I think his is it; G.R Floor residence. Or, basically where he is right now." Luster told her company. "So, once we meet whoever that author is, what are we going to do?" asked Yellow Bright. "Well, we should show how respectful we are by greeting them and introducing ourselves, to create a warm start." Nature Bloom insisted. "I like the sound of that!" Evergreen commented. "And I listened to that!" Buffer added. "Can we stop talking and start doing something already?!" Falcon Dive impatiently asked. "Alright, alright. Here we go." Luster said, taking a deep breath, before she knocked on the door. The door opened to reveal an earth pony who was presumed to be as old as the members of the Council of Friendship. He was shocked to see the visitors, gasping, "The Heroic Ten?!" "Yes, it is us, all ten of us!" Alkali confirmed. "This is the best day of my life!" the earth pony exclaimed, before he took the team in. "I am Grandeur, and I am basically and I. Love. Heroes! You ten saved me and all of Equestria and beyond from that power-hungry Eclipse Instant!" Eclipse cleared her throat, catching his attention, making him freak out, "AAAH! Eclipse Instant! Heroic Ten, help!" "Eclipse is reformed now," Krona told the frightened pony. "That means she isn't bad anymore," Volcano clarified. "So is Shapeshifter!" Yellow Bright pointed out. "And now, they are our friends," Evergreen calmly stated. "And any friend of a true friend, is a friend." Alkali pointed out in a cheerful tone. "Speaking of friend, would you be friendly enough to help us find the author of this most popular book around?" Luster asked, levitating a picture of the book cover for Grandeur to see. Grandeur gasped, "You're looking for the author of this book?!" "Yes, we are, and have been the whole day!" Sunshine Rays confirmed. "This really is the best day of my life! EVER!" Grandeur excitedly squealed. "It is?" Falcon Dive asked in a confused tone. "It totally is! Because not only is the book the most popular, it made me earn a visit from the Heroic Ten!" Grandeur exclaimed. "Wait...earn you a visit from the Heroic Ten?!" Volcano repeated the words he heard, saying his thought out loud, "That means you're the author of the book!" The rest of the team gasped to hear what their friend said, while Grandeur was impressed, "Volcano, I've always heard that you were...a very intelligent dragon indeed. And yup, what they said is no doubt, a fact. You really are smart." "And he still is a very intelligent dragon!" Alkali pointed out. "Wait, so you're the author of the most popular book in all of Equestria this very moment!?" Falcon Dive asked. "Yes, I am. And G.R Floor is my nickname when I publish books," Grandeur replied. "But, your most popular book is..." Sunshine Rays begun, before being cut off by Grandeur. "Really out of the ordinary? I know, we don't have much books about villains lately, so I figured that I write and publish what I think Grogar's point of view was when he was alive." "That is not what she wants to say," Nature Bloom told the author. "Nature Bloom's telling the truth, you know." Krona pointed out. "And what Sunshine Rays wanted to say is..." Falcon Dive began, before the white pegasus cut him off. "That your book may be the most popular, but that does not mean it's the..." Before Sunshine could finish, Nature Bloom filled in for her, "What she meant was, your book may be loved and popular, but there can actually be a book even better than it! Would you like to write a new book?" "The Heroic Ten wants me...to...write a new book?!" Grandeur asked in disbelief, "I am so honoured!" "Nature Bloom! Why did you..." Sunshine Rays began to scold the green-turquoise changeling, but was once again but off by Nature. "Actually, we are hoping that your new book can be a lot better, as in, a lot more beneficial and a better influence than the one that's popular?" Grandeur immediately stopped his celebration and froze in place, replying, "Well, if you heroes insist...I shall...if I knew what to write..." "What do you mean by, 'if you knew what to write?' You just wrote a book that became the most popular," Sunshine Rays pointed out, as her tone changed from Rainbow Dash-like to sarcastic as she said the three final words. "You see...I may have written a lot of narrative stories for all these years, but...they are all...action, adventure, drama, fantasy and everything out of the ordinary...the thing is...none of them are the moral-teaching or, lesson-y types!" Grandeur replied, making the heroes gasp in shock. "You never wrote a single moral-teaching story?! In all these years?! What kind of author are you?!" Sunshine Rays angrily asked, before Evergreen pulled the furious pegasus backwards. "Now, now, Sunshine. Take a deep breath, and relax," the Kirin advised. "Plus, now that you pointed it out, or, most likely got him to realise that, he will write one!" Yellow Bright added. "I'm so sorry, I really have no idea where to start." Grandeur stated, enraging Sunshine. "No idea where to start?! How can you not know anything about morality! Morality is extremely important! And it should be something every creature knows and values!" "Sunshine, please! Give him some time! I'm sure he'll make a book that is everything some creature like you want!" Nature Bloom told the pegasus. "Or maybe you I should take over handling Sunshine for these few minutes, so you all can help Grandeur think of what to write for his new, totally much better book?" Falcon Dive asked, placing his right wing around Sunshine. "Well...if that's the only way for her to not go so...mad, you should." Luster replied. "Great! Come on, Sunshine! There's a lot of better things for you to do than be mad!" Falcon told the pegasus, as they walked away. "So sorry about Sunshine Rays," Krona apologised. "She tends to get...furious over the lack of morality." Buffer pointed out. "But we're sure she will cool off over time," Volcano stated. "While she's cooling, what are you going to write?" Alkali asked, causing Grandeur to panic. "I have no idea! Just because I'm a writer, does not mean I'm good at writing anything and everything! All I ever wrote about is every creature's favourites!" "What do Grandeur mean by, 'every creature's favourites'?" Krona asked. "Well, nowadays, many stories are about adventure, action and some extraordinary things! There are still some moral-teaching stories, but they are simply too unpopular..." Grandeur explained, before he was hushed by Buffer. "Don't say that about more-teaching books! If Sunshine hears that..." Grandeur began to show a scared expression, causing Buffer to change his words, "I mean...it's best not to say that, at all?!" "But, why would you say that?" Volcano asked. "Is it because they are boring?!" Alkali asked, "No offence to anything nor any creature, really." "It's not that, it's just...every creature thinks that morals are for kids!" Grandeur explained. "Look on the bright side! Maybe you can write the most popular children's book in all of Equestria and Beyond!" Yellow Bright cheered. "But I don't want to be an author of children's books; I want to be an author of books that are for every creature!" Grandeur responded. "But why would you write a...villain story?!" asked Nature Bloom, as she bean to cower down in fear of the thought. "I figured that, if I show that I can come up with something new and out of the ordinary as my debut as an author, every creature will notice me..." Grandeur answered. "So you mean that you choose popularity over morality?!" the voice of Sunshine Rays could be heard angrily asking, as the said pegasus appeared, with Falcon Dive following behind her. "I am so sorry..." Grandeur gulped, "It's just that, an author's job is not as easy as it just writing books and stories! Their books must be popular so they can earn an income!" "But still, choosing being popular and publishing a book that is not beneficial and worst of all, a bad influence, is downright wrong!" Sunshine angrily roared. "Sunshine! You are really out-of-control!" Luster told the furious, huffing and letting out steam pegasus, "I know morality means a lot to you, and the world, but you need to be patient!" Hearing Luster Dawn's words, Sunshine Rays began to cool down, as she apologised to Grandeur, "I am so sorry for getting so furious, so quickly. I guess this is a lesson for me to report to the princess about friendship." "And it is a great lesson to be taught to all of Equestria and Beyond!" Eclipse commented, as she and Shapeshifter approached the team. "We have been travelling around all of Equestria for weeks, just to teach the friendship lessons we have learnt, and prove that we have changed for the better. And, if it's a lesson written in a popular book..." Shapeshifter began, making Grandeur gasp. "You're saying I should write a book about...that friendship lesson?!" "And not just that friendship lesson, all sorts of friendship lessons!" Alkali claimed. "Friendship lessons are indeed beneficial as long as they teach what real, true good friendship is like. So, I am totally alright if you chose them over moral lessons, since they can be quite friendly." Sunshine Rays commented. "So, what do you say, would you write a new book about friendship lessons?" Luster asked. "Sorry every creature, but...I still have no idea where to start." grandeur told the heroes, causing Falcon Dive to groan and face-claw himself. "Come on! How can author not know any friendship lessons to write?!" asked Krona, in a somewhat furious tone. "I'm so sorry, I was so carried away with wanting to come up with something rare and extraordinary to be the most popular, I never thought of writing something like friendship lessons, especially since Princess Twilight and her friends' Friendship Journal was published so long ago, and it has a lot of friendship lessons!" Grandeur explained. "But yours won't be completely the same! Every creature is different!" Buffer pointed out. "How will I know if every creature will be interested?!" asked Grandeur. "Listen, is it being the most popular what you wanted and needed? Or is it being really, truly the best what you wanted and needed?" asked Sunshine Rays. "What she meant is; will you choose being loved and liked and known by many, or choose to show what the real good, best things are?" Volcano clarified. "Please choose the second option, it's really for the better." Nature Bloom pleaded. "You totally should have seen Sunshine's alter-ego's scary presentation of the consequences of every creature being interested in what is the most popular instead of what is the real best!" Alkali commented. "If you need more proof that is! And if you are wondering about Sunshine's alter-ego presentation, we can tell you. But, back to the main point, what we are all trying to tell you is: the most popular and the best are not the same." Evergreen clarified. "The best, or to be more specific, the real best, is something truly beneficial, and a good example and influence for all who know its existence!" Yellow Bright added. "I learnt from you that authors' aims are to be the most popular, but think about it; Is being selfish and more concerned with your own needs and wishes, and choosing them over being a good moral influence the best? Or something the most popular author should be like?! " Falcon Dive asked. "What we are all hoping that you will choose is to be truly, the real best, and write a beneficial good influence book." clarified Luster Down, "And if you can't think well enough to write one, we will help." "Because that is what true, real good friends do!" Sunshine Rays claimed. "Wait...true, real good friends?!" asked Grandeur. "Grandeur may not be the Heroic Ten's best friend, but the Heroic Ten are willing to call him a friend." Krona declared, as her tone gradually changed from declaring to a warm, friendly tone. "It is quite true that we are best friends with one another," Evergreen stated, before Yellow Bright finished the sentence for her in a cheerful tone. "But we still treat every creature else as friends! And the way we would treat each other!" "Really? Every creature?" Eclipse asked in a sarcastic tone. "Well...except for those who aren't willing to accept friendship, and are up to extreme no good?" Volcano responded in a gradually turning from normal to scared tone. "Just a reminder," Eclipse told the creatures, as a warm expression formed on her face. "I was pretty awful too, wanting and preventing Eclipse from getting forgiveness all because I never got forgiven when I wanted to, but you are all still willing to reason with me and befriend me, which is...really noble of all of you." Shapeshifter commented. "When you know true good friendship, you truly can be some creature great and heroic!" Alkali responded. "And since some creature like us are famous for our well-known good deeds, there's no doubt that something good can become well-known, too!" Sunshine Rays exclaimed upon her realisation. "Can't believe that one short, less than ten minutes conversation is enough to get us to realise a lot of good friendship lessons to be written in a book," Buffer commented. "But, how am I going to fit them all in, in a way that it obviously won't be like Princess Twilight and her friends' Friendship Journal?!" asked Grandeur. The heroes thought for a while, before Luster suggested, "Why don't instead of listing all those lessons, write narrative stories that teach them! There's no way your narrative stories can be the same as what is in that journal!" "But how am I going to make them interesting? I need inspiration! And know what to teach, and how t teach!" Grandeur panicked. "We may not be students nor ex-students of any friendship-teaching school," Eclipse Instant commented, turning every creature's attention to her and Shapeshifter. "But we know for sure, one of the most valuable lessons about friendship is..." Shapeshifter began, before saying in unison with Eclipse, "Every creature deserves to be forgiven for their mistakes and former bad attitudes, as no creature is perfect, not even a friend." "If your friend isn't perfect from birth to present," Eclipse started a sentence, before Shapeshifter finished it for her. "Why should you be not willing to befriend some creature who has a past of flaws like every creature?" "A friendship lesson about forgiveness! That is a really good one to include in a beneficial, good example and influence, best book ever, for real." Evergreen commented, mostly for Grandeur to listen to. "Another great friendship lesson we know is to never let anything the world gives you distract you from caring about your friends, or any creature you know that exists," Alkali added, before referring to the recent events that affected her friendship with Volcano, "A while ago, Volcano made me his teaching assistant so he...or most likely, we can teach the students at Improvement Academy, who find his lessons uninteresting. I got so overwhelmed by the students' praises and love for me, that I...forgot about Volcano. Or, mostly never thought abut him nor the fact that he Never got any credit until he..." "Got super jealous and angry? Kept the emotions a secret until they escaped as the jealous teacher got extremely jealous? During the Monthly Award Ceremony?" Volcano finished the story for Alkali, as he stood by her side, "Yes, all those events are real. They indeed happened, and we both learnt a lesson about friendship. Alkali already stated hers, and now it's my turn to state mine: I learnt that true friends will never hide the truth about any unpleasant emotion that they have from their friends, even if i's a bad feeling towards a friend. Hiding the truth and bottling up emotions will only make things worse, and can lead o disaster when the emotions reach its brim, as in, the limits and make their owner go out-of-control." "But you sure aren't going to make those mistakes again, are you?" Nature Bloom asked. "I will never forget that valuable friendship lesson, nor any of my best friends, nor friends, nor any creature I know that exists!" Alkali declared. "And I will totally improve my integrity and tell the truth more often at the start," Volcano added. "All this talking about friendship lessons make Krona remember something about friendship, that the Heroic Ten really did not go through any adventure to learn," Krona contributed, "When Luster said that Princess Twilight Sparkle acted mean, Luster's friends decided to ensure everything's alright." "Like true friends would!" Buffer added. "As true friends will care about their friends," Falcon Dive continued. "And anything and everything they know that matters to their friends!" Yellow Bright cheerfully joined the conversation. "Including feelings and emotions," Nature Bloom ended. "Wow, that's a lot about friendship! I can see why Princess Twilight decided to declare that you all graduated on the day you named yourselves and defeated Eclipse Instant," Grander commented, before turning to Eclipse, "No offence, really." "Don't worry, I know every creature knows about what I've done," Eclipse replied in a depressed tone. "But we are going to make sure that they all know that you are no longer like that," Shapeshifter assured, placing his right front hoof on Eclipse's shoulder. "There's a lot more about true friendship than just what we mentioned," Luster told the author, before Sunshine Rays made a list. "True friends will ensure you do what is really right, true friends will listen to one another, true friends will share beneficial things with one another, true friends will give each other the encouragement they need..." "We all know those, Sunshine." Falcon Dive cut her off, before turning to Grandeur, "Everything we mentioned are all so epic! They will totally not risk your popularity! I mean, they're interesting!" "And true friendship isn't the only thing beneficial! You can include some beneficial educational facts in your book!" Volcano suggested. "So your readers will learn and improve in their education as they read!" Alkali added. "It's killing two birds with one stone," Evergreen explained, "Which is an idiom meaning achieve two aims at once. Mostly saying get two benefits from one thing." "Thank goodness it's an idiom and not...literally!" Nature Bloom commented. "Look on the bright side; even if those were already thought of and featured in others' creations, you can still be interesting!" Yellow Bright cheered as he pointed out. "And you can always try to add more to it!" Buffer added. "Like comics, discs, magic animation! They're all the BEST!" Krona exclaimed like a yak would. "I think you meant 'magical animation'," Volcano corrected before suggesting, "I know it can take a lot of time, but they are totally worth it, as creating comics and a disc that can play music and a reading-aloud, will prove that you are diligent and put in a lot of effort." "So what do Grandeur say?" Krona asked. "Well, I have been an author who writes thousands of words...but...I guess all of your suggestions are worth it to be in my new, better book. If only I had the skills to make all those..." Grandeur sadly responded. "Don't worry, you got ten new friends here who will help you with all of that," Luster Dawn reassured the grey pony, as the Heroic Ten gathered around him. "Make that twelve," Eclipse declared, as she and Shapeshifter jones in. "We may be former villains, but that does not stop us from doing any good!" Shapeshifter saluted. "And as former bad-doers who changed for the better and turned good, we can totally help make the best book better by proving that being good is a lot better than being bad!" Eclipse finished. "For the first time in my whole life, I can't believe that something's happening! I'm getting help from famous heroes...and former villains." Grandeur happily wept a tear of joy. "Then what are we all waiting for?! Let's get writing already!" Falcon Dive announced. "And make a book that's truly the real best!" Sunshine Rays added. "We can even create a disc with a song to further encourage every creature to acknowledge that it's the real best!" Alkali suggested. "Say no more." Luster Dawn declared, before teleporting herself to the Castle of Friendship and back to Grandeur's house with the Heroic Ten's band instruments: Krona's bass drum pedal, Buffer's triangle, Sunshine Rays' keyboard, Volcano's viola, Nature Bloom's clarinet, Alkali's horn, Evergreen's harp, Yellow Bright's tambourine, Falcon Dive's electric guitar and Luster Dawn's microphone. As soon as they held their instruments, Eclipse used one of her spells to record their musical performance. Throughout the song, the different individuals took turns playing and resting, and singing. Whenever Volcano, Nature Bloom and Alkali sang their lines, they stopped playing their respective instruments and only resumed after a line was finished. Buffer used his horns to gently hit the triangle tied to a string that was hung on a hook on a stand. Evergreen only strummed her harp after a verse was complete, while the short triangle tings only came after commas and completed sentences. Volcano sang, "Got to be diligent," Sunshine Rays sang, "And moral," Falcon Dive sang, "And selfless," Nature Bloom, "And respectful and polite." Luster Dawn sang,"If we want to create," Sunshine Rays sang, "A book that teaches what is right." Krona sang, "The book must be, really, truly the best!" Buffer sang, "Even if it's not the most popular, compared to the rest!" Volcano sang, "Popularity may mean being liked, admired or supported by many." Alkali sang, "But that sure doesn't mean, that it's really good!" Evergreen sang, "Something that went on for generations, that they all didn't see..." Yellow Bright sang, "But it's not too late to set things right!" Sunshine Rays sang, "And in order to do that, you must do what you should, like a good creature would!" Eclipse Instant sang, "Being moral isn't easy, going against some wishes," Shapeshifter sang, "Doing so is truly for, every creature's good." Evergreen sang, "Even if they don't, see it that way," Yellow Bright sang, "Cheer up! Sooner or later, it will finally be understood." All sang, "The real, true best is something needed. a good example, a good influence, a good choice. Something beneficial to every creature, and it is what should be voiced." Falcon Dive sang, "Care about others," Nature Bloom sang, "And every little thing," Volcano sang, "That can set a reaction," Sunshine Rays sang, "As fast as time is flying." Alkali sang, "Even one little action, can cause a big effect!" Krona sang, "So all it takes to encourage creatures to be immoral, is one little wrong act..." Buffer sang, "Do not follow the crowd, when you know that they're wrong," Evergreen sang, "What the real right is, remains right all along!" Sunshine Rays sang, "Follow the rules, even if they take away your fun!" Luster Dawn sang, "Because they are truly for the good, of every creature, every last one!" Falcon Dive sang, "You got many acceptable ways to be epic. Like instruct a safe new skill, with info from Physics!" Nature Bloom sang, "Or encourage others to accept nature's rules! With info from, Biology..." Volcano sang, "Or warn others of reactions, with the aid of Chemistry!" Yellow Bright sang, "When there are so many things that aren't against the rules," Sunshine Rays sang, "No reason to break them to be amused." All sang, "The real, true best is something needed. a good example, a good influence, a good choice. Something beneficial to every creature, and it is what should be voiced." Eclipse Instant sang, "Is it really getting everything you desired, really the best?" Shapeshifter sang, "Being truly good-valued, and a do-gooder, makes you feel really blessed." Krona sang, "No matter what's popular," Yellow Bright sang, "Or favoured." Buffer sang, "Or wanted." Falcon Dive sang, "Or interesting." Sunshine Rays sang, "The real, right, good thing, is still the real best thing!" Krona sang, "Integrity," Buffer sang, "Listening," Sunshine Rays sang, "Morality," Volcano sang,"Diligence," Nature Bloom sang, "Niceness," Alkali sang, "Encouraging," Evergreen sang, "Patience," Yellow Bright sang, "Positivity," Falcon Dive sang, "Selflessness," Luster Dawn sang, "And leadership." All sang, "Will help you be a good, heroic creature, and show that popularity will never be as good as true friendship!" All sang, "The real, true best is something needed. a good example, a good influence, a good choice. Something beneficial to every creature, and it is what should be voiced." At the end of the song, Eclipse magically placed the record int a disc that was placed at the end of Grandeur's new book, which was about his experience of meeting the Heroic Ten, and the valuable good friendship lessons they taught him, to the delight of the heroes. "That is way better than a villain horror story!" Nature Bloom commented. "And we were involved! For real!" Yellow Bright added. "We really are epic and great enough," Falcon Dive proudly declared. "And I can't wait to see what happens after this new, better book is published!" Sunshine Rays voiced her opinion. "Well, I better get going to the publishers," Grandeur told his new friends, "And I can't wait to write more beneficial, good influence, what every creature needed, books!" "Grandeur meant the real BEST!" Krona exclaimed. "And I still can't thank you all enough for helping me, even though I was not a friend that you're familiar with." Grandeur told the twelve creatures. "Do you really think we only help creatures we know really well?" Falcon Dive asked. "We care about every creature that we know the existence of!" Alkali said in a cheerful tone. "Or basically, any creature who needs our help," Volcano added "And it's always, help them become better creatures for real!" Sunshine Rays stated. "Like a real, true, good friend would." Luster Dawn ended, "Speaking of friend, there's a friend that I have to send a letter to." Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle, My best friends and I know a lot about real, true, good friendship, and one of the many things we have learnt, returned to focus with each adventure we have. Our focus may initially have been, encourage an author to write books that are truly the real best over books that are the most popular, but we ended up teaching him about true good friendship, and the valuable lessons we learnt. Most importantly, we taught him to not go after fame, as it is never as good as the real best, nor true good friendship. The real best thing is something every creature needed, a good example and influence, and beneficial, like real, true good friends are. Signed, your faithful student, Luster Dawn After sending the letter away, Luster turned to see Sunshine Rays with the book Grandeur created with the aid of the Heroic Ten, Eclipse Instant and Shapeshifter. "Luster! Grandeur's new book have been published! And thanks to us, it's the number one most popular! And it encouraged all of Equestria and Beyond to have a new column for the real, best books!" Sunshine Rays happily exclaimed. "That's great news! With a popular, beneficial book, every creature will be influenced to do good, and be good! To bad Eclipse and Shapeshifter are still travelling, or they can finally return to Ponyville to read Grandeur's An Author Meets the Heroic Ten, True Story with us." Luster sadly stated. "They figured that their travels are worth it, as in, to ensure that every creature knows that they're reformed, and to ensure every creature learns about true friendship." Sunshine Rays reminded. "And hopefully they can return really soon, as this book with a mixture of cartoon comics and well-written words in the pages, and the song we played, is. The. BEST!" Luster exclaimed, before using her magic to open the book and read. 6. Immediate Family Relationship ProblemsAuthor's Note Immediate Family Relationship Problems serves as the sixth episode of the series. Summary: After receiving a student's comment about their relationship with Luster Dawn, Starlight and Sunburst attempt to spend time with their biological daughter...but things do not go so well. Featured Characters: Harmony, a female teenaged donkey, a student at the School of Friendship and the daughter of Cranky Doodle Donkey and Matilda. 6. Immediate Family Relationship Problems In Canterlot, Luster was leading her best friends to making the finishing touches of decorating the Ballroom, like the Ruler of Equestria wanted them to. "Is this good enough?!" Falcon Dive called to Luster, as he was about to hang a line of gems on the ceiling, in between the other lines of gems. "The position is just right!" Luster called from below, followed by Falcon hanging up the decor. "The floors are all waxed!" Alkali reposed, skating towards Luster with the floor-waxing skates on her claws. "Thanks to Alkali skating on my latest creation, the floor-waxing skates. Or basically, skates with a small container of floor wax attached to it, that comes out only when it is turned on. Otherwise, it would be regular ice-skates." Volcano explained. "All the flowers are neatly arranged," Nature Bloom stated. "The music is all double-checked, and ready for tomorrow!" Evergreen added. "Krona can't wait for her and friends to meet Princess Twilight Sparkle's brother!" Krona declared. "And her sister-in-law," Buffer filled in. "Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armor may not be rulers of the Crystal Empire after Princess Flurry Heart's coronation," Sunshine Rays pointed out, "But they are still royalty." "Every reason why the decorations must be as perfect as we can make them!" Yellow Bright exclaimed. "Even if they aren't perfect, I can understand that you all did your best," a familiar voice said, drawing the Heroic Ten's attention to its owner, Princess Twilight Sparkle. "Princess Twilight Sparkle!" the ten creatures greeted as they bowed. "You all did a wonderful job making the Ballroom presentable for my brother and sister-in-law's visit tomorrow, and even if there is something that looked better, I accept this as the place where the party will be held, the way it is right now." Princess Twilight announced, "You all should be taking a break and have dinner before your stay in the rooms I reserved for you." "Thank you, Princess Twilight Sparkle, and we certainly will be there with you at the party," Luster declared. "I know you will," Princess Twilight chuckled. Meanwhile, in the School of Friendship, Heads Starlight Glimmer and Sunburst were tidying up their office when they heard a knock on their door. "Come in," Sunburst told the creature outside, before the door opened, and a teenaged donkey entered. "Harmony! It's your first time visiting the Heads' office. So, what's the problem?" Starlight asked. "Well, for starters, your lesson about your daughter is really...knowledgeable.." Harmony stated. "Thank you for that complement, Harmony, but, usually, creatures visit the Heads to address issues, not complements," Sunburst told the donkey. "I'm not finished. You stated that you sent Luster away to Sire Hollow to be raised by your parents!" Harmony pointed out. "Only because we had no choice! We always have to take care of all the students here, and we barely have time for anything else but meals and sleep. Unlike the Council of Friendship, we cannot find a good replacement to replace us as the School's heads! So we cannot retire!" Starlight explained. "And how frequently did you visit her?" Harmony asked. "Well, we only visit her during school breaks when there aren't any students to take care of, " Starlight began, before her husband Sunburst finished for her. "And we only told her about why we took our job so seriously, and reflect about her life, or precisely, what we know about her life that our parents told us about before in our last visit." "Then what about the fact that you weren't there when she got her cutie mark, and never got to see her physically with that mark when she was a filly, because you weren't there when she performed that age spell on herself?!" Harmony asked. "Well, our parents were there, being the ones who took Luster to Canterlot. Luster brought her materials to create a small, toy version of the sunrise from the sea. Just like her first project of creating a mini version of the sunrise at sea look as real as possible. The first time she succeeded, she earned her suite mark, and our parents decided to enroll her in Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, which was indeed, also known as Princess Twilight's School for Gifted Unicorns ever since the coronation." Starlight explained. "Like the first time, Luster's project was a success! Princess Twilight Sparkle was impressed to the point that she decided to make Luster her new star student, to Luster's extreme joy. Since Luster was a lot happier than she was when she got her cutie mark, her magic reacted with the magic she left in her project, making her unintentionally cast that age spell that made her a decade older than she chronologically was.Princess Twilight tried to undo the spell, but it was proven to be irreversible, and the doctors in Canterlot Hospital found out that since the age spell only made her ten years older and not including any additional days nor weeks nor months, she would still turn a year older on her birthday, which was still the same day as before the age spell." Sunburst ended. "Then when did you first see her with her cutie mark? After the age spell?" Harmony asked. "Only during the weekend on the week it happened...we were so shocked." Starlight sadly mentioned. "And upset that we never got to see Luster as a filly with her cutie mark at all, except for, seeing the photos of her before the age spell." Sunburst stated. "Most importantly, the last we got to interact with and physically see of Luster being a filly was...the last school break before it happened." Starlight sadly cried out. "That's the problem I came here to tell you about." Harmony told the Heads of the school, "You barely spent time with your own daughter that you actually wanted to have!" Starlight and Sunburst could not help but express shocked looks on their faces, before turning to each other, looking troubled. After the series' theme sonf intro played, Starlight responded to Harmony's sentences, "You really do have a point, Harmony! We didn't spend time with our daughter, like real parents would!" "When we actually wanted a daughter, seeing how happy most of our friends were having their babies!" Sunburst added. "Seeing Big Mac and Sugar Belle happily having their son Big Sugar, was just the start." Starlight explained. "Followed by Fluttershy and Discord, Rainbow Dash and Soarin, Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich, Applejack and Caramel...we just could not help but wish that we could have a child, too." Sunburst continued. "We actually wanted to have a child the very moment we were married," Starlight sighed, "But we knew that having one would prevent us from being able to do our job of looking after every last student and worker at the School! It's a big responsibility! Ever since more and more creatures came." "And since we could not find a good replacement to handle our jobs...we figured...and planned to send our baby to Sire's Hollow to be raised by our parents, since they had the freedom to take care of her." Sunburst ended the story. "I understand that your actions were for the sake of others, sacrificing the life you wanted so the many creatures at school won't suffer from having an unworthy head running it." Harmony told the unicorn couple, "But still, I can't believe that you don't seem to spend much time with your daughter, when she's living with you nowadays!" The Heads of the School of Friendship felt embarrassed to realise how distant they were to their biological daughter, especially when she was physically not even a metre away, living in their castle. "Well, we still have to run and take care of everything in the School..." Starlight explained, "And Luster Dawn always have her nine best friends looking out for her!" "It's good to know that Luster doesn't need a babysitter, so we won't have a lot to do with her around." Sunburst added. "But still, the main point is, you don't spend much time with her! You are very distant from her! You don't even join her and her friends for meals like you said so during the lesson about her!" Harmony pointed out. "You really do have a point. We really are, very distant rom Luster because of our job." Starlight sadly noted. "But now that you made us realise it, maybe we can change that." Sunburst continued. "Thank you, Harmony, for making the time and effort to...somewhat confront us about this problem we had this whole Tim." Starlight told the teenaged donkey. "You really do value creatures' relationships with one another, like a good creature would." Sunburst complemented, "For that, we are going to let the whole school know what you did." "If you are comfortable with it, that is." Starlight pointed out. "I would be honoured to have my deed known by all the other students, to help them improve." Harmony told the Heads. "Good, because we have some planning to do." Starlight announced. The scene changed to showing the outside of the Castle of Friendship from the front view, and the moon going down, making way for the Sun. The Sun soon went down, as the moon rose up, showing that a whole day flew by, and it was evening. "That party was a blast!" Alkali exclaimed, walking to the Dining Room with the rest of her best friends. "And really worth going to, I mean, we finally met the other royalty of Equestria, physically! And interact with them!" Volcano commented. "And got to take a picture with Princess Twilight Sparkle's family!" Yellow Bright added. "Best day ever!" Krona declared like a yak. "But, dinner is still going to be just like regular dinner every night." Luster told her best friends, opening the doors with her magic, and finding a shocking surprise that made her take back her latest sentence. "Luster! You and your best friends are back!" Starlight cheerfully greeted. "And we already got your dinner ready!" Sunburst added. "And, for the first time..." Starlight began, before she and her husband said in unison, "We're going to have dinner with you!" The Heroic Ten all had shocked expressions while Luster said, "I really take back what I said about regular dinner like every night." The scene faded black before returning to normal within a second, showing a close image of Starlight and Sunburst sting by the table, as their shocked biological daughter trotted to them, "Mum, Dad? What's going on?! I mean, you NEVER joined my best friends and I for meals!" "You're always busy working at the School?" Falcon Dive sarcastically reminded. "And taking care of all the students and workers?" added Sunshine Rays. "And all the lessons, classes, field trips..." Nature Bloom contributed. "And all the events?" Buffer resumed. "And the preparations for the events?" Alkali continued. "And all the facilities?" Volcano finished. The married unicorn couple giggled, before Starlight replied, "We do have to take care of the School, but we still have free time at night!" "And instead of just enjoying private time as a couple, we figured to use it to be with you, Luster!" Sunburst told his biological daughter. "Me?! But...I'm not a little filly anymore! Although, I chronologically am one, and will be if it weren't for that..." Luster began, before her mother finished the sentence for her. "Age spell?! We know that! We're your parents!" "Even though you did not raise her?!" Falcon Dive sarcastically asked. "Sending her to Sire's Hollow to be raised by your parents?" Yellow Bright added. "Making Luster think that friendship is a waste of time!" Krona continued. "And made her think that the Council of Friendship weren't friends anymore?" Nature Bloom pointed out. "When they are close friends with you?!" Sunshine Rays resumed. "Look at how much friendship knowledge that your daughter don't have because she was not raised by you!" Buffer summarised. "Calm down, every creature, they have a logical reason for sending her away and not raising her, and not telling her much!" Evergreen told her best friends. "Because they have a School to run? We know that!" Falcon Dive responded. "It's true that we didn't spend much time with her all this time." Starlight began, before Sunburst finished the sentence for her. "But recently, one of our students, Harmony, made us realise that, and how distant we are from Luster." "So we decided, that from now on, we're going to join you all for dinner, every night!" Starlight announced. "And that's not all!" Sunburst continued, "Since Luster would usually spend the day hanging out with friends, or learn more spells, we decided, to help her learn those spells!" "But...what about School?!" Krona asked. "You're the Heads of it!" Volcano reminded. "So you are in charge of it!" Buffer continued. "And that means you ned to take care of everything there!" Sunshine Rays stated. "No pressure, really." Evergreen respectfully told the Heads. The married unicorns looked at each other for a second before turning to the creatures, "Don't worry, we will take turns being with Luster." Starlight assured. "And, if she had the time, we'll allow her back to School grounds to help out as our assistant!" Sunburst added. "You mean..." Luster asked, before being cut off by her mother. "You get to check on the mail, help the students in any way you can, organise the School Library, and most importantly, report to the Heads' office very frequently!" "Which means you will finally be able to spend a lot of time with us!" Sunburst ended. "I don't know..." Luster replied, expressing uncertainty, "Princess Twilight Sparkle wanted me to learn about true friendship, and she saw that my best friends are indeed good friends that can and will help me do just that!" "Not to mention that we helped her defeat Eclipse Instant and saved all of Equestria and Beyond?" Falcon Dive sarcastically reminded. "Including you two?" added Nature Bloom. "And recently helped an author create the currently out popular and best book in all of Equestria and Beyond?" Evergreen added. "You all did those together!" Starlight pointed out, "Spending lots of time with Luster!" "But do you think we can have some time with her? We are her one and only parents," Sunburst asked, "Plus, what reputation do you think we will have, if we kept on being distant from our own biological daughter?" "Can you please give us a minute?" Luster asked her parents, before huddling up with her best friends. "Heads of School have a point!" Krona began, speaking like most yaks would. "They are the Heads of a school that teaches friendship and good relationships!" Yellow Bright added. "How can they have a job like that, if they can't even have a good relationship with their own daughter?!" Alkali dramatically asked. "It would be pretty embarrassing and not good to lack the value that you teach." Sunshine Rays stated. "And all of Equestria and Beyond knows what they did to Luster!" Buffer pointed out. "If they don't have a good relationship with her soon," Volcano began, before Falcon Dive finished the sentence for him. "They will be known for being the weirdest heads-of-a-school, ever!" "Teaching values the they lack in a situation known by all?" Evergreen stated. "But, they have hundreds of students and things to take care of!" Luster reminded, "I can't spend time with them and distract them!" "And as some creature selfless, we must never choose our own good over others' good!" Falcon Dive declared, before sighing, "We probably should agree with their new decision and suggestions today." The Heroic Ten approached the Heads of their former school, with Luster telling her parents, "Mybest friends an dI agreed to go with your decision, Mum and Dad." "Great! And since you don't have anything to do tomorrow, we're allowing you back to Achool grounds to be our assistant!" Starlight cheerfully said. "But...now that Luster became and still is a famous heroine, what do you think the other creatures will do when they see her?!" Sunshine Rays asked. "Remember what happened during her first week," Nature Bloom reminded. "Students keep paying attention to her! Attracted to her!" Krona declared. "They may have gotten over that," Volcano began, before Alkali finished the sentence for him. "But that is before her graduation, and her reign as heroine!" "Now that she's even more famous, do you think every creature will act normal around her?" Falcon Dive sarcastically asked. "Most likely will not!" Yellow Bright answered the question. "Don't worry, we can and will handle that!" Sunburst assured. "Are you sure? Because during Luster's time as a student there, it was not you, but us, who got her through every problem!" Evergreen pointed out. "That was only because she was a student! We can't keep on giving her special treatment in the School!" Starlight explained. "The only reason we offered her residence in the castle is because some students do not reside in the School! Some of them are from Ponyville and not far away!" Sunburst pointed out. "Back to the main point, an assistant who isn't a student will be alright to get special treatment unlike every other student, but not too special that they feel like it is unfair! So, what do you say now?" Starlight asked. "If it can save your reputation, I agree to part with it." Luster answered. The next day, Luster and her parents depart the castle for the School, with Luster feeling anxious. It had always been her best friends who got her through everything, but none of them were around. "Don't worry, Luster! You still got company at your side!" Starlight told her daughter. "I guess you're right." Luster nervously chuckled, before entering the School. Many students, seeing their former schoolmate, who was currently a famous heroine, were all pleased to see her in the school, that they all started chatting with their friends, to Luster's discomfort, knowing that most of their conversations would be about her. The Heads then made an announcement in the Main Hall, where most assemblies would be held. "Good morning, students and staff!" Starlight began, "Today, as you can see, graduate Luster Dawn, the biological daughter of your Heads, and a famous heroine member of the Heroic Ten, has returned to School grounds." "And from now on, she will be your Heads' assistant who will help out all around the School with all sorts of problems. Otherwise, you will mostly find her in the Heads' office." Sunburst added. "But, Mum, Dad...I can't be around for..." Luster tried to tell her parents that she could not work as their assistant everyday, especially when she had to physically learn friendship with her best friends outside School, but her mother cut her off. "And if there's any trouble, and she's nearby, go to her and not through a long way to find us." The school bell rang, meaning that classes were starting. The students and teachers all departed the Main Hall, leaving Luster and her parents alone. "So Luster, now that we're the only creatures around, what should we do as a real family?" Starlight asked her daughter. "We already are a family?" Luster reminded, "Biologically a family, and, shouldn't we just be doing our work?" "Well, there aren't any events around the corner, except for a field trip that Professor Smolder and Professor Ocellus will be taking their students on...a few days later. So, we don't have much that we need to do, other than wait for some creature to tell us about an issue." Sunburst pointed out. "But, since it's my first day as assistant, shouldn't I be doing what needs to be done? As in, what I have to do?" Luster asked. Starlight giggled, "Oh, Luster, you really are so adorable, hardworking since little." "If you really want to do something, you can organise the School Library," Sunburst suggested. "School Library?! Oh yes! Yes! Yes! Why didn't you say so earlier?! I'm going to!" Luster announced, immediately galloping towards her destination. "And we're going with you!" Starlight cheerfully declared, causing Luster to halt. "But...but I can do it alone!" Luster complained. "It's a lot faster and better when you have more creatures!" Sunburst pointed out. "Fine, I might as well accept your help." Luster said in a depressed tone. The scene changed to the School Library, after Luster levitated one last book onto the shelf where it belonged. "There! The last Equestria and Beyond History book, with all the others, in the Equestria and Beyond History Column!" Luster declared. "And all we took is half an hour! Told you that the more creatures, the faster and better!" Sunburst proudly said, hugging his wife up close. "Now that the books are all where they belong, we can finally send some family time together!" Starlight cheerfully added. "But, I haven't got a hang of the role of assistant here! Don't you think I should understand it before I do something else?" Luster asked. "Oh, Luster! When no creature has problems, it's free time for us!" Starlight assured. "Then, I guess I can go back to my spell casting learning in the Castle..." Luster began, before her parents panicked a bit and Sunburst cutting her off. "No! I mean...you can chat with us!" "Spend time with us! After all these years!" Starlight added. "Well, I was indeed raised by grandpa Firelight and grandmum Stellar Flare in Sire's Hollow before the School for Gifted Unicorns...never having much interaction with you, except for when you visited me to show concern for me after learning about that age spell...so, I guess I can..." Luster began, before she heard a terrified scream nearby. "AAAAH! A cockroach! Some creature do something!" an Earth Pony filly shrieked, huddling close to her friends, as the large pest crawled towards them. Like a heroine, Luster rushed to the students' rescue and froze the cockroach, causing them to cheer and praise the new assistant. "You're my hero, Luster Dawn!" the filly exclaimed, hugging the unicorn. "She's a real hero! I mean...heroine!" another student reminded. "She saved us all from Eclipse Instant on her graduation day!" another student stated. As more and more creatures gathered around Luster, she nervously told them, "Thanks for he praises and complements, every creature, but, I'm only here to be the Heads' assistant. So, instead of worshipping me, you should just come to me if you have any problems, only when I'm near." "Then can you help us graduate?" a male zebra asked. "Can you help us learn better communication?" a dragon asked. As the students began asking more and more questions, Luster shouted, "Quiet! I will settle your problems, one by one, but if you are really lacking on your studies, you can go to Professor Scootaloo's classes for the students in need! All other problems that have nothing to do with lessons, is what I will settle." From afar, Starlight and Sunburst gasped to see their daughter so responsible and strong. After the students left, Luster approached her parents, "Alright, I got an after school meeting for half an hour, a short period of time that grants the students the chance to tell me all the issues, and then, when time's up, I'l solve them. I just hope that the issues aren't too difficult to solve..." "Well, great job on your first day, Luster! You're really making us so proud." Starlight said, trying her best to look grateful. "And you did it without any company! Looks like you can really do it...without us." Sunburst stated, trying to smile and not frown. "I can't believe I finally handled being overwhelmed by a crowd without any of my best friends! Although, I still loved their presence and company. Anyways, I better prepare a list for after school issue meeting! To write down all the students' issues!" Luster told her parents, "Meanwhile, I better clean the school, as well. I mean, with a cockroach that large around, there's no doubt that the place can be...a little dirty." After Luster was out of sight, Starlight panic-asked her husband, "What are we going to do, Sunburst?! We brought Luster so close to us, but still can't spend time with her, like a real family!" "Even if she works here, I don't think she will be interacting with us as much as we can interact with each other." Sunburst told his wife. "She's more focused on her work! Like...us." Starlight sadly stated. "Too bad she can't just sit with us in the Heads' office. With nothing else to do, unless there's a problem." Sunburst commented. "Hmm...you know what Sunburst? I think we do have a way to spend time with Luster!" Starlight declared. That night, during dinner, Luster Dawn's parents made an announcement. "Guess what, every creature?!" Starlight asked in a cheerful tone. "We decided to take Luster on a World Tour around Equestria and Beyond for the next few days!" Sunburst finished. "What?!" Falcon Dive asked, spitting out his soup. "A few days?" Nature Bloom asked. "World Tour around Equestria and Beyond?" Krona added. "But...what about your duties?" Evergreen asked in a normal tone. "You know, take care of all the students and workers?" Sunshine Rays pointed out. "All the lessons," Volcano contributed. "And the activities!" Alkali continued. "The facilities..." Buffer resumed. "All of the things that have something to do with the School!" Yellow Bright dramatically stated. "You have a job to handle them all!" Buffer ended. "I'm sure the School will be fine," Starlight assured, "It still will receive the same food deliveries, the teachers all can be trusted, lessons will go fine...no big special events in our absence!" "But what about Luster's role as your assistant?" Falcon Dive asked. "She just got that occupation today, wouldn't the students find it strange that she won't be performing her duties for the next few days?" Sunshine Rays questioned. "If you two are so concerned..." Starlight began in a rage of impatience, "You two will be temporarily in charge of the School!" The Heroic Ten asked in shock, "What?!" "The Elements of Morality and Selflessness are most likely the creatures capable of taking care of everything! I guess we don't need anything more!" Starlight declared. "You can't just any-o-how put some creature in charge of a school!" Volcano pointed out. "Volcano has a point! Heads can't just put creatures in charge of School!" Krona declared like a yak would. "Especially when it's creatures who don't even have a job like theirs!" Buffer continued. "And I'm not really available! I'm working on Rules of Real Good Story Writing, a guide to writing the stories some creature moral would write! I've been writing it ever since we returned from our adventure to help Grandeur..." Sunshine Rays began, before she was cut off by the impatient unicorn couple. "Can we please get some time with our daughter?!" Sunburst angrily asked. "When she came to finally live with us, instead of interacting with us, her biological family, she's been interacting with all of you!" Starlight pointed a hoof at the rest of the Heroic Ten. "Right now, fixing our relationship with her is what truly matters to us," Sunburst stated in a serious tone. "Being willing to make her even more important than our job, will truly prove that we do care about her, like real friends and family would!" Starlight declared. "But...the School!" Alkali cried. "What do you think will become of it without you in charge of it?!" Buffer asked. "That's up to you nine, who will take care of it in our absence!" Starlight coldly told the creatures, while leading her daughter out, "Come on, Luster. We're about to leave for our tour tomorrow!" After the unicorns left the Dining Room, the nine creatures looked at each other, with none of them looking happy. The next day, in the School of Friendship, the students gathered in the Main Hall, where the Heroic Ten, minus Luster, stood where the announcers would stand. "Good morning, every creature!" Falcon Dive greeted in an energetic tone. "As every creature knows, Krona and her friends here are the Heroic Ten!" Krona declared in third-creature. "Even though there's only nine of us, since Luster isn't here..." Yellow Bright nervously mentioned. "She and her parents have some errands to make..." Evergreen explained. "And they won't be back for a few days." Buffer continued. "And in their absence," Alkali announced. "We will be looking out for all the issues and problems here!" Sunshine Rays declared. "As much as we can, because not all of us are available all the time..." Volcano mentioned, taking out a watch to signal his teaching assistant. The school bell then rang, dismissing the students from the assembly, while Volcano told most of his friends, "alkali and I got to go! We still got to teach our students at Improvement Academy!" "Safe travels!" Nature Bloom called out to her two departing best friends, before turning to the rest of their friends, "I hope we can figure out everything that has to be done..." At Sugarcube Corner, Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich, with the aid of the Cake Twins, were throwing a party that was to be Luster's delayed cute-ceanera, since there was never a party thrown to celebrate her earning her cute mark. "It's really unnecessary..." Luster muttered loud enough for her mother to hear and hush her. "I'm sorry, it's just...cute-ceaneras are only for celebrating newly earned cutie marks! Not to replace one that should have been held a long time ago!" Luster pointed out. "As your parents, we should have been there to see you as a filly with your cutie mark!" Sunburst stated, levitating a photo of Luster when she earned her cutie mark, the day before the age spell. "Your grandparents took many photos of you and your cutie mark that day, and gave us some, they really were thoughtful." Starlight gratefully told her daughter. Luster groaned as she had to continue resisting the slight embarrassment of getting a delayed cute-ceanera when she was biologically a young adult. The next stop was Sweet Apple Acres, where the unicorn family sat down to have an apple meal. "Welcome every creature, for lunchtime at Sweet Apple Acres! The one and only time of the day when non-apples get to eat an apple meal, like they're in a restaurant!" Applejack announced. Big Mac and his brother-in-law Caramel then brought a huge table over, before Sugar Belle used her magic to levitate all the apple-themed food, placing them on the said table. "We got apple salad, apple cider, apple on rice, apple on noodles, apple on hay, apple in mashed potato..." "We can just come here anytime!" Luster whispered to her parents, but they were not buying it. "We can, but did we?" asked Starlight. "We didn't! So now we're doing it!" Sunburst told his daughter n a strict tone. The next destination on the unicorn family's list was Carousel Boutique, where Rarity, Yona and Sandbar worked and resided with their kids. Luster was soon playing dress up and photo shoot with her parents, trying on different outfits, and taking may photos. "You all looked absolutely divine!" Rarity commented, as she pasted one last photo in a photo file for the unicorn family. "Aw, thanks Rarity!" Starlight thanked her old friend. "Now, we can go to our next stop!" Sunburst added. "Fluttershy's Sanctuary!" Starlight announced. The scene changed in an instant, and the sanctuary itself was shown, still run by Fluttershy with the aid of her husband, Discord. Fluttershy introduced every animal in alphabetical order, like a welcome show for her visitors. "We have anteaters, bears, cats, dogs, elephants, frogs, giraffes, hippos, impalas, jaguars, kangaroos, lambs, monkeys, nightingales, ostriches, pelicans, quails, rabbits, snakes, tigers, uinta chipmunks, vultures, walruses, X-Ray tetra, yellow mongooses and Zenaida doves." Starlight and Sunburst applauded with Starlight exclaiming, "What a wonderful performance!" "That's one of the best welcome shows I've ever seen!" Sunburst added, "Right Luster?" "Yes, that show is...really spectacular...though it kind of reminds me of Nature Bloom's animals' performances... Luster murmured. "That's actually the basic animal performance. There are more animals than just the ones mentioned in this show." Fluttershy stated, "You can either see them, or pet and spend time with the animals." "We'll choose pet and spend time with the animals," Starlight replied. "Because we got a Wonderbolts show to watch later in Canterlot," Sunburst added. The scene then changed to show Luster and her parents in the special friends and family of the Wonderbolts sitting area, where they got the best view. Starlight tried to get Luster to cheer on the performers, but Luster gloomily commented, "They make me think of Falcon Dive and his flying skills." "What?! That is it!" Starlight angrily stormed off, taking her family with her. When the show ended, Rainbow Dash was surprised to see that her friends were not in the audience. "Starlight, Sunburst, and Luster left?!" Soarin approached his wife, expressing the same face she was having. Meanwhile, in the streets of Canterlot, Starlight told Luster, "You can't just keep on thinking about your best friends everything, Luster!" "There are a whole lot of creatures to care about! Especially those who are biologically related to you!" Sunburst added. "But, didn't we kept on saying what we are don't make us us, and who we are really does?" Luster reminded. "Well, yes...but, we really never spent much time with you, Luster! We just really have to!" Starlight explained. "And, we have a few days of nothing but vacation as a family! Come on!" Sunburst cheerfully said, dragging Luster with him. In a montage, Luster and her parents travelled all around Equestria and Beyond, visiting Cloudsdale Weather Factory, Appleloosa's town and apple orchard, Starlight's old village, Our Town, Luster's hometown, Sire's Hollow, the Harmonising Heights and Seaquestria as sea ponies, the Changeling Kingdom, the Dragon Lands, Griffonstone, Yakyakistand, and the Crystal Empire. "I don't see why I need to be here, I already met Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armor!" Luster told her parents. "But you haven't met their daughter, Ruler of the Crystal Empire, Princess Flurry Heart!" Sunburst announced. "Your very own father served as her crystalliser, you so should have met her a very long time ago!" Starlight told her daughter. The next second, the royal guards blew the trumpets as the Royal Family of the Crystal Empire appeared. "Your Majesties," the unicorn family bowed, before Flurry giggled. "You can stop bowing now, Madam Starlight, Mr. Sunburst, and of course, famous heroine Luster Dawn." "Luster, we saw you and your best friends not so long ago at the party in Canterlot!" Cadence stated. "So, why would you come to the Crystal Empire Castle to see us? It's not even one and a half weeks ago!" Shining Armor pointed out. "My parents wanted to spend time with me," Luster answered. "Like a real family!" Starlight added. "Spending a good, close time and having a good, close relationship with each other!" Sunburst ended. "But what abut the School of Friendship?" Flurry Heart asked. "We're sure it's fine!" Starlight replied, a second before Luster got a letter magically sent to her. Dear Luster, Sorry about ruining you and your parents' vacation, but it is really urgent! Professor Smolder unfortunately caught a cold and sneezed fire all over the school, Professor Ocellus has to take double the classes that she originally has, and has a crisis making sure every student is present, and some of the students ran out of school when it caught the fire mentioned earlier! To make matters even worse, no creature knows which students gone missing, because the students don't stay in the same class in this School! They only attend certain classes at certain periods of time! Please, if you can make it, help us! Signed, your best friends. Luster read the letter out loud, making the Heads of the School gasp. "Are you still sure the School's fine?" Cadence asked. "A sick teacher? Fire at the School? And missing students everywhere?" Starlight asked in shock. "If only we were there, we would have everything under control from start!" Sunburst added, dramatically . "Being in charge is actually very important," Shining Armor told the Heads of the School of Friendship. "And it's never about being able to do whatever you want!" Cadence added. "Ever since my coronation, I had to make sure every last thing in the Crystal Empire is checked!" Flurry Heart explained, "From the biggest castle and buildings, to the smallest shelter! Also, I need to ensure all the residents here are indeed, residents! If they ever moved away, or if a new one came in, I must know and ensure that they have everything they need!" "Over the yeas we were rulers of the empire and caregivers of Flurry, we never let our duties or jobs go not handled." Cadence stated. "Especially with all the different creatures, we knew we can't just leave them unchecked, even to take a break!" Shining Armor pointed out. "We know family and friends are really important, but we have friends that are affected by our jobs!" Cadence said. "And like true, good friends, we will never take a wanted break and ignore them, thinking that they will be fine in our absence," Shining Armor ended. "All the students and workers at the School of Friendship...they're our friends, too!" Starlight gasped. "And we just chose spending time with our daughter to save our reputations over their needs?!" Sunburst said, dramatically fainting. "We're horrible Heads and friends for doing something like this!" Starlight exclaimed in a panicked tone. "Calm down, Mum and Dad, it's not completely your fault." Luster assured, "It's actually kind of my fault too, abandoning the real best to fulfil some of your desires that aren't even good ones...and not pointing out your mistake when I knew you shouldn't spend this much time with me, nor show that you really cared about me that you don't care about your job." "And our decision to choose our job over raising you maybe painful...but it really was for the best all along! Look at what spending time with you and abandoning the School has done!" Sunburst pointed out. "But it's not too late to fix the damage!" Luster declared. At the School of Friendship, Falcon Dive sprayed fire extinguisher all around the school, while Alkali took the sick Smolder down to the catacombs under the school library, the one place with nothing for the sick dragon's fires to destroy. "Don't worry Smolder! Just drink some orange juice for Vitamin C, eat lettuce to help strengthen your immunity system, and have plenty of rest!" Alkali advised, a moment before another sneeze was about to happen. Fortunately, Alkali had a pail of soapy water by her side, which she held up and swang to toss the soapy water at Smolder's face when the latter sneezed. "Soapy water, totally alkaline! Weak alkali, that is! And...alkalis can kill germs, including viruses." Alkali told the sick dragon. "Acids can do that, too." Smolder sarcastically responded. In the school classrooms, Evergreen assured the students, "Everything will be alright, calm down. Panicking and running out will just worsen things as your teachers will have trouble ensuring all of you are alright!" "Good news, every creature! Heads are back!" Krona declared. Starlight approached the students, "Every creature get outside the School and in front of the Castle! Hurry!" Sunburst quickly did a count and check of the students' attendance, by asking their names before allowing them to ass him. Using her magic, Starlight found all of the creatures in the School and evacuated them, with Falcon Dive being the final creature to leave the building. "Where's Professor Smolder?" a student asked. "Don't worry, Alkali took her to the catacombs underneath the School Library, where there's nothing to destroy!" Volcano answered. "And Alkali always brings her alkalis with her, she knows how to stay clean." Sunshine Rays addd. "Where's Luster Dawn?" another student asked. "She's busy finding the students who ran out of school," Buffer replied, a second before Luster appeared with all of the missing students in Ponyville. "Luster! You're back! Is that all the students?!" asked Yellow Bright. "All the missing students in Ponyville, now to help Nature Bloom and Professor Ocellus!" Luster announced. Ocellus was waiting anxiously for help to arrive, just before she saw Nature approaching. "Nature Bloom! Thank goodness you came! I was just lucky that one of the unicorn students could magically send letters to the creatures they are for!" "Don't worry, Luster will be here to find the missing students, if there are any! Just, check who's here and who's not!" Nature told the cyan changeling, giving the latter a list of students' names. As soon as the changelings found out who the missing students were by marking attendance, Luster appeared and used a spell to find the missing creatures by scanning their names, and summoning a magical compass like their last adventure. After all the students were found, Luster and Nature decided to aid Ocellus in bringing all the students through the remainder of their field trip. That evening, Luster teleported the classes that went on the field trip back into the School, where all the other students were waiting. The Heads then caught every creature's attention, as they had a new announcement to make. "Good evening, students!, workers, and every creature. Your Head-mare and Vice Head-stallion, have something to say to all of you," Starlight began, before Sunburst took over. "We made a big mistake, thinking that showing that we care more about our daughter than we care about our School and job will prove that we are good, caring parents, but we were wrong!" "We have to do what is best for all situations! And we just let our desires to save our reputation as heads of a friendship school by having a good, close relationship with Luster, make us abandon every creature affected by our job. This is a mistake that we will never make again." Starlight declared. "And, even though it can be embarrassing, this incident of the Heads learning a valuable friendship lesson, will indeed be in the next textbook of the School's History," Sunburst announced, "So no creature will make a mistake similar to it." "I have to say sorry too, every creature." Harmony said, showing up, "I thought that our Heads' distant relationship with their daughter is a problem, which is the one thing that caused all this chaos today to happen." "Harmon, we understand that you're just doing what you think is right," Starlight assured. "But you're not completely to blame, it was our decision to go...crazy and choose spending a lot of unnecessary time with our daughter." Sunburst nervously chuckled. "And show that you care about her more than you care abut the School?" Falcon Dive sarcastically asked. "Willing to just let the School suffer in your absence?" Sunshine Rays added. "Not leaving some creature with good experience run it?" Volcano contributed. "When you really don't need to go on a World Tour with Luster in order to get close?" Evergreen pointed out. "And you almost let the School go from fine to disastrous!" Yellow Bright dramatically stated, before switching to a normal tone saying, "But look on the bright side, everything's resolved." "I understand that you have to build a good, close relationship with me, Mum and Dad, but it's not spending time with me so frequently that makes my best friends' relationship with me so good and close!" Luster pointed out. "Friends would usually have some friendly chats!" Krona began. "And listen to what each other has to say," Buffer continued. "If a friend is having a bad experience or being troubled, true friends will comfort and help them!" Nature Bloom stated. "And friends don't need to play together, nor be together all the time!" Evergreen pointed out. "Like the Council of Friendship, they can meet once every period of a specific time," Sunshine Rays gave an example. "And they don't really need to go through lots of action and adventures to build a bond!" Falcon Dive resumed. "Like every creature, friends can just have a slice of life, and talk over meals," Yellow Bright finished. "There's always room in the Dining Room, I'm sure we won't mind the parents of one of us joining us," Volcano told the Heads. "So...you're all alright with us joining you for dinner every night?" Sunburst asked. "And breakfast every morning!" Krona declared. "Thank you, Heroic Ten, we will like to spend time with you over meals, and improve our relationship with Luster, and all of you." Starlight responded. "And if you still want me to be your assistant, I accept the job, and will do my duty unless an adventure or need for the Heroic Ten comes up," Luster told her parents, causing them to giggle. "We understand Luster, and this time, we should be the creatures writing a letter to Princess Twilight." Sunburst replied. Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle, Today, we believe that we and our daughter Luster, have all learnt some valuable lessons. Luster learnt that no matter what, we must always choose what we know is the real best over supporting some creature's desires when the desires were not beneficial, even if those creatures were close ones. We learnt that lesson as well, alongside learning that if we wanted to show concern for some creature, we should have just spent free time with them, not spend lots of unnecessary time earned by abandoning our duties. This is a lesson that will be taught and reminded at the School of Friendship, so we an assure you, that many creatures will learn from it, and hopefully not make any similar mistake. Signed, your faithful student's parents, Starlight Glimmer and Sunburst The next morning, in the Dining Room, Luster's immediate family sat next to each other, chatting over their meal. "I'm glad that I'm finally working with you, Mum and Dad, even if it means we can't be together all the time there," Luster told her parents. "Don't worry, Luster, we still got time to chat on the way to work and back as we walk!" Starlight pointed out. "And we still got lunchtime in the afternoon to chat!" Sunburst added. "Tick tock, every creature! School's about to start!" Alkali reminded, holding up a watch. "School! Right! And I still got to help Cranky and Matilda's daughter, Harmony to make amends for the chaos yesterday!" Luster panicked. "And if you needed help, we'll be there," Starlight and Sunburst said in unison, as they surrounded their daughter with warm smiles. "Like real good friends and family would!" Luster commented. 7. The Lil'Heroic TenAuthor's Note The Lil'Heroic Ten serves as the seventh episode of the series. Summary: The children of the Council of Friendship, mostly Lil'Cheese, decided to form their own team of ten, with the aid of other classmates, after being astonished by the Heroic Ten's heroic actions. Featured Song: Try it Out Featured Characters: Lil'Cheese, the son of Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich. He is somewhat like the leader of the Lil'Heroic Ten, being the team's founder, and self-appointed Element of Leadership of the team. Big Sugar, the son of Big Mac and Sugar Belle, and the cousin of Sweet Caramel Apple. He is appointed to be the team's Element of Listening by the team's leader. Sweet Caramel Apple, the daughter of Applejack and Caramel. She has her father's coat, her mother's eyes and maternal grandfather's mane. Like Applejack, she is very honest, but unlike her mother, she could dislike certain work at times. She is appointed to be the team's Element of Integrity by Lil'Cheese. Sonic, the son of Rainbow Dash and Soarin. He has his mother's coat, and his father's mane and eyes. He is a minute older than his twin sister. Despite being the child of the Captain and Co-Captain of the Wonderbolts, he is not as interested as his family in being the best flyers, but he still loves and cares about them, supporting them fro time to time. Due to his known support for his friends, Lil'Cheese appointed him to be the team's Element of Encouraging. Rainboom, the daughter of Rainbow Dash and Soarin. She has her father's coat and her mother's eyes and mane. Like her parents, she has a dream of becoming a Wonderbolts since she was small, and she could be quite proud and loved showing off like her mother. Lil'Cheese appointed her to be the team's Element of Selflessness, believing that her loyalty matches the value of unselfishness. Screwball, the daughter of Fluttershy and Discord. She is inspired by the character 'Screwball' that many fans made to be the daughter of Discord and Fluttershy, most notably to me, DisneyFanatic23. Lil'Cheese made her the team's Element of Niceness, since kindness is known to be very close in meaning with niceness. Precious Treasure, the unicorn colt son of Spike and Rarity. He and his sister are younger than the rest of their friends by almost half a decade. Lil'Cheese made him the Element of Patience, believing that he barely gets angry. Sparity, the dragon daughter of Spike and Rarity. She resembles her father, but has eyelashes. She is the youngest among the Lil'Heroic Ten. Lil'Cheese made her the team's Element of Diligence, since she is usually very hardworking in helping her mother do chores or find gems. Muffin Whooves, the daughter of Derpy and Doctor Whooves. She has her father's coat and mother's mane and eyes. Lil'Cheese invited her and Bulk Junior into his and his best friends' team, so they could have ten members. She is appointed as the team's Element of Positivity, as she never let her mother's clumsiness affect her. Bulk Junior , the son of Bulk Biceps and Octavia Melody. He has his father's coat and eyes and his mother's mane. He and Muffin Whooves were invited to join Lil'Cheese's team, and became the team's Element of Morality, despite not being very good at being moral, since all the other positions were taken. 7. The Lil'Heroic Ten One afternoon, Lil'Cheese left Sugarcube Corner to meet his best friends at the Cutie Mark Crusaders' former clubhouse, which they donated to the children of the Council of Friendship. "So long, Lil'Cheese! Just remember the extra cheesecakes and pies in case some creature gets hungry!" Pinkie Pie told her son. "Don't worry, Mum! I got everything handled! Like you and Dad would!" Lil'Cheese called back, before leaving. Inside the clubhouse, most of Lil'Cheese's best friends were waiting for his arrival, before he opened and closed the door, "Sorry I'm late every creature, you know my parents, always..." "Packing the cheese and snacks for you? Including some pie?" asked Rainboom. "Yup," Lil'Cheese said, taking out the pie Pinkie gave him earlier. The door then opened a second time, revealing Sweet Caramel Apple and Big Sugar. "Sorry for being the last creatures here," Sweet Caramel Apple apologised. "We were on our way when we found this adorable little bug..." Big Sugar explained, before being cut off by Screwball. "A parasprite?!" "A what?" Big Sugar asked, a second before the parasprite got loose and wolfed down the pie in Lil'Cheese's hoof. "Hey! That's not how you eat pies!"the colt called out to the pest. Unfortunately for every creature, the parasprite multiplied into three, before wolfing down the rest of the snacks and becoming a dozen, that rushed out the open door! "Uh oh," Sonic muttered. After the series' theme song intro played, the children of the Council of Friendship raced after the parasprites, only to find that they were too late and the swarm was feasting on all the apples! "My mum and uncle are really gong to be mad!" Sweet Caramel Apple whimpered. "Screwball? You have a bit of your father's chaos magic, can you use it to stop the swarm?!" Lil'Cheese asked the daughter of Fluttershy and Discord. "I don't know! I never tried it on animals!" Screwball replied. Just then, a griffon swooped past the children, whom they recognised was one of the famous heroes of Equestria and Beyond. "Falcon Dive!" Precious Treasure exclaimed. "Move aside, young creatures, let us handle this!" Luster Dawn told the younger creatures, as she and the rest of her best friends raced past them. "What's with the harp?" Sparity asked Evergreen, who was levitating the latter's instrument. "You'll see later! It's part of the plan! " the Kirin replied, rushing off. Falcon Dive, being the lookout in the sky, scanned the area for parasprites, "Parasprites in the Southwest!" he called. "On it! Krona smash!" Krona declared. "Wait for me! You need some creature who flies!" Alkali called out to the yak. "Some creature handle the parasprites in the East!" Falcon instructed. "No problem, I know how to handle my smoke!" Volcano announced, taking off into the sky. "And to prevent them from going further..." Luster said, before conjuring up a large force field that surrounded a portion of the farm, "this force field will do just the trick!" Falcon Dive, being the only hero outside the force field, continued guiding his friends towards the locations of the parasprites, rounding them up to the location outside of the clubhouse, where Evergreen's soothing harp music was waiting to put the parasprites into a sleepy mood. "Sunshine, Yellow Bright, the parasprites near you!" Falcon Dive called. "Heard that and spotted that!" sunshine Rays called back. "An we'll have them rounded up, you'll see!" Yellow Bright added. "Nature Bloom, Buffer, the ones behind and around you! At your South, East West!" Falcon Dive directed. "Thanks, Falcon! We'll take care of things from here!" Buffer called. "Hopefully we don't have to hurt them, I never liked hurting living things!" Nature Bloom whimpered. "Stay strong, Nature Bloom!" Luster shouted, before resuming her role in the plan. Once all of the parasprites were gathered and asleep, Luster crystallised them, before taking down the force field, allowing Falcon Dive to regroup with every creature. "Well done, Heroic Ten! Now all we need to do is get these parasprites to see some creature who can train them to be less...harmful, and our work here will be done!" Luster announced leading her friends out of the farm. The Council of Friendship's children, who witnessed the heroes' actions were all amazed. "They were so...awesome!" Rainboom squealed. "They are the heroes who saved us and every creature from Eclipse Instant," Sonic stated. "And helped reform her, then Shapeshifter as well," Screwball added. "They even got to be in the most popular book, An Author Meets the Heroic Ten, True Story!" Sparity pointed out. "But, our parents, or should I say, most of our parents are heroes, too!" Lil'Cheese reminded. "Sorry Lil'Cheese, but their heroic days are all so long ago," Sweet Caramel Apple pointed out. "And with the Heroic Ten around, I don't see any reason our parents have to go back to being the heroes they were long ago," Big Sugar added. "They really proved themselves heroes." Precious Treasure commented, looking up into the sky while thinking about the Heroic Ten. "If only we can be like them. Imagine how awesome we would be, fighting pests, going on wild adventures, doing all those together..." Rainboom began, before being cut off by Lil'Cheese. "You know what Rainboom, you just gave me an idea! Back to the clubhouse!" Lil'Cheese instructed his best friends. Once every creature was in the clubhouse, Lil'Cheese began a speech, "Every creature, we all know and just saw the famous Heroic Ten in action back there..." "Of course we saw it! They saved my family's farm!" Sweet Caramel Apple cut off Lil'Cheese. "You meant our family's farm, Sweet!" Big Sugar told his cousin, "And can we please let Lil'Cheese continue?" "Sorry." Sweet Caramel Apple apologised. "As I was saying, the Heroic Ten was seen in action, and they really impressed us! I mean, now the only thing we can think about is them!" Lil'Cheese continued. "And they are so awesome! Just can't help but wish that we can have a life like theirs, going on adventures together!" Rainboom commented. "Rainboom gave me an idea: How about instead of daydreaming about life like those heroes, we make it happen!" Lil'Cheese suggested. "You mean...we grant our own wish?" Screwball asked in a confused tone. "More precisely, we will be forming our own team of the Elements of Purity, and go on our own adventures together!" Lil'Cheese exclaimed. "Hate to break it to you, Lil'Cheese, but that can't happen!" Sparity told the son of Pinkie. "What my sister meant was, we can't make it possible since there's only eight of us!" Precious Treasure clarified. "And as some creature who learnt Math, you should know the basics, that ten is two more than eight, so we are short of two members." Sonic added. "Not a problem, we have plenty of classmates, we can ask two of them to join us!" Lil'Cheese replied. "But still, none of us are experts at the good values that are the Elements of Purity, I mean, we never knew that your plan was going to happen! No creature has future prediction power!" Sweet Caramel Apple pointed out. "Don't worry, I, Lil'Cheese will handle all the problems, and we will have our two new members by tomorrow as we ask our schoolmates at School!" Lil'Cheese assured. The next day, during recess, Lil'Cheese had the pegasus twins to fly over the schoolhouse building, to look for two friends to add to their team. "Any luck finding just two creatures?!" Lil'Cheese asked. "Nope, most creatures hang out in trios or more than that nowadays!" Rainboom called back. "Come on, sis! We can't give up! It's for our friends!" Sonic told his sister, encouraging her. "Alright, anything for my best friends, as I'm loyal to them!" Rainboom said to herself, with a determined look on her face, before dashing off around the field, scanning the area for a pair. Soon, after a quick search, thanks to her speed, she found two schoolmates chatting. Racing back to her best friends, she reported, "I found two creatures! Muffin Whooves the Earth Pony, and Bulk Junior the Pegasus!" "As interesting as it is, they are children of our parents' old friends, too." Big Sugar commented. "Muffin is Madam Derpy and Doctor Whooves' daughter, Bulk Junior is Mr. Bulk Biceps and Madam Octavia Melody's son!" Sweet Caramel Apple honestly said out her knowledge. "And they're perfect to join us!" Lil'Cheese declared. The scene changed to showing Bulk Junior and Muffin Whooves up close, before Lil'Cheese approached them, "Excuse me? Bulk and Muffin? As you two know, I'm Lil'Cheese, and I will like to invite you two to a small schoolmates gathering at..." "Lil'Cheese! You said nothing about gatherings! Can't you tell them the truth?!" Sweet Caramel Apple scolded. "Sorry." Lil'Cheese apologised, before turning back to Muffin and Bulk, "What I meant to say is, I will like you two to hang out with my best friends and I after school, if you are available!" Muffin and Bulk looked at each other for a second, before Muffin replied, "Thanks for your offer, Lil'Cheese, but Bulk and I already have each other," "And we are good best friends already!" Bulk added, hugging Muffin. "But don't forget, that friendship isn't always just two; there can be many friends! Don't you want to experience what it's like to be in a group of friends and not just a pair?" Sonic asked. "This is your chance, if you accept it." Screwball told the two foals. "Well, now that you pointed it out, having a group of friends really do seem to be a lot better than having one friend." Muffin responded. "Knowing how much the Council of Friendship has been through as a group of friends, there is no doubt that being in a group is a lot better than being in a pair, so...as long as our parents agree...yes, we will join your group of friends." Bulk answered. "Great! Tell us when you get your parents' approval!" Lil'Cheese told his schoolmates. The following day, during recess, Muffin and Bulk approached Lil'Cheese and the colt's best friends. "My parents agreed, as long as I don't return home late!" Muffin reported. "The same thing goes for mine!" Bulk added. "That's super-duper! Now, all we have to do is something fun together to build some friendship, before after school meeting at the Clubhouse!" Lil'Cheese announced. "Fun? Like what? A game?" asked Sparity. "Of course! Who wants to play ball?!" Lil'Cheese asked, holding up the said toy. "But what kind of game with it?" Precious Treasure questioned. "All kinds!" Lil'Cheese answered, before a montage played, showing the children playing dodgeball, buck ball, and hoof ball. Soon the bell rang, forcing the ten creatures to race into the Schoolhouse. Once they were in class, the teacher, Miss Cheerilee announced, "Alright every creature, I got some very exciting news; Retired Head of the Equestrian Education Association, also known as the EEA, former Chancellor Neighsay, will be coming to our very school to share with us what the EEA is about, and most importantly, share with us what he learnt about friendship!" The students cheered to hear the news, while Rainboom whispered to her twin brother, "Isn't Neighsay the racist jerk who tried to close the famous School of Friendship, and tried to make it pony-only?" "That was before he understood true friendship, plus, he's now accepting towards all creatures, as species never mattered!" Sonic assured. "And his visit will be more than a visit..." Li'Cheese said to himself. After school, the children of the Council of Friendship gathered at the Clubhouse with their new friends. "Good afternoon, every creature! As you all know, we have two friends joining us from now on, Muffin Whooves and Bulk Junior!" Lil'Cheese announced, "And, since we've been inspired by seeing the Heroic Ten in action not so long ago, we decided to form our own team Elements of Purity!" "Wait, so this is why you asked Bulk and I to join you?" Muffin asked. "Just for the sake of having ten members in your team?!" Bulk added. "Now, now, things aren't what they seem at glance, so please, give Lil'Cheese a chance and maybe he will explain more of this," Screwball told the new team members. "Thanks Screwball, now I knew it seems like I brought our new friends into the team for the sake of having ten members, but there's more! We'll all benefit by working together as a beneficial team, just like the Heroic Ten, as true good friends!" Lil'Cheese announced, as confetti shot out in the background. "But how do we know that you really wanted Muffin and I as your friends, and not because you wanted to have ten members in your team?!" Bulk asked. "Easy, first by sharing with you, like friends would!" Lil'Cheese began. "And sharing doesn't just mean physical things, it can also be sharing the truth about ourselves!" Sweet Caramel Apple honestly explained. "Like the time Sweet and I rode on a buffalo's back in Appleloosa? That was a wild ride!" Big Sugar commented, causing every creature to laugh. "Or the time Sonic and I went along with our parents to a restaurant in Cloudsdale? We were so surprised to find out that instead of a family dinner, they were having a romantic date!" Rainboom added, causing another eruption of laughter. "An interesting time I can remember is, my parents taking me to an animal care area, for creatures to visit and are care of large animals that cannot be kept as pets!" Screwball stated, "It may not be funny, but all the elephants, giraffes and big cats really were amazing." "So, Muffin and Bulk, anything to share?" asked Lil'Cheese. "Well, my Dad once took me to the Spa for a tough message, but that...didn't go so well for me...I screamed like a girl!" Bulk explained. "Nothing much about my life, other than earning my cutie mark, and getting my cute-ceanera at Sugarcube Corner..." Muffin said, "But, now that I'm with all of you in this team, I'm sure that my life will be getting interesting, at last!" "Great! Anything else, or any creature else got something to share?" Sonic asked. "I have!" Lil'Cheese raised his hoof, before pulling out a pie, "Pie for every creature!" "Not me! Like my Mum, I do no eat pies!" "Don't worry Sonic, I brought you a slice of cake, knowing that you don't eat pies!" Lil'Cheese told him, giving him the said pastry. "Maybe you should bring cake instead?" Muffin asked, "That way you don't need to bring so many pastries!" Soon, after every creature was full, Lil'Cheese asked the team's newest members, "So, are you ready and more comfortable to really be part of this team, and have positions here?" "Already? We just joined officially today!" Bulk asked. "Don't worry, because every creature else is getting their positions today, too!" Lil'Cheese assured, before announcing, "Alright, every creature, now that our new members finally felt comfortable being part of our team, it's time to reveal the new positions! I, Lil'Cheese, as the one creature who came up with the idea, and had been leading every creature all this time, has decided that he will be the team's Element of Leadership!" "WHAT?!" Rainboom asked in a shocked and unpleasant tone, "But...but you only got the idea because of me and what I said! And you will never have found your newest members to make things happen if it weren't for me! Give some acknowledgement, Lil..." "Calm down, Rainboom, it's just a position!" Precious Treasure told one of his best friends. "And, it's not the end of the world!" Muffin added. "Not being able to be leader of our team doesn't throw away your chances of succeeding Mum as the Captain of the Wonderbolts in a distant future!" Sonic assured. "You're right," Rainboom replied, weeping a tear out of her eye. "Next, I have decided that Big Sugar, my 'distant cousin', will be our Element of Listening, since he has always been some creature who listens to us!" Lil'Cheese announced. "But...but I don't know listening as well as Buffer does!" Big Sugar pointed out. "Don't worry, you'll be there soon!" Lil'Cheese responded, before announcing, "Next, my other 'distant cousin', Sweet Caramel Apple, will be our team's Element of Integrity!" "Now we're talking! I totally am worthy of this position, being honest like my Mum!" Sweet Caramel Apple proudly declared. "Next, Sonic, for showing support for your friends and family, and even giving them the motivation they need when they need it, you are our team's Element of Encouraging!" Lil'Cheese announced. "Oh really?! I thought I will be the Element of Selflessness, I mean, I always care about others more than I will care about myself!" Sonic said his thoughts out loud. "Nope. You're more fit for the Element of Encouraging, and your sister Rainboom is more suitable for the Element of Selflessness." Lil'Cheese pointed out. "Selfless? But, I know loyalty! From my parents!" Rainboom complained. "The Elements of Purity make the Heroic Ten the heroes they are! If we want to be just like them, we need to follow them and possess the same values they do!" Lil'Cheese explained, "Now, Screwball, you are appointed as the Element of Niceness in our team, because niceness and kindness are similar in meaning!" "Well, that makes sense." Screwball commented. "Precious Treasure, you will be our Element of Patience, since you barely get mad." Lil'Cheese declared. "Well, I don't remember the last time I got angry, so...I guess you're right about me barely getting angry." Precious responded. "Sparity, you will be the Element of Diligence, because you always have the willingness to help and work for your Mum!" Lil'Cheese continued. "Really? Even though I dislike romance? Especially a lot of it? And never helped her arrange her rare dates with Dad after finding out that they were never divorced?" Sparity asked. Lil'Cheese nodded, before announcing, "Muffin Whooves, you will be the Element of Positivity, because you have proven to have the ability of looking on the bright side, despite your background of living with some very busy parents, especially a clumsy Mum...no offence really." "It's alright, Lil'Cheese, apology accepted, and I bet you will never make that mistake again, learning from it!" Muffin winked. "And last but not least, Bulk Junior, you will be our Element of Morality..." Lil'Cheese began, before being cut off by the white pegasus colt. "What?! But...but what have I done that proves that I'm moral enough for the role? Most importantly, I'm not as good as Sunshine Rays is at being moral! I don't even know all the rules! I don't know all the real rights and wrongs!" Bulk panicked. "Don't worry, Bulk, I'm sure you can get there, you got to try! We need an Element of Morality, and you don't have a choice! All the other positions have been taken!" Lil'Cheese pointed out. "What?! How dare you give Bulk such an uncomfortable position!" Muffin confronted the team's leader, "And appoint all of your friends everything except for the role of leader? How can I be so sure that we can trust you?!" "Was he telling the truth all the time, or wasn't?" asked Rainboom. "In this case, I don't think Muffin is a good choice as the Element of Positivity," Precious Treasure commented, watching the scene. "I honestly don't think that she's the only creature to not be a good fit with their new position in the team..." Sweet Caramel Apple stole the two youngest members of the team, pointing a hoof at Big Sugar. "I do listen to my parents, I do listen to my Aunt Applejack, the Leader of the Apple Family, but I haven't learnt to identify who to listen to when there is an argument!" Big Sugar told the pegasus twins. "And selflessness?! I am loyal to my friends and family! If I ever had to choose between them, that decision will be even tougher!" Rainboom complained. "Maybe you should just help the creatures who need you more?" Sonic asked. "You're right Sonic, but that is only if I can identify who needs my help more!" Rainboom pointed out. "And I'm not good at morality!" Bulk Junior cried. "No offence really, but do you think Lil'Cheese's decision wasn't the real best?" Sparity asked. "Now that you mentioned it, I totally realised it too!" Precious responded. Seeing how much chaos was happening, Lil'Cheese whistled loudly, causing every creature to freeze in silence. "Alright every creature, I know that we are on a bad start with our new positions, but I'm sure we can work out! Plus, we got an Element of Encouraging right here! Sonic?" Lil'Cheese gestured to Rainboom's older brother. "Yes, Lil'Cheese?" Sonic responded. "Our team really needs some encouragement right now. Give it all you got!" Lil'Cheese winked. "Alright, every creature! Since patience is one of the Elements of Purity, we should accept our ne positions and try to learn those values ASAP!" sonic declared. "Why don't we go ask the real experts and heroes?" Rainboom sarcastically asked. "The Heroic Ten don't have time for this!" Lil'Cheese told all of his best friends. "But, they will like to have their Elements of Purity values spread far and wide! Wouldn't having them to teach us be beneficial to both of our teams?" Sweet Caramel Apple asked. "Yeah, they can totally show that they are good and masters of good values if they taught us to be as good as they are!" Big Sugar added. "And we can really improve our friendship!" Screwball contributed. "And finally experience what being in a group of true good best friends is like!" Muffin ended. "Sorry every creature, but if we want to be like the Heroic Ten, we can't be learning the values from them!" Lil'Cheese declared in a somewhat strict tone. "What?! Why not?!" Rainboom demanded to know. "They didn't learn the values they taught! Those values aren't the same as the ones taught at the School of Friendship!" Lil'Cheese pointed out. "Ar you sure? Integrity is very close to honesty if you ask me, and my Mum, and those who know telling the truth," Sweet Caramel Apple argued. "Niceness and kindness are pretty similar," Screwball added. "Laughter is very close to positivity, and encouraging, I mean, we did see Madam Pinkie Pe being positive and telling us to be positive, and cheering on creatures, encouraging them," Muffin added. "Generosity can be close to niceness and selflessness, giving others something that belongs to you before you give it to them, showing that you do care about them more than you would care about yourself." Sonic stated. "But I'm not the generous give gifts kind! I'm action-and-adventure-loving, brave, speedy, awesome Rainboom! Daughter of the Captain and Co-Captain of the Wonderbolts, and I learnt loyalty from them!" Rainboom declared. "Come on, every creature! Let's just try this out! It can't be as bad as you all think it is!" Lil'Cheese tried to convince his best friends. "Nice try, but it will take more than that to shake us," Sparity told the team's leader in a sarcastic tone. "Sonic? A little encouraging help, please?" Lil'Cheese asked. "Sure! Why not?" Sonic replied. Before music started, followed by a song. Lil'Cheese sang, "Come on, every creature! This is not as hard as it sounds! No creature is born an expert, and I'm sure you'll come around!" Sonic sang, "The Heroic Ten never started out, being as heroic as they are now. Which means that they have developed, before creating what they created!" Lil'Cheese and Sonic sang, "Heroes never started that good! Neither do we, so it should be easily understood, that we can actually become like them, if only we would... Try it out! Helping others with their needs, showing the better way, doing all sorts of big and small good deeds! Try it out! As simple as caring about what we know, doing something to make things better, and letting our spirits grow." Lil'Cheese sang, "We can help with chores, or make some healthy food!" Sonic sang, "Or help them stay fit, by encouraging them to exercise as often as they could!" Lil'Cheese sang, "Being a hero isn't hard!" Sonic sang, "It is about improving," Lil'Cheese sang, "And letting others benefit from your doings!" All the kids sang, "Try it out! Helping others with their needs, showing the better way, doing all sorts of big and small good deeds! Try it out! As simple as caring about what we know, doing something to make things better, and letting our spirits grow." After the song ended, Lil'Cheese finally had his team members parting with him, and no longer complaining about their roles in the team. "Being selfless is actually awesome! I feel like a real hero helping other creatures!" Rainboom exclaimed, "Daring dives, swooping in, rescues...it's awesome!" "I'm more confident and comfortable with being the Elementals of Listening, as I knew that I did listen! Listened to my best friends!" Big Sugar added. "I may not know as much as Sunshine Rays about being moral, but I do feel that I'm getting somewhere!" Bulk contributed. "Now, is every creature warmed up to know our team name?" asked Lil'Cheese. "Wait. We never discussed about it," Muffin pointed out. "And the Heroic Ten had a discussion before they named themselves!" Precious Treasure recalled. "If we want to be like them, shouldn't we have a discussion like they did?" Sparity asked. "Oh...alright." Lil'Cheese sadly sighed. "We can name our team the Awesome Ten! Because we're awesome!" Rainboom suggested. "That sounds a little...too you, Rainboom." Sonic told his younger sister. "Our maybe the Children Ten? I mean, most of us are the children of the Council of Friendship!" Sweet Caramel Apple suggested. "Or maybe the Young Ten? Because we formed our team when we're...young?" asked Bulk. "We can't call ourselves the Creature Ten nor the Pny Ten. Because nine out of ten of us are ponies, and only one non-pony here." Sparity said in a grumpy tone. "Don't worry, sister, I'm sure you're alright, being the only non-pony and the only dragon, like our Dad." Precious Treasure assured his younger sister. "Well, since none of you have a good name idea, let me tell you my idea: We name ourselves, the Lil'Heroic Ten!" Lil'Cheese announced. "What?! Isn't it obvious that you named your team after yourself? Being the only member with the word, lil', in his name?! Where's your selflessness!?" Rainboom asked in a furious tone. "For the first time in months, I finally got a little mad and upset..." Precious Treasure stated. "Luster Dawn will never do that!" Muffin commented. "And she's actually chronologically younger than you, Lil'Cheese!" Bulk pointed out. "Sorry every creature, it's just that, we are still little when we formed this team!" Lil'Cheese pointed out. "Couldn't we call ourselves the Little Heroic Ten instead?" Sweet Caramel Ale asked in a somewhat sarcastic tone. "Now now, every creature, let's just try to be nice and give him a chance to explain!" Screwball told her best friends. "I know that this does kind of selfish, but it's the only one good name I can think of, and I probably am not the only creature with lil' as part of their name! And forming this team was my idea after hearing what Rainboom has to say about the Heroic Ten!" Lil'Cheese pointed out. "Thank you for acknowledging me at last, Lil'Cheese," Rainboom calmly responded. "And, it is shorter than Little, as in, the Lil'Heroic tEN!" SCREWBALL ADDED. "Well, since it's not that bad, I suppose I can accept it," Big Sugar stated. "Good, so, now that we're named, why don't we make a grand appearance like the Heroic Ten did?!" asked Lil'Cheese. "A grand appearance?" Bulk Junior asked in a confused tone. "The Heroic Ten made a well-known appearance at the Special Rainboom Connection Anniversary!" Lil'Cheese explained. "After they defeated Eclipse Instant and freed every creature from her spell," Sparity filled in. "But, didn't they only named themselves after their heroic deed that day?" asked Precious Treasure asked. "Don't worry, we already did lots of good deeds back there! All we need to complete our team beginnings is a grand appearance, before it's being like the Heroic Ten as they are currently!" Lil'Heroic declared. "But, being presented in front of all of Equestrian and Beyond?! Wouldn't that be...extreme?" asked Scerwball. "Don't worry, for creatures our age, we're not getting presented in front of the world! We'll just have ourselves presented in front of our whole school!" Lil'Cheese announced. "And are we going to graduate because of it?" Rainboom asked. "Most likely not! Are you crazy?!" Sweet Caramel Apple barked. "That does not matter, because, once Chancellor Neighsay... " Lil'Cheese began, before being cut off by Sonic. "You meant former Chancellor Neighsay," "Right." Lil'Cheese told Sonic, before telling every creature, "As I was saying, once former Chancellor Neighsay comes, we'll surprise him by showing how much we know about true friendship, like the Heroic Ten did!" "Are you sure that's all for a heroic deed?" asked Muffin, "I mean, the Heroic Ten saved all of Equestria and Beyond, and introduced the Elements of Purity in front of every creature. "Don't worry, I'm sure we can do something that affects every creature in our school, just like the Heroic Ten affected all of Equestrian and Beyond..." Lil'Cheese began, before being cut off by Rainboom. "Affected? Hello, they saved all of Equestria and Beyond! What's wrong with you?!" "Never mind, let's just do something good for the whole School that they will totally tell the former chancellor about!" Lil'Cheese exclaimed. "So, what will it be?" asked Precious Treasure. The scene changed to the next schoolday, inside the Schoolhouse, the Lil'Heroic Ten were having a talk with Miss Cheerilee. "What a wonderful idea, kids! Getting the whole school to. clean up the school before former Chancellor Neighsay arrives, he'll really pleased to see the students hardworking and thoughtful, and ice to him!" Cheerilee told the ten creatures. "And don't you worry, Miss Cheerieem because we know how we're going to get every creature to join in cleaning!" Lil'Cheese declared. Opening the classroom door, Lil'Cheese announced to the rest of his class, "guess what eery creature?! We're going to clean th whole School for former Chancellor Neighsay's visit!" "Isn't his visit not today?" a student asked. "His visit is tomorrow! And there's no time to clean the School then!" Sweet Caramel Apple pointed out. "Clean it yourself, if you want to! Spring Cleaning was three weeks ago." another student told the Lil'Heroic Ten, showing how unbothered she was too clean. "Are you sure you don't want to clean after seeing this?" Lil'Cheese asked with a smirk. "Come on, Sonic. Race you to getting the walls dusted!" Rainboom told her twin brother. "You're on, sister!" Sonic accepted the challenge, before they both picked up dusters and taking off. Precious Treasure turned to Sweet Caramel Apple, "Come on, Sweet, let's sweep the floors!" "You're on, Precious! I'l make way for you!" Sweet Caramel Apple replied, before telling the students, "Excuse us! We're sweeping this way!" "Muffin and Big Sugar, go on, the next part of the plan!" Lil'Cheese instructed. "Got it covered!" Big Sugar replied, before pulling a bucket of water as he followed Muffin, who was holding a mop in her hooves. They chased Sweet Caramel Apple and Precious Treasure, mopping behind the ponies in charge of sweeping. "Bulk, Sparity, you know what to do!" Lil'Cheese told the two creatures. "Of course, pour some soapy water," Bulk Junior began, before Sparity finished for him. "And wipe the tables after him!" Lil'Cheese then followed with an anti-bacteria spray in his hooves, sparing the classroom as he went. The other students were amazed with all the cleaning ten creatures could do all by themselves. Once they were finished, Lil'Cheese asked the other students, "So, what do you think about cleaning now?" "IWe were totally awesome cleaning the whole classroom in so little time! Unlike all of you!" Rainboom proudly told the kids. "What Rainboom meant was, you all can actually clean as good as we can, but you didn't give it a chance!" Sonic explained. "And for their hardworking and thoughtfulness, I decided to reward them with free goodies at the end of the week!" Cheerilee announced, making the other students jaw-drop. "Wait, Miss Cheerilee! We'll clean the whole school!" one of the students declared. "Oh, really? If you say so, you have to do it, today." the grown-up Earth Pony replied. "We will do it!" the students promised. The scene changed and the other students tried their best to make the whole Schoolhouse spotless, with the Lil'Heroic Ten watching from the classroom. "Every creature is really cleaning!" Sparity told her best friends. "Looks like our cleaning deeds really were a good encouragement!" Muffin pointed out. "But, what about all of our other deeds? The ones we did during the song that we sung while encouraging you all to take up the challenge and accept your roles? No creature seems to acknowledge them!" Lil'Cheese asked. "Well, most of them were done outside of the School, " Screwball pointed out. "So...I don't think that the School will hear of them!" Big Sugar added. "But, doing them is already good enough to satisfy me," Bulk Junior declared. "And, the whole School will be clean in a jiffy!" Precious Treasure commented. "All ready for the former chancellor's visit tomorrow!" Sweet Caramel Apple ended. Lil'Cheese's worried expressions changed as his eyes turned oval, while his ears picked up Miss Cheerilee's voice. "Nice work, every creature! I'm sure that former Chancellor Neighsay will be pleased to see the school all cleaned before his visit, especially when he hears that it was all of you who cleaned the place!" After Cheerilee walked away, Lil'Cheese told his best friends, "Did you hear that?! She said 'all of you', referring to the students, not us!" "Well, it does not really matter, we will most likely be praised like the other students..." Muffin stated, before being cut off by the team's leader. "Like the other students?! Hello! We're the one reason they have been encouraged to clean in thhe first place!" "I'm not so sure about that, Lil'Cheese. It seems like they were encouraged after Miss Cheerilee says that she will be rewarding us free goodies," Big Sugar pointed out. "And, isn't having done something good for real, all that matters to a hero?" Sonic asked. The other creatures nodded, but Lil'Cheese was desperate to find a way to get the attention the Heroic Ten did. He then overheard a conversation between the other students. "Come on, stop cleaning already! That spot's already clean!" one student told his friend. "What? But, it isn't shiny! I can't even see my reflection in it!" the female student the former was talking to responded. "It does not need to be! Plus, the only thing that can make floors shiny is floor wax! We totally don't have that!" the male student pointed out. "Hmm...floor wax..." Lil'Cheese said to himself, as an idea popped into his head. The scene changed to the inside of Sugarcube Corner, where the Lil'Heroic Ten were helping their leader's parents bake a lot of cookies for selling. "Thanks for the help, kids! And starting your own cookie-selling business will totally make us more free!" Pinkie Pie told the children. "That means you'll have more available time as you'll have lesser work," Sparity said in a plain tone. "Alright, now that we have the cookies, it's time for some decorating!" Lil'Cheese announced. The scene changed to showing a cookie up close, with Rainboom struggling to paint it with colourful icing. "I'm more into sports, to cookie icing decorating, or, whatever that has nothing to do with sports!" Rainboom complained. "Come on, sis! Just imagine it as a game of decorating cookies as fast and good as you can, and the winner is whoever that decorates them the best and fastest." Sonic suggested, encouraging his twin. Rainboom soon made whirlpool of rainbow colours on her one cookie, finished with sprinkles. "There! Finished in ten seconds, flat! I win!" "Actually, what I meant was, whoever can decorate the most cookies in the fastest rate, and decorate them well, wins." Sonic clarified, causing his sister to face-hoof herself. At teh same time, Lil'Cheese was performing clownish acts to attract creatures to the Lil'Heroic Ten's cookie sale. Big Sugar and Sweet Caramel Apple handled the customers, while the rest of their friends made the cookies. Soon, by sunset, the kids finished the few remaining cookies and looked at the money they earned from their sale. "Well, done every creature! We have plenty of bits! Totally enough for a container of floor wax to wax the school floors for the former chancellor's visit!" "Wait, we're waxing the floors?!" Rainboom asked in a shocked tone. "Does Miss Cheerilee know about it?" asked Screwball. "Most importantly, does she approve it?" Bulk Junior added. "It's going to be a surprise!" Lil'Cheese told his best friends, making their eyes widen in shock, as they shrieked, "WHAT?!" in union. "But you can't just go doing things without permission!" Sweet Caramel Apple pointed out. "Especially when you're a kid," Big Sugar added. "And not the creature in charge," Precious Treasure contributed. "Come on, I'm sure that they'll be pleased! I mean, all the floor wax does is make floors shiny, it's not harmful!" Lil'Cheese assured. The next day, an elderly unicorn knocked on the Schoolhouse door. Hearing the knock, Miss Cheerilee left the classroom to answer it, granting the Lil'Heroic Ten (who arrived to school before the other students) the opportunity to wax the floors behind their teacher's back. Rainboom, Sonic and Lil'Cheese waxed the hallway as fast as they could, using the floor wax that they had hid in their schoolbags. Outside the school, former Chancellor Neighsay waited before the door opened, with Cheerilee greeting, "Former Chancellor Neighsay! You're here! I told the kids that you would be coming! And they cleaned up the whole Schoolhouse just for the occasion!" The old unicorn chuckled, "Well, glad to know that they are such thoughtful, welcoming, friendly creatures..." The former chancellor slipped and slid on he slippery floor the moment he stepped on the area covered in floor wax, landing flat on his back, to Miss Cheerilee's shock. "Former Chancellor Neighsay!" she called, before she accidentally slipped on fell flat on him, crushing his body! "Some creature help!" the grown-up Earth pony shouted, after seeing the obviously not good condition the elderly was in. The Lil'Heroic Ten, hearing their teacher's cries, stepped out of the classroom, and quickly saw the commotion. "Miss Cheerilee!" the kids cried, before they ran to help her, only slip and wind up knocking all of them, and the old chancellor, out the building and down the stairs, worsening the conditions. Fortunately for every creature, Luster Dawn happened o be showing her best friends one of her latest spells in the Dining Room, while they were having breakfast with Luster's parents. "I figured that we really could use this spell, so I spent a while yesterday learning it, until I finally got it right!" Luster explained. "With it, I don't have to be the lookout in the sky so often," Falcon Dive commented, "Finally, more relaxing and free time!" "But, don't forget that you still have to do your job!" Sunshine Rays reminded. Luster's five-minute timer then went off, marking the passing of another five minutes. "Oh, Luster! Your clock is ringing!" Alkali pointed out. "Which means that it's time for another emergency scan?" Volcano added. "Right, hopefully, everything is going..." Luster began, lighting up her horn as she casted the spell, before sensing the commotion at the Schoolhouse. "Oh no, some creatures need our help!" After Luster teleported the whole Heroic Ten to the scene, Nature Bloom asked the hurt ponies and dragon, "Are you alright?! All of you?!" "Not really," Lil'Cheese gave out a nervous chuckle. Using her magic to levitate every creature in the pile-up to the ground, Luster soon found an injured former Chancellor Neighsay hidden at the bottom, to her shock, gasping, "Former Chancellor Neighsay?!" "What is he doing at the bottom of that pile?!" Yellow Bright asked in a shocked tone. "And that's not all, the school floors have been waxed!" Evergreen stated. "They are more than just waxed, they're like...over-waxed! There's too much wax!" Buffer told the others, after placing his front right hoof on the floor and retreating. "Why would the School be waxed in the first place?!" Krona asked. "I never told any creature to wax it!" Miss Cheerilee told the heroes. "She did not, but we did it," Sweet Caramel Apple told the truth. "We, ourselves, waxed the floors behind Miss Cheerilee's back." Big Sugar added, feeling guilty. "But, why would you do that?!" Nature Bloom asked. "It's all my idea," Lil'Cheese sadly admitted, "It all started when we saw you heroes saving Sweet Apple Acres from parasprites, and when Rainboom comments about if we could have a life like yours, I decided to form a team, just like yours! Having a total of ten members, each member representing an Element of Purity, doing good deeds, before doing a big, good one that will gain us the attention you had when you saved all of Equestria and Beyond from Eclipse Instant! We encouraged the other students to clean the School, but then decided to make it better by waxing the floors for former Chancellor Neighsay's visit, as a surprise!" "But you caused an accident instead!" Falcon Dive pointed out. "And if you are following the Elements of Purity, who is your Element of Morality, anyway?" Sunshine Rays asked. "I am?" Bulk Junior nervously showed himself. "How can he be moral, if he didn't point out your mistakes and wrongdoings, and horrible ideas?!" Sunshine asked. "That...is another mistake I made." Lil'Cheese scratched his head, before explaining, "You see, my best friends and I were short of two members, so we asked Muffin and Bulk to join us. Since all the other positions were taken, and gave Bulk the position of the Element of Morality..." "Seriously, going against logical sense?" Volcano asked. "That's so not what we heroes do!" Evergreen stated. "You can't just randomly appoint any creature unworthy of a position to have the position!" Alkali cried out. "I'm so sorry, every creature. I just finally realised how selfish I was, doing all of this just because I wanted to, and naming my own team, after myself..." Lil'Cheese sadly said. "Wait. A pony named Lil'Cheese, and a team named Lil'Cheese? Wouldn't that be confusing?!" Krona asked. "He named us the Lil'Heroic Ten?" Rainboom told the heroes. "Wait, he did?!" Buffer asked in shock. "That's not just named after him, it's also named after us!" Yellow Bright exclaimed. "I am really sorry, every creature." Lil'Cheese apologised once again. "Don't worry, Lil'Cheese, all is forgiven." an old voice said. Turning their heads to face the voice's owner, every creature gasped, "Former Chancellor Neighsay?!" "Thanks to my time reversal spell, I set him to the conditions he had before the accident!" Luster explained. "I know that every creature makes mistakes, and even though some of those mistakes can be big ones, they do not determine the said creatures' personalities. Of course, I can forgive you kids for what happened, but you must never make such mistake ever again, or some creature can really get hurt!" the old unicorn told the Lil'Heroic Ten. "Don't worry, we won't." Precious Treasure saluted. "And I still have to apologise to my own team, for getting them into this mess," Lil'Cheese told eery creature, before turning to his best friends, "I'm so sorry, every creature, especially for...somewhat manipulating all of you into following me. I get it if you want me to disband the team." "Actually, being in a team isn't bad!" Muffin assured. "But...I made all of you...involved in a wrongdoing!" Lil'Cheese cried out. "You're not the only creature to blame, we blindly followed you." Sonic pointed out. "But...it mostly won't happen again now that we realised that it was a mistake!" Screwball stated. "But what about the team? Do you still want to be part of it?" Lil'Cheese asked "As long as you don't do what is wrong, and...get the whole team into trouble!" Bulk Junior added. "I do feel good and fine whenever I'm with all of you," Screwball stated. "So, does that mean you feel bad and not fine whenever you're not with us?" Sparity asked Screwball, before the latter answered. "Obviously not!" "Being with friends on some action is totally awesome!" Rainboom commented. "And it's good to have some creatures to keep me company!" Sonic added. "I'm fine with my position," Precious Treasure said. "I'm grateful of mine, Element of Integrity, telling the truth," Sweet Caramel Apple contributed. "Since I became a bit better at listening over time, I accept my position, too." Big Sugar ended. "So you all...still want to keep your positions?" Lil'Cheese asked. The rest of the team members nodded, before Luster approached the colt. "Well, Lil'Cheese, now that almost everything's resolved, do you think you have learnt a friendship lesson?" "I have," Lil'Cheese replied, before the scene changed to show the Lil'Heroic Ten placing a mats all over the school floors, while Luster wrote a letter to Princess Twilight Sparkle. Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle, Today,the children of your friends have learnt some valuable lessons about friendship, alongside two of their friends. More precisely, Lil'Cheese was the creature who learnt the lessons. He would like you to know that he learnt that manipulating others is something heroes, and true friends will never do. He also learnt to care more about others, and not just about himself. While the rest of his friends most likely learnt that true friends don't blindly give in and follow their friends, true friends are friends who will try to ensure that their friends don't do anything wrong. A true friend supports you not by agreeing with everything you say, but helping you be a better creature. Signed, your faithful student, Luster Dawn 8. Something SurprisingAuthor's Note Something Surprising serves as the eighth episode of the series. Summary: Buffer's birthday is around the corner, and his best friends plan to throw him a surprise party the week before, but decided to ensure Krona does not meet Buffer at all for the time being, strongly believing that her integrity will ruin the surprise. Featured Song: Make a Wish Featured Characters: Terracotta, Yona and Sandbar's infant yak daughter who resembles her mother. Zenith, Yona and Sandbar's infant earth pony son with his paternal grandmother's coat, his father's mane and mother's eyes. Cushion, a pre-teen buffalo calf, and the younger sister of Buffer. Bulwark, a grown-up buffalo, the father of Buffer and Cushion. Mainstay, a grown-up buffalo, the mother of Buffer and Cushion. 8. Something Surprising Late one night, Falcon Dive raced Buffer through the Castle of Friendship's hallways, with the fast flyer coming in first place, as always. "And the winner is none other than Falcon Dive! Of course, that's me." the griffon said in a proud tone. "Falcon, it's really late, should we be sleeping by now?" Buffer asked. "Well, since it's near eleven, I suppose...that's enough. We should totally get some shut eye." Falcon Dive replied, after looking at a clock nearby. "Goodnight, anyways," Buffer yawned, before walking away. "Goodnight," Falcon replied, supporting his buffalo friend to the hallway that contained their bedrooms. However, instead of going directly to bed, Falcon Dive peaked his head out of his room to check if Buffer's bedroom door was closed, before flying off to the Castle Library, where the rest of their best friends were waiting. "There you are, Falcon Dive! So, is Buffer tired out?" Sunshine Rays asked. "Totally! He's mostly driven off to sleep!" Falcon Dive proudly declared. "But there are chances that he could wake up in the middle of the night, or can be sleepless right now. And if he needed to get a drink and leave his bedroom, he might discover that you are all having a meeting without him," Sunset Shimmer told the creatures, standing outside the Library doors. "Which is why we asked you to guard the Library entrance throughout our meeting, Miss Sunset Shimmer!" Yellow Bright reminded. "And as soon as we are done, you can return to your Crystal Mirror guarding job," Evergreen added. "Sure, I know that!" Sunset replied. "Alright, every creature." Luster began, "As you all know, Buffer's twentieth birthday is coming!" "And since twenty is two tens, and one decade is ten years, some creature that is twenty years old is actually also two decades old!" Volcano defined. "Right," Luster responded, before going back to her speech, "As I was saying, Buffer is going to turn two decades old, next Saturday!" "And because Buffer saved our friendship back there when we were in the catacombs underneath Canterlot, we decided to help him make his birthday party even more special!" Alkali cheered. "But how? Buffer probably already has celebrated his birthday over nineteen times! He knows what a birthday party celebrating his birthday is like!" Nature Bloom pointed out. "But not this one!" Luster declared, "Now, has any creature guessed why I told you all to come to this secret meeting without Buffer this morning when he went to the washroom, leaving us in the Dining Room?" Every creature thought for a while, before Krona asked, "Is it because Luster has something to tell every creature except Buffer?" "Half right," Luster answered. "Because you have a surprise for him?" Alkali asked. "Closer to the answer," Luster replied in a sing-song tone. "Isn't it obvious? With Buffer's birthday near, and a surprise for him, it's because she is planning..." Volcano began, before being cut off by Yellow Bright. "A surprise birthday party!" After the series' theme song intro played, Luster confirmed, "That's right, I have decided, that we should throw Buffer a surprise birthday party to celebrate him becoming two decades old, and thank him for saving our friendship." "Sorry to say this, Luster Dawn, but, I think Buffer already know that he's going to have a birthday party!" Falcon Dive pointed out. "Yeah, he already told our families to come next Saturday to celebrate," Sunshine Rays proved Falcon Dive's statement true. "Unless you erase his memory, he probably will not..." Yellow Bright began, before Krona cut him off. "Erasing memory is not nice!" "Don't worry, every creature, I already had this whole surprise party planned since the day Buffer sent those invitations!" Luster declared. In a flashback... "I knew that a surprise birthday party is not very unexpected, thanks to many stories about one. So I decided, that the only way a party like that will not be expected, is to throw it when the creature it is for will least expect it, which is a week before the day that a birthday party can be held. I made sure he does not expect it, by supporting his idea to invite all of our families over for his birthday party on the actual day, and delivering his invitations to them. But before I do so, my alarm clock went off, which was part of my plan to ensure I can get to my room with the invitations without any creature following, when I disappeared to the said location to stop the ringing, so I can alter the invitations to tell the guests to come the week before, in secret. And, to prevent Buffer from learning about it, I told the guests to send their replies to me and not to him, and I casted a spell on the mailbox so I can keep track of all the mail it gets, until all the replies came." Luster narrated her explanation as a montage showed what happened many days ago: During breakfast in the Dining Room, Buffer talked about having his birthday party, inviting the families of the Heroic Ten. Luster's parents, alongside the rest of the creatures agreed with him, and he was soon seen writing the invitation letters, before giving them to Luster to magically deliver the letters. Suddenly, an alarm clock ring could be heard, causing Luster to say, "That must be my alarm clock! But I didn't put any alarms other than the morning alarm...it could be broken!" Luster then teleported into her room with the invitations she was levitating with her magic. She turned off the alarm before changing the words on the invitations, telling the guests that Buffer's party was a surprise for him that she would be organising. She then sent the invitations away, before telling her friends that she fixed her alarm clock, and sent the invitations out. A few days later, Luster collected all the mail that were replies to the invitations, and told every creature that their families were able to attend the party, "Every creature! The replies to the invitations came! And most of our family members can make it! And, sorry about opening those letters without your permission, Buffer. I kind of forgot that I was not supposed to do that." "It's alright, Luster. At least you can tell us who's coming and who is not." Buffer assured. "You're right," Luster responded, before asking their best friends, "Now, who wants to hear the list of creatures who can make it to Buffer's birthday party?" "Maybe the list of creatures who can't make it is shorter!" Volcano suggested. "Alright, list of creatures who cannot make it, it is!" Luster replied. After the flashback ended, Luster's friends expressed shock to learn how good their intelligent leader was at coming up with successful plans. "Wow, that is...really unexpected." Alkali commented. "But isn't altering some creatures' letters, especially to the point that you made the receivers know that the letters aren't from the said creature, without the original sender's permission, something not right?" Sunshine Rays asked. "And, Luster was deceiving every creature! Especially Buffer!" Krona roared. "Now, now, every creature. Let's just accept the fact that nothing can be done to undo all of this," evergreen told the others. "But, Luster, if you had this all planned out since long ago, why didn't you tell us until the day before the night you told our families to come?" Nature Bloom asked. "I actually would tell you all my plan, but I was afraid that some creature will not be able to keep the secret from Buffer this long!" Luster answered. "Some creature?! Who? Me? Volcano? Nature? Sunshine? Falcon? Yellow Bright? Evergreen? Krona..." Alkali listed, before realising something, "I think I know who you're talking about." "Wait, Luster thinks Krona can't keep a secret from Buffer?!" Krona asked. "Well, now that we thought about it, you barely told a lie, Krona." Volcano pointed out. "Yeah, it's like forever since you last told a lie!" Falcon Dive supported Volcano's sentence. "Not to make any creature panic, but if you told Buffer the truth..." Evergreen began, before being cut off by Yellow Bright. "The surprise will be ruined!" "Especially after Luster worked so hard to make it happen!" Sunshine Rays added, before turning to Luster, "Still, I don't approve your methods to achieve it." "But...Krona can keep secrets a secret!" Krona insisted. "Without lying? That's...not very possible." Volcano stated. "Trust Krona, she really can tell the truth and keep a secret at the same time!" Krona pleaded. "I'm sorry Krona, but I've already planned that your role to help out with the surprise party is to stay in the Castle and mark the attendance of the guest. We'll handle the rest by getting the supply and ensuring that Buffer does not find out until sunset." "Cheer up, Krona! At least you don't have to avoid Buffer and feel bad!" Yellow Bright pointed out. "Unfortunately, I have planned for each of us to take turns being the distraction. And to ensure that Buffer will not be able to join us for breakfast next morning by having all of us to ensure he sleeps late tonight, while we use a special sleeplessness spell that Miss Sunset Shimmer showed me the other day! So we can all act normal around Buffer tomorrow, preventing him from suspecting anything!" Luster explained her plan. "That sounds like a well-planned plan!" Alkali commented. "Except for the part Krona can't see Buffer at all," Krona complained. "Only until the party!" Evergreen pointed out. ""Well, Alkali and I don't have to teach tomorrow since it's a weekend, so, we can help out!" Volcano insisted. "I may not be a fan of surprise parties fearing that some creatures can be sensitive, but knowing that Buffer isn't that kind of creature, I suppose I accept it," Nature Bloom added. "Me too, I would never want to let my best friends down!" Yellow Bright joined in. "Something like a surprise party organisation may not be any big adventure, but it can be one! I'm in for it, especially since it's the first time ever I get to do it!" Falcon Dive exclaimed. "I dislike the deceiving ways, but, for once, and just for once, I'm in." Sunshine Rays sighed, joining her hoof with her best friends' hooves and claws. "What about you, Krona?" Luster asked the only creature who was yet to join. "Fine. If Krona's friends insist." Krona responded, placing her hoof on every creatures' hooves and claws. "Operation surprise birthday party is in go!" the nine creatures declared in unison. "Now, knowing that Buffer is the listening expert who can identify if some creature is telling the truth or not by observing their expressions and tones, he will not be easily fooled." Luster warned, "So we must be extra careful while talking to him tomorrow..." The next day, Buffer yawned as he walked out of his room, Luster then appeared, greeting him, "Good morning, Buffer! Wow, you look really tired! What time did you sleep last night?" "Eleven plus, that's what. Don't blame Falcon Dive for racing me," Buffer replied. "Oh, Falcon kept you up late? Well, that's not very usual, but we know him, always wanting to get some exercise , probably just trying to help you get some too, so you can be healthy." Lustre responded. "What are you doing here? I thought you'd be in the Dining Room, with the rest of our best friends, as usual every breakfast and dinner?" Buffer asked. "Well, we were waiting for you, and since I can teleport, I came to get you," Luster answered, before using her magic to teleport them into the mentioned room. "Buffer, there you are!" Sunshine Rays greeted, the moment she saw the buffalo, after he was teleported into the room. "Sorry we ate our breakfast before you came. It's just that, oats are not good when soaked in milk for a long time," Nature Bloom apologised. "Long?! It isn't even an hour! It's just five to ten or fifteen minutes!" Falcon Dive commented in a protesting tone. "Anyway, here's your oats!" Yellow Bright told Buffer, giving the latter a bowl of the said food. "Thanks, Yellow Bright," Buffer responded, before noticing his best friends leaving the Dining Room, asking them, "Where are you all going?" "Well, we all got some things to do today," Volcano answered. "Totally! Today, I got to help Madam Fluttershy attract more animal care helpers to take care of big animals that cannot be kept as pets for most creatures! Next, I have to help Captain Rainbow Dash by encouraging her Wonderbolt Cadets, then I got to help Madam Rarity encourage more creatures to take Fashion as a job so all of Equestrian and Beyond can have enough dress shops and not...make fashion designers super stress with their demands when a time comes that they need formal outfits!" Alkali explained. "I got errands today, as well. You see, some creatures need to learn patience, and as the Element of Patience, I am the creature for the job!" Evergreen added. "We all got things to do, but mostly, at different times of the day!" Yellow Bright pointed out. "Well, if you all say so,I'll just go help Krona make some heavy deliveries..." Buffer stated, starting to walk out the door, before halting as Volcano told the former. "Actually, instead of delivering with Krona, we decided that you have to try to work without her," "Wait. What?" Buffer asked in a confused tone. "You see, most of us don't work side by side," Sunshine Rays explained. "Yeah, I totally work as a lookout all over Ponyville, and also, a protector and hero whenever disaster strikes. But when there's no disaster, as usual, I will be up in the skies without any of you accompanying," Falcon Dive gave an example. "I may have to read some books with Luster at times to find some good, moral lessons for my good story writing guide, but I still write the book alone." Sunshine Rays contributed. "I may rely on Alkali to ensure our students pay attention and learn from our lessons, but other than that, I work alone doing science, as my personal self-given job." Volcano ended. "We may like staying together as best friends, but sometimes, we can't be physically together," Evergreen stated the main point. "So, you must be ready for when the times come, that you can't be with your friends!" Yellow Bright dramatically added. "But don't worry, Krona may be busy with her deliveries, but you may run into us while doing yours," Nature Bloom assured. "Some of us, the chances of you running into me are not high," Falcon Dive pointed out, "I'll be high in the sky, looking out!" "Perhaps we have done enough talking, every crater? Because it's getting late!" Luster told her best friends, levitating a clock for them to see. "Sorry, Buffer! We got to go!" Alkali exclaimed, before rushing off. "Oh, and Buffer, don't worry about not doing delivery with Krona for the first time. It's just checking who the package is for, take it to their residence..." Luster explained, before Buffer told her, "I know that, Luster." Luster then teleported herself outside to have a last talk with the others, "Alright, remember, whenever Falcon Dive does the warning signal, it means that Buffer is getting close to something that can give him a hint to finding out our plan! And if Falcon Dive does another signal, it means that some creature is already handling it!" "Don't worry, I mesmerised those signals! Tilted eight and an upside down seven for warning and resolved respectively!" Falcon Dive assured. "And we all know what does signals look like," Sunshine Rays added. "Hopefully we will notice them," Nature Bloom contributed. "For the creatures who can notice it by being around, that is." Alkali chimed in. "What are you all chatting about?" Buffer's voice could be heard asking, startling his best friends. "Whoa, Buffer! You really startled us!" Luster grasped for air. "Sorry, my hoof steps are not so loud, should have known you couldn't hear them and will not hear me coming," Buffer apologised. "That's alright, all is forgiven." Evergreen responded. "And about your question earlier? We don't have time to answer right now," Yellow Bright lied. "But, I thought that you were all in a rush?" Buffer reminded. "Well, we were, but then one of us tripped on the other, and the rest of us gathered to check!" Falcon Dive cooked up a story. "Really?! Who's hurt? And, why did you kept on stopping for a while as you said that sentence? You usually would talk fast with no brakes when some accident or emergency happens," Buffer asked, before noticing every creature's anxious faces, asking, "And, why are you all showing those expressions?" Fortunately for the surprise party-planners, Luster hid behind Volcano and Alkali's large bodies so Buffer could not see her horn glowing as she was making a few illusions nearby, while levitating a small stone to hit him by the back, making him face the illusions of three colts. "We're so sorry, Mr. Buffer!" the Earth Pony colt apologised. "We were playing with stones and accidentally hit you!" the unicorn colt explained. "We never had the intentions of hitting you, and we will not play this around here, nor anywhere with creatures that can be hit by our stones, ever again!" the pegasus colt finished. "It's alright, young colts, I can identify that you didn't mean it," Buffer assured, having observed their expressions and tones. Luster levitated the stone that hit Buffer, at the same time she made the unicorn colt illusion's horn glow, so Buffer would think that the colt was levitating the stone, while telling the buffalo, "From now on, we're going to take these stones away from here. Starting now, goodbye and sorry about hating you! by accident!" "Don't worry, one apology is enough!" Buffer called, before turning to face his best friends, only to find that they had vanished, before facing back to the direction the colt illusions went, to find that the colts disappeared as well. Unknown to him, Luster casted an invisibility spell on he and her best friends, as they sneaked to Ponyville, hiding behind a house. "That sure was close," Yellow Bright heaved a sigh of relief. "Way too close, that is! I can't believe I messed up!" Falcon Dive complained. "I don't blame you, Falcon." Sunshine Rays assured. "But we have a problem, disappearing like that can make Buffer think about us all day!" Volcano pointed out. "Not if one of us convince him that everything is alright!" Luster declared. "Are you sure you can get Buffer to believe you?" Nature Bloom asked. "Well, I'm the obvious leader of our team! Why wouldn't he trust me?" Luster pointed out. "You do have a point," Evergreen commented. "Anyway, I got to get going, some creatures need my encouraging skills at work!" Alkali told the others, taking off. "And I got lookout watching!" Falcon Dive added, blasting off, before Luster teleported herself in front of Buffer. Buffer was walking towards town a moment before Luster suddenly appeared, startling him. "Sorry, Buffer. Did not mean to scare you by teleporting myself in front of you without warnings. And...I just came to tell you that every creature disappeared earlier behind your back is because they rushed off, and I had my own things to do. Which, I have to get back to right away, just dropped by for a second so you won't worry!" Luster told the buffalo, before disappearing. Luster then teleported herself to the Castle Library, where Krona and Sunset Shimmer were reading books, waiting for Luster to arrive. "I'm so sorry it took longer than planned! Things got really complicated, as Buffer figured that we were lying!" Luster apologised before panicking. "Luster, every creature could have just told Buffer the truth..." Krona began, before being cut off by the mentioned unicorn. "And ruin the surprise?! No way! Plus, now that he's probably doing deliveries and won't be thinking much about our behaviour this morning, he won't be any trouble for you Krona, as you mark the attendance of our guest inside the Castle when they arrive!" "But, Krona can keep secrets secrets! She knows how to avoid telling the secret while telling the truth!" Krona complained. "Sorry, it's just that...we won't believe it until we see it, and now is not a good time!" Luster replied, opening the Castle Library doors, before walking down the hallway to the Castle entrance. Meanwhile, at Sugarcube Corner, Yellow Bright paid a sack of bits to Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich, before the married party ponies gave him a huge box with a cake inside. "Alright, Yellow Bright! Here's the cake you just paid for! I think that you need a wagon to carry this oversized pastry to the Castle!" Pinkie told the yellow-coated Earth Pony. "Don't worry, Luster is on her way to teleport this cake, right around now." Yellow Bright stated, a second before what he said happened for real. Luster, having used her magic to teleport into the shop, approached her Best Friend, "I'm here! So, is the cake ready?" "It sure is!" Yellow Bright responded, before he and Luster heard Buffer's voice coming from outside. "Delivery for Madam Pinkie Pie and Mr. Cheese Sandwich!" "Uh oh!" Buffer's pony best friends gasped in unison, fearing that Buffer would discover them, and soon the surprise! "The extra Whisking Machines we ordered, Cheesy! They're finally here!" Pinkie squealed, opening the packages outside Sugarcube Corner after rushing outside to receive them. "Um...Madam Pinkie Pie? Did you see Yellow Bright in Sugarcube Corner? I thought I heard him saying 'it sure is', but am not sure who he was talking to." Buffer asked. "He's talking to us! Asking if something he bought from us is ready or not, and when we told him that it is, he repeated what we said, 'it sure is'!" Pinkie Pie cooked up a false explanation to protect the Heroic Ten's surprise. "Are you sure? You sounded little uncomfortable and nervous back there," Buffer asked. Nearby, Falcon Dive, who had been spying on Buffer, realised that the mentioned buffalo was close to discovering the surprise. Knowing that he needed to shake Buffer off, he quickly turned to passerby Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. "I totally remembered it wrongly! I do tend to forget my own birthday, after all!" Pinkie Pie tried to prevent buffer's suspicions from growing. "Oh, really? I doubt that something like what happened a few minutes ago can be forgotten that fast!" Buffer protested, before hearing Diamond Tiara call out to him. "There you are, Mr. Buffer! What explains the deliveries today being very slow?!" "Yeah, Diamond Tiara and I have actually ordered some packages, that we are yet to get!" Silver Spoon added. Seeing that the two mares were going to keep Buffer busy and distracted, Falcon Dive did the upside down seven flight pattern after whispering to himself, "That will keep him busy!" Meanwhile, inside the Castle of Friendship, Luster heaved a sigh of relief, as she told Krona, "Good thing Yellow Bright told Madam Pinkie Pie and Mr. Cheese Sandwich to keep the cake and surprise party a secret, otherwise it'd be ruined back there!" "Krona already tried to tell you, tell Buffer the truth!" Krona repeated what she tried to say. "What?! No way! Plus, Buffer can already be getting suspicious, we better get everything ready and keep him away from the Castle until the party!" Luster declared. The scene change back to showing Buffer's conversation with the two mares. "I may be delivering without Krona beside me for the first time, but I'm still delivering at my usual constant pace!" Buffer explained. "Oh, really? If you are delivering at your constant pace, why are you still talking right now?" Diamond Tiara asked. "Wait. Why am I still talking right now?!" Buffer asked in a panicked tone. "And not to mention, that we didn't see Miss Krona around, so you better double your speed and pick up the pace!" Silver Spoon added. "Wait, you didn't see Krona around?" Buffer asked. "What are you still standing here for?!" Diamond Tiara roared, "Just get delivering!" After Buffer rushed off, Falcon Dive approached the mares, "Thanks for helping me throw Buffer off his conversation with Sugarcube Corner's workers. But, unfortunately, you did not do a totally good job, saying that Krona was not seen around!" "What are you talking about? We only said that we did not see her around!" Silver Spoon pointed out. "But that can make Buffer suspicious! He's the Element of Listening for creature sake!" Falcon Dive argued. "And?" Diamond Tiara asked. "Don't you get it?! He'll think about what he heard you say! He'll brainstorm why you said that, and soon form a chain of thought, that can make him realise that Krona is not doing delivery today!" Falcon Dive responded in a gradually getting louder tone, that multiple creatures nearby could hear. "Wait. What?!" Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon asked in unison, making Falcon Dive gulp and nervous chuckle, before the screen faded black. After the screen regained its colours, Silver Spoon angrily approached Falcon Dive, causing him to back off a bit. "Falcon Dive, you told us to ask Buffer why deliveries aren't delivered at the rate they used to be!" Silver Spoon angrily reminded the griffon. "And that's really not because of Buffer, but because of Krona?!" Diamond Tiara roared. "Well, it's a really long story that I cannot tell right now, unfortunately..." Falcon Dive nervously chuckled. "You'll pay for this, Falcon Dive!" Diamond Tiara scolded. The sound of bits could be heard hitting the ground, causing the two mares to look down at the bits the griffon just dropped, telling them, "Here you go, the bits to pay! Now I got to go. Hopefully paying you will set things right between us!" After finishing his sentence, Falcon Dive took off at a high speed, asking himself, "Why did I said all that?! I really am an out-of-control web-of-lies maker! Making just that! Plus, failed to keep an eye on Buffer for the whole day until the party! I got to quickly find him and hopefully signal if he gets close to finding a clue that can expose the surprise!" At Ponyville Bookstore, Sunshine Rays was purchasing sa few books and banner that was meant to be for Buffer's surprise birthday party. She walked out of the building, where she coincidently bumped into Buffer. "Sunshine! What are you doing here? And is that a...banner?" Quickly picking up the books and banner she dropped when she collided with her Best Friend, Sunshine Rays replied, "A banner? Your eyes could be playing tricks on you. It's just a blank long sheet of paper." "Really? I never remembered any paper like that being sold here, especially when I do deliveries and delivered the things here with Krona," Buffer stated. Realising that Sunshine Rays could use help, Falcon Dive quickly did the tilted eight signal, which Luster Dawn saw while buying apples at Sweet Apple Aces from Applejack and the farmer's husband Caramel. "Oh great. What now?" she groaned, teleporting herself to the location. "Buffer, shouldn't you get back to your deliveries? They aren't going to deliver themselves, you know!" Sunshien Rays pointed out. "Oh, right. Sorry, I just kept on getting distracted today," Buffer replied, before pulling his cart of deliveries off. Luste then appeared in front of Sunshine Rays, telling the pegasus, "I came here as fast as I could! Is everything al..." "Don't worry, it's alright." Sunshine Rays assured. "Actually, everything is not alright," Falcon Dive admitted, "Buffer can actually find out that Krona isn't doing deliveries today and..." "Brainstorm about it? Think about why we were not telling him the truth?!" Luster finished for the griffon, causing the latter to nervous laugh. "Alright, now we really got to be careful, we can't tell lies to Buffer, or he'll think that we're up to something!" Sunshine Rays declared. "Volcano and Yellow Bright are handling the food, Nature Bloom and her animals are doing the decorating, all is left is the guests, shouldn't be that much trouble." Luster figured. "Don't forget that Alkali will be getting some costumes from Madam Rarity for the party!" Sunshine Rays reminded. "And, trying to decrease Buffer's suspicions!" Falcon Dive added, "I mean, we were not good at keeping secrets from him! He can tell that we're lying!" "And since he never saw Krona back there, he has every reason to think that there is something weird and unusual going on," Luster ended. In the Castle Kitchen, Volcano used his fire breath to instantly warm up the food that Yellow Bright made. After finishing with the heating, Volcano called to Krona, "Krona! Food is ready! You can pick it up to the hallway where the party will be!" "Of course Krona knows that, Volcano." Krona replied plainly, entering the room and pulling the food wagon out. "You're not upset about not getting to see Buffer this morning, are you?" Yellow Bright asked. "Krona never got to show that she can keep secrets! Even from a Best Friend like Buffer!" Krona sadly cried out. "Sorry Krona, it's not that we don't believe you, it's just that, we don't want to take risks." Volcano explained. "Risks? As if Buffer's surprise birthday party is everything that matters!" Krona huffed. "It's what matters to them now, but it won't when the party really starts!" Yellow Bright trie to cheer his best friendnd up by his usual method of mentioning a positive outcome, but it did not work on Krona. "Don't need to try cheering Krona up, Yellow Bright. She can handle it." the yak sadly said, pulling the wagon of food to the hallway. Meanwhile, in Ponyville Post Office, Buffer eventually discovered his best friends' earlier lies. "Alright, every creature! I'm finished with the earlier batch of deliveries, and now I'm ready for more!" the buffalo greeted his fellow workmates. "There you are, Buffer! Chop chop, we don't have time!" Featherweight, one of the workers, told Buffer, giving the latter a load of packages, "You and the other package delivery creatures will unfortunately have more packages to deliver today." "Really? Why? Is it because there are more packages than usual?" Buffer asked. Featherweight shook his head, "No, it isn't. It's because your Best Friend, Krona did not come at all! Your best friends told us that Krona will be busy today with something else." "Wait. What?! But they told me that Krona started delivering packages before I do!" Buffer said his thoughts out loud, before gasping, "They lied to me!" Outside the Post Office, Falcon Dive whimpered to see and overhear the whole thing. He quickly made a crash noise outside the Post Office for Buffer to hear and get distracted by, and dashed off to warn the others about Buffer's recent discovery. At the Castle of Friendship entrance, Krona welcomed her distant relative Yona, and the latter's family. "Yona! Distant relative, Krona glad to see you again! And Sandbar, and your babies, Terracotta and Zenith." "Great to see you too, Krona!" Yona happily greeted back, "Great to see you as always, distant relative!" "Are we early? If we are, we are willing to help," Sandbar asked. "Sure! Of course Yona and Sandbar can help! With the food...or games..." Krona suggested, a second before Falcon Dive crashed in. "Sorry every creature, but it's an emergency! Is Luster around here?" the griffon asked. "If it's an emergency, why didn't Falcon do the signal?" asked Krona. "Because I really forgot and messed up?" Falcon Dive nervously chuckled. "Messed what up?" Yona asked. "Well, did Luster ever told you that Buffer's surprise party today is a surprise?!" Falcon Dive asked. "Oh, right!" Sandbar replied. "That doesn't matter now! Protect the surprise!" Krona reminded the griffon, alarming him to do the tilted eight signal, only this time, it was a lot bigger than the previous ones, meaning that it was a big emergency. Seeing the signal, most of the creatures rushed to the Castle of Friendship, while Evergreen, who was at the Train Station when Buffer's family arrived, expressed anxiousness. "Is everything alright, Evergreen?" Buffer's younger sister, Cushion asked. "Well, I just decided that you should...take a quick tour around Ponyville before going to the Castle of Friendship!" the Kirin replied. "Thanks for the suggestion Evergreen, we can use a walk after sitting in the train," Buffer's father, Bulwark replied. "And we can't wait for the party!" Buffer's mother Mainstay added. "Can you please don't mention anything about the party?" Evergreen asked. "Oh, right. It is a surprise for my big brother!" Cushion exclaimed. "And surprises are ruined when found out before it can even happen!" Evergreen pointed out. The scene then changed to the show what was happening in front of the Castle of Friendship, with the creatures gathering. "Did Buffer came here?" Luster asked before gasping, "Did he find out about the surprise?!" "Nope, he is not here,..."Falcon Dive answered. "But if he isn't here, why did you do the signal here?" Volcano asked. "Wasn't the plan as clear as day?" Yellow Bright added. "You only do the signals in the areas Buffer is when he's close to finding a clue?" Sunshine Rays reminded. "Sorry about all that..." Falcon Dive scratched his head with his right claw, before telling his best friends, "But that's not the problem. The real problem is, Buffer found out that we were lying to him in the morning! He knows that Krona did not do deliveries at all today!" The creatures gasped with Nature Bloom saying, "There's no doubt that he will find out about the other lies," "And then the surprise party!" Luster ended. "Worst of all, the guests don't have Falcon Dive to guide them away from Buffer!" Volcano pointed out. "Well, Krona's distant relatives are guests, and they won't be in trouble; they're inside the Castle right now!" Krona told her best friends, joining their conversation. "Krona! Shouldn't you be inside making sure that our guests stay out of Buffer's sight?" Yellow Bright asked. "And marking their attendance?" Nature Bloom added. "Sorry, it's just that Krona think that she can help best friends protect..." Krona began, before being cut off by Sunshine Rays. "The secret? We already talked about it a hundred times!" "Your integrity can ruin it!" Luster added, before they heard Buffer's voice could be heard asking them, "Ruin what?" The creatures turned to see their buffalo Best Friend, right behind their group conversation. "Buffer! What are you doing here? Got any deliveries for us?" Luster asked. "No, no deliveries for you." Buffer replied, before being cut off by Yellow Bright. "Wait. Is that a no we don't have deliveries, or a no no deliveries, so that means we do have deliveries?" "That's a little confusing," Nature Bloom commented the question. "You do not have any deliveries," Buffer answered the question, before confronting his best friends, "But I do have something to deliver to you: Some questions! Why did you lie to me about Krona doing deliveries before I do, when she really was not?!" "Well...we thought she was?" Falcon Dive lied. "You sound very nervous, are you hiding something from me?" Buffer asked. "Hiding something? What are you talking about?" Sunshine Rays asked, pretending to not know what the buffalo was talking about. "Sunshine, you seem to be lying to me again, just like you did at the Book Store," Buffer responded. "It's outside the Book Store, and you should get back to your delivering deliveries job, especially since you got that wagon of packages!" Sunshine Rays corrected and suggested. "Sorry, Sunshine, but I'm not letting that distract me again. You all are hiding something from me," Buffer confronted. "What makes you think that?" Volcano asked. "Well, you all had breakfast without me this morning, something you would barely do." Buffer began. "We're so sorry about that!" Nature Bloom apologised. "You all had a conversation without me and Krona, and then all disappeared behind my back?" Buffer reminded. "Well, we were in a rush!" Falcon Dive answered with a lie. "And I already told you that everything's fine! We were busy!" Luster added. "But what about Madam Pinkie Pie and Mr. Cheese Sandwich? They seemed to be hiding something from me, when I asked them about Yellow Bright at Sugarcube Corner." Buffer questioned. "It was a question that they don't want to answer?" Yellow Bright answered in a gradually becoming high-pitch tone. "And why would they not want to answer that?" Buffer asked. "Because they don't want to?" Yellow Bright gave a silly answer, but it did not stop Buffer from interrogating the team. "Yellow Bright, you barely answer questions like that! What is going on with every creature?!" Buffer continued asking. The nervous creatures gulped, before Krona stepped up, "Alright, if Buffer wants a good answer, Krona is going to give him one." "What?! Krona, NO!" Luster blocked. "Krona has had enough of this, best friends!" Krona announced, making them gasp, before she began,"The only reason the Heroic Ten have been hiding things from Buffer all day is because they're hiding a certain truth that they don't want Buffer to know!" Nature Bloom fainted while the rest of the creatures were overwhelmed by Krona's betrayal, as the screen turned black. "The truth is..." Krona and Buffer's best friends expressed extreme anxiousness as Krona was close to saying what she was going to say, "Better off being told later than now. Truths are best when told at the right time!" The creatures gasped to see that Krona not only told the truth, but kept their secret from Buffer. "But, what about you and the deliveries? And everything else?" Buffer asked. "Those are better when explained later!" Krona declared, "Right now, Krona got to do something that she will tell Best Friend later." "Alright," Buffer responded, "Good to know that you are going to tell me the truth after all!" "And this time, Krona's helping Buffer with deliveries! Delivering together! Like always," Krona declared, lifting some of the packages on her back. After Buffer and Krona were out of sight, the creatures were still shocked to see what went down. "Wow, Krona was right all along. She can keep secrets while telling the truth!" Luster said her thoughts out loud. "She was really good at it! I mean, she protected the secret better than we can!" Falcon Dive commented. "But we doubted her and never gave her a chance," Sunshien Rays sadly added, causing the others to express guilt as they agreed. "We have to make it up to her!" Nature Bloom figured. "And I think I know just what can do it!" Luster declared. That evening, Krona and Buffer finally returned to their residence after their long day. "Thanks for helping me with the deliveries again, Krona. And assuring me that the truth that our best friends are hiding from me isn't nasty." Buffer thanked his delivery parter. "That's alright, Buffer! They know that there's a right time for everything, like Evergreen always say! So they kept the truth a secret from you until the time is right!" Krona responded. "So, when is the time right?" Buffer asked. "Be patient and wait, Buffer! Like what Evergreen always say!" Krona answered, before opening the Castle of Friendship's doors, revealing a well-fitted hallway with decorations, a feast and a lot of creatures who exclaimed, "Surprise! Happy birthday Buffer!" "What?" Buffer asked, jaw-dropping. "Happy birthday, big brother!" Cushion hugged her older brother, as their friends and family gathered around them. "I don't get it: I sent invitations for them to come to my birthday party next week!" Buffer said his thoughts out loud. "Actually, Buffer. I planned a surprise party for you the whole time, hoping that it can make your twentieth birthday special," Luster admitted. "Especially after how you saved our friendship back there in the catacombs underneath Canterlot!" Evergreen added. "And you will never believe how she did it," Sunshine Rays contributed. "You see, I completely changed the invitation letters and sent them so every creature will come for your surprise party and not your originally planned party. And made sure you don't get your replies by telling the guests to send me the replies, and I lied to you the day I announced who can't make it. Last night, I got our best friends keeping you up late while I casted a sleeplessness spell on myself and the others, so we can go through a plan to prepare your surprise birthday party today. I really am sorry for deceiving you." Luster explained, hanging her head low. "Don't worry, Luster. Apology accepted, and I can't believe that you all managed to prevent me from suspecting this!" Buffer exclaimed. "It is actually all thanks to the surprisingly good secret-keeper that the surprise is saved!" Alkali told the buffalo. "And that is none other then..." Volcano began, before saying in unison with the rest of his best friends, minus Buffer and a certain yak. "Krona!" Buffer turned to see the mentioned yak, to his surprise, she had changed into a shimmering, sparkly formal dress. "Krona?" Buffer asked. "Krona may be tough and full of integrity, but she is surprisingly full of surprises!" Krona proudly declared. "And Krona, we ae still really sorry about not giving you a chance to talk to Buffer today, " Luster apologised. "We all are sorry," Nature Bloom added. "It's alright, best friends. Krona loves telling the truth, but she would not tell every creature all the truths she know! She will never tell the public all the identity stuff the security guards will ask for!" Krona responded. "You do have a good point," Yellow Bright commented. "Can't believe we never thought of it!" Falcon Dive scratched his head. "That's alright, because we have learnt our lesson,"Evergreen pointed out. "And we will report it to Princess Twilight Sparkle, right away!" Luster announced, levitating a quip and a scroll. Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle, Today, most of my best friends and I learnt a valuable thing or two about friendship. Just because a friend is some creature who barely lies does not mean that they are not good at keeping secrets! They can have the ability in them, that can only show if you gave them the chance! Krona really proved that there is a way to keep surprises a secret without lying: telling the creature that the surprise is for that the truth is better told later, as there is a right time for everything. The most surprising thing we have learnt is indeed Krona's unique, unexpected ability to tell the truth but not a secret that is aimed to be kept unknown to others. From this experience, we learnt that those who are honest and full of integrity, really are trustworthy. Signed, your faithful student, Luster Dawn. After finishing the letter and using her magic to send it away, Luster and her bets friends joined the festivities, as Pinkie Pie performed an extended and a bit altered version of the song, 'Make a Wish' for the birthday party's owner. "Get your hooves and claws up, party's starting out right now Every creature, every creature get down Time to make a wish, better make it right now It's been a year and today is your birthday party Make a wish, it's your birthday Make a wish, it's your birthday party Make a wish, it's your birthday Make a wish, it's your birthday party Aw oh Aw aw aw oh oh Aw aw oh Aw uh uh aw oh Aw oh Aw oh aw aw oh Started out great and it just got better Every day you learned a little bit more Time to celebrate, now we're all together And in a year, we can see what you wished for Close your eyes and concentrate My little pony friends, uh uh aw oh Think all the wishes you can make Why should it ever have to end? Make a wish, it's your birthday Make a wish, it's your birthday party Make a wish, it's your birthday Make a wish, it's your birthday party Aw oh Aw aw aw oh oh Aw aw oh Let's celebrate your birthday Aw oh Aw oh aw aw oh Let's celebrate your birthday party! YAY!!!" After the song, every creature ate a slice of the cake, with some of them wearing costumes, while Buffer commented,"This is my best birthday party ever! Even though it's not on the day I wanted it to be on," The Heroic Ten shared a laugh before Luster joked, "Well, at least I did not plan for it to be a month before the day!" Another eruption of laughter was formed, before Falcon Dive said, "I'm glad that this party is still a great party! Everything is going so well here, is all that matters now!" "But it was still a good surprise, isn't it?" Nature Bloom asked. "It is. But the real best thing about it is none other than being organised and created by my best friends," Buffer told his best friends in a warm tone, causing them to group hug. "Aw..." 9. Independent MoralityAuthor's Note Independent Morality serves as the ninth episode of the series. Summary: Sunshine Rays, strongly believing that morality is independent of the other Elements of Purity in ensuring some creature does what is right, confronts all the smokers in town, ignoring her best friends' words. Acknowledgements: Some information from PressBooks 8.2 Environmental Pollution-Introduction to Human Geography is used in this chapter. Information from Smoking - Wikipedia Information from Effects of smoking on the body | Smokefree - NHS Information from Reasons People Smoke | Smokefree Veterans Information from Do You Know... Tobacco - CAMH Featured Song: A Morality Story Featured Characters: Kestrel, a preteen griffon, Falcon Dive's younger sister Clear Sky, a preteen pegasus, Sunshine Rays' younger brother Scenery, a grown-up changeling, Nature Bloom and her siblings' mother. Landscape, a grown-up changeling, Nature Bloom and her siblings' father. Terrain, a preteen changeling, Nature Bloom and Terrain's father. Floweret, Flowering and Florescence, three five-year old changelings. They are Nature Bloom and Terrain's younger sisters, as well as Scenery and Landscape's triplet daughters. 9. Independent Morality In the Changeling Kingdom, Nature Bloom was showing a few of her best friends around, as they brought their younger siblings over for the children's playdate. "I'm glad that you all got to see my former homeland once again," Nature Bloom told her best friends, "It may not be my home anymore, but it still is amazing as it is, and having a special place in my heart!" "Oh, Nature Bloom, always saying the sweetest things about everything and every creature!" Sunshine Rays commented in a plain tone. "This place is really full of interesting action, ever since King Thorax and Prince Pharynx allowed changelings to use shapeshifting powers for plays and acts!" Falcon Dive's younger sister Kestrel declared. "And we'll watch one later, because right now, we're visiting your friend!" Sunshine Rays told the pre-teen griffon. Nature Bloom knocked on her parents' door, which was soon opened, revealing her parents themselves. "Nature Bloom! My dear, daughter and heroine of mine, welcome home!" Scenery, Nature Bloom's mother greeted. "Um, Mum. I may be a famous heroine since the Special Rainboom Connection Anniversary, but I'm still a family member here, like before." Nature Bloom reminded. "Sorry, Nature. We just...can't help but feel like calling you a heroine, I mean, you don't live with us and barely see us, your visits are as rare as royalty visits," Landscape, Nature Bloom's father explained. "Nature Bloom! Big sister, you're back!" Terrain, Nature Bloom's younger brother greeted, rushing to his older sister to give her a hug. "I missed you too, little brother Terrain." Nature Bloom embraced the hug. "Terrain!" Clear Sky greeted. "Hi Clear Sky and Kestrel, and your big siblings, Sunshine Rays and Falcon Die, the famous heroes who saved us all from Eclipse Instant." Terrain greeted. "Good to know that you know about our heroic actions, even though you did not get to see them back there," Falcon Dive proudly responded. "And, you don't really need to mention about what happened with Eclipse, that whole thing is over weeks ago. "And we can use some relaxing time to talk about our lives and learn from one another," Nature Bloom stated. "Well not us! That's way too grown up for me!" Kestrel commented. "Yeah, we're playing some heroic adventure!" Clear Sky added. "Have fun with that!" Sunshine Rays told the kids, before sitting down for tea with her best friends and Nature Bloom's parents. "Hi, Floweret, Flowering and Florescence! It's been long since you last saw me!" Nature Bloom greeted her toddler younger sisters, who ran up to her and her best friends. "So, Nature? How is life in the Castle?" Scenery asked. "It's alright, with my best friends by my side," Nature Bloom replied. "Great to know that you're fine without us, Nature, but we are really hoping that you can..." Landscape began, before being interrupted by Sunshine Rays' screams. "Is that...a box of cigarettes?!" the pegasus asked the kids, pointing at the item in between their hooves and claws. "No it isn't?" Clear Sky lied, hiding the object. "Clear Sky, as your big sister, I need to know if you're doing something good or not!Especially when I'm the Element of Morality!" Sunshine Rays marched up to the colt, trying to snatch the box. The three kids kept the box away from the white coated pegasus by passing it to each other constantly, for a few seconds before Falcon Dive swooped in and ruined their fun. "Oh, Falcon!" Kestrel complained. "Sorry little sister and creatures, but we older siblings need to look out for you," Falcon Dive told the kids, giving the box to Sunshine Rays. "As if! Can't you just give us some privacy and what we wanted? You are the Element of Selflessness, after all!" Terrain pointed out. "Sorry, but the only wishes of others I am alright with are the ones that are good!" Falcon Dive responded. "Spoken like your girlfriend!" Kestrel sarcastically commented. "She's not my girlfriend!" Falcon Dive said in unison with Sunshine Rays who said, "I'm not his girlfriend!" "They're just best friends with each other, and the rest of the Heroic Ten members," Nature Bloom clarified. "And I should have known that this is what I thought it was: A box of cigarettes!" Sunshine Rays angrily announced, holding the box up. After the series' theme song intro played, Sunshine Rays asked every creature, "How can this place have a box of cigarettes?! There's a preteen and a triplet of kindergarten kids living here! It's bad for them!" "Actually, Sunshine, those cigarettes belonged to a friend of mine, who sadly passed away before the day you and your friends graduated from the School of Friendship. No creature uses them, I just keep them to remember him." Landscape explained. "And risk influencing your kids to have cigarettes and smoke?! Especially when you could have a picture of your friend to remember him instead?!" Sunshine Rays roared. Realising that their Best Friend was about to unleash her anger, Falcon Dive and Nature Bloom took immediate reaction and rushed to stop the pegasus' rage from rising up her temper meter. "Hey!" Sunshine Rays shrieked, the second Falcon Dive placed his claw on her shoulder and pushed her away from her position, apologising, "Sorry about that, every creature! But Sunshine really needs to cool down." "And I'm really sorry about her temper, Dad." Nature Bloom apologised. "It's alright, I see that your Best Friend has a good point. Having cigarettes really do have consequences," Landscape explained, "I suggest that I get rid of them so the kids will not suffer from any bad influences because of them." After Landscape walked away with the box of cigarettes (that Sunshine Rays dropped earlier when Falcon Dive pushed her) the white-coated pegasus was pulled up by her griffon best friend who apologised to her about the push. "Sorry, Sunshine. About that push earlier, I just thought that you needed to be away from Mr.Landscape so you can cool down. I mean, you were getting really out-of-control!" "Sorry, Falcon Dive. It's just...you know that I really don't like anything that can be a bad influence," Sunshine Rays replied in a gradually getting angry tone. "I totally know. I mean, as your best friend, I know what you dislike the most." Falcon Dive said. "Number One: Anything and everything that makes creatures immoral! Number Two: Those who teach others the wrong things, changing the facts and rules! Number Three: Those who protest against the real rights! and facts!" Sunshine Rays listed as her temper grew, and the background transformed from black to the colour of the burning sun and flames behind the pegasus. "Don't worry, my Dad probably got rid of those cigarettes! You don't have to worry about them anymore!" Nature Bloom assured. "But that's only for this place," Sunshine Rays pointed out, as the screen zoomed out to reveal the whole living room and dining room of Nature Bloom's family's residence, "There are probably other creatures out there smoking away, and being a bad influence that encourages others to do the same!" "And as heroes, we care about them!" Falcon Dive declared in a heroic tone. "In other words, we are going to stop smokers one and for all!" Sunshine Rays declared, causing every creature who heard her to gasp. "But, that will mean I will never get to know what smoking is like!" Terrain complained. "Smoking is bad for you!" Sunshine Rays scolded, causing the preteen changeling to back down and whimper, as well as making the toddler triplets cry. Seeing the children crying, Nature Bloom helped her mother carry the little changelings somewhere away from Sunshine Rays. "Smoking is bad for every creature! Those who smoke, those around them, and every creature who knows that they smoke!" Sunshine Rays dramatically continued announcing what she knew. Later that evening, the Heroic Ten gathered at the Dining Table for dinner with Luster's parents as usual, before Sunshine Rays, Falcon Dive and Nature Bloom entered the room. "Hi, Sunshine, Falcon and Nature! So, how was the Changeling Kingdom? And your younger siblings' playdate?" Luster greeted before asking. "Not as great as we hoped it will be." Falcon Dive answered. "We were supposed to have a relaxing time while having tea inside my parents' house, but then Sunshine, after discovering that there were cigarettes in the house..." Nature Bloom began, before Volcano cut her off. "Let me guess. Started going mad and insane, started another one of her explanations why something is bad, most likely saying that it is a bad influence, and scaring some creature." "Totally!" Falcon Dive responded, "And made Nature's triplet sisters cry." "How come you know all that?" Nature Bloom asked. "Not so long ago, I decided to recruit Sunshine as my back-up teaching assistant in case Alkali is busy, since Sunshine seems to be the most available creature among the rest of you, having a job as a writer and weather helper. But, she unfortunately was way too scary that Principal Calligraphy did not allow her to be a teaching assistant..." In a flashback, Volcano and Sunshine Rays were in Principal Calligraphy's office, with Volcano explaining, "Alkali has been getting more and more encouraging requests lately, and since I can't be too dependent on her, I figured to recruit Sunshine Rays as back-up teaching assistant." "I understand, Volcano. But first, I need to see how Sunshine teaches, before making the decision." the principal responded. "Alright, starting with Physics, Sunshine?" Volcano asked. "Don't worry, Volcano, I'm sure that my way is not boring," Sunshine replied. A few minutes later, Sunshine Rays was writing equations on the board while using loud, scary tones like she would when she was her alter-ego Moonshade Fright as she told her audience, "Anything travelling at great speeds can have large impacts on something! And in case the formula Resultant Force equals Mass times Acceleration does not work (because of the velocity being constant, making the acceleration zero,), you got back-up formulas! Kinetic energy is calculated as half times mass times velocity squared! Using this formula, you can find force by taking the energy divide distance travelled, as it is work done over distance travelled in the direction of the force! And since energy can be increased when something falls or goes at a great speed, killer litter is super serious!" Volcano gulped as he knew that one of Sunshine Rays' loud, scary booming explanations was on its way as the latter explained,"Even a very light paper clip can bring a harmful impact if it falls and lands on some creature! It can fall at the speed of ten metre per second from a height that is ten metres or less! Because the free fall on Earth acceleration, 10 metre over second square, is opposed by a negligible air resistance, since the paper clip is not like a feather or a piece of paper, its acceleration will be close to ten metre per second square, in other words, getting faster in the rate of being ten metre per second faster than its speed the previous second!" "A paperclip has a mass of one gram, which is one over one thousand kilogram. One over one thousand is also ten to the power of negative three, and taking this number to multiply the acceleration, ten metre per second, will give you one over one hundred Newtons, ten to the power of negative two. So we have one over one hundred Newtons as the resultant force, unless there is an opposing force to subtract. But just because the force is small, doesn't mean the everything will be fine!" Sunshine Rays' voice boomed, making Volcano say, "Uh-oh," very softly for himself to hear. "Instead of force, pressure, defined as the force acting per unit area, is there to bring the impact! If the area of contact is its smallest side, estimated as one mm times half cm, which is ten to the power of negative three times ten to the power of negative two, metres square, which is ten to the power of negative five, metres square... it shows how small the area is! And worst of all, pressure is inversely proportional to area! I no other words, the greater the area, the lesser the pressure, but the smaller the area, the greater the pressure!" After another burst of her loud booming voice, Sunshine Rays finished her calculations, "One over one hundred Newtons, which is ten to the power of negative two Newtons, divided by ten to the power of negative five metre square, will give you ten to the power of three, which is one thousand Newton per metre square! Very impactful for something so small! And if one little paper clip can already insert a lot of pressure, something heavier than it will cause even more pressure exerted, because pressure is directly proportional to force! Increasing when the force increases! So don't throw anything out the window, nor drop anything from a great height, unless you want to risk being a murderer!Being RESPONSIBLE for some creature's DEATH by throwing something down that hits them with a large amount of pressure to impact them!" The scene then changed to show Sunshine Rays showing how she would teach Direct and Inverse proportions. "If two things are inversely proportional, that means when one increases, the other decreases. Pressure, as force over area, is inversely proportional to area. So when area increases, pressure decreases. When area decreases, pressure increases. One common example that comes up in Math Tests is Real-Life Scenario asking how many workers are needed to do something in an amount of time. Only one variable should remain the same, while the others to change." Volcano said to himself, "Well, so far so good." "Like when five workers can complete two houses in three days, we can find how long it takes for them to complete one house, by having the number of workers remain the same, but changing the number of houses from two to one. And since the number is halved, the number of days need to be halved, since it is directly proportional. Three divided by two is one and a half. One and a half days is acceptable, but there is something that is really unacceptable here!" "Uh-oh..." Volcano muttered, knowing what was coming. "Other than the number of houses or things workers can work on, something that can never be a fraction nor decimal is the number of workers!" Volcano whispered to himself, "Should have known," "The question asks how many workers are needed to complete three houses in one day, assuming that they work at the same rate. Since one house can be completed by five workers in one and a half day, we can change the number of houses into three, multiplying one by three, and multiplying the number of days by three, making it four and a half days! Since the number of workers and number of days are inversely proportional, when the number of days decreases, the number of workers increases. So, when the number of days is divided by four and a half to become one, the number of workers will multiply four and a half. Five times four and a half is twenty-two and a half, but this answer is UNACCEPTABLE!" After Sunshine Rays' voice boomed, Volcano could only whimper, "Oh dear..." "You cannot put any non-integers, non-whole numbers, as the number of workers! Because you cannot have a fraction of a worker! You cannot split them into halves nor any other fractions to work! Have logical sense! Splitting a worker, a living thing, into fractions, will KILL them!" After another loud roar that sent sound waves blowing at Volcano and Principal Calligraphy's faces, Sunshine Rays added one more detail in her regular tone, in a rather quick talking rate, "So round up to the integer that is bigger, twenty-three in this case." The scene then changed to show what happened when Sunshine Rays explained Environmental Pollution for Geography. "Pollution of the environment occurs when we contaminate the air, water, or land. One of the biggest problems with pollution is that those who pollute, the criminals, are usually not the ones affected by it; instead, innocent animals and plants and other organisms ARE! Seriously, making them suffer from our wrongdoings?! Sulfur dioxide is a primary pollutant, but when it reacts with precipitation is becomes a secondary pollutant called acid rain..." Before Sunshine Rays could continue, the principal stood up, "Sunshine Rays, I'm sorry, but I can't have some creature who teaches in the way you do in the School. You may repel the students and affect the school's income! I'm sorry, you are just too scary." "Fine! I still got my other jobs anyways..." the pegasus responded, walking away. After the flashbacks ended, Alkali commented, "Well, I know that it wasn't good, but it is actually not so bad, plus, my little brother Acid wasn't there, nor here, to hear about acids polluting the environment. I mean, he loves acids, he will never want to hear acids being harm!" "Back to the main point,Principal Calligraphy did have a point: You are scary. Too scary, Sunshine. No offence, really." Evergreen pointed out. "And if you want creatures to listen to you, you got to be...less scary so they will...or might not want to do what you tell them to do." Buffer added. "What?! But, I've seen before that when teachers or parents aren't fierce, kids will not obey them and do the opposite of their orders!" Sunshine Rays protested, "The same goes to adults when they refuse to listen to some creature who opposes their ways, so I made my alter-ego to increase my chances of scaring them into stopping their wrongdoings." "But still, are you sure you need to be scary? I mean, you haven't tried being nice to them to get them to stop their wrongdoing!" Nature Bloom pointed out. "Sometimes Nature Bloom, being nice isn't the answer!" Sunshine Rays flew towards the changeling, slamming her four hooves down on the floor in front of Nature Bloom. "Sunshine! Enough is enough! White pegasus just made Nature scared!" Krona confronted. "Not just scared, but hurt!" Alkali stated. "Nature didn't even do anything wrong, why would you be so mean and scare her?" Luster asked. "Sorry every creature, but if you must know, my mood is not good right now," Sunshine Rays answered. "Looks like some creature needs a bit of patience lessons," Evergreen announced, referring to Sunshine Rays. "I'm just wanting every creature to not do what is wrong!" Sunshine Rays barked at the Kirin, "Nothing wrong with that, that is what moral creatures are like! Wanting every creature to be good and do what is right!" "Doesn't the way they do it counts, too?" Buffer asked. "It sure does, I mean, if you want to do something good, the way you do it must be good, too! And not like Discord, wanting to do something good which is boost Princess Twilight's confidence before her coronation, but did it by creating disaster which is a bad way to do so!" Sunshine Rays gave an example. "So, do you think that being mean in order to get them to do the right thing is not a good way?" asked Yellow Bright. "I already said that I figured that many would take advantage of niceness and therefore, being not nice to them is the perfect way to show that this is serious!" Sunshine Rays replied, shocking the others. "Oh dear..." Nature Bloom muttered. The outside of the Castle of Friendship is ten shown, as the moon crossed the horizon, making way for the Sun. The scene then changed to show every creature in the Dining Room, eating breakfast like they would every morning. "Guess what, every creature," Sunshine Rays told her best friends, "I have prepared a speech and performance for all the smokers of Ponyville to see and change their minds after seeing it!" "Wait. What?!" Krona asked. "Yes I decided to have the Mayor of Ponyville to gather all the smokers at the Town Hall, for a gathering, so I can confront them all at once!" Sunshine Rays explained. "But are you going to be nice to them?" Nature Bloom asked. "Absolutely not! They can use a scare!" Sunshine Rays answered, causing her best friends to gasp. "What?! But what if they think you're a monster?!" Volcano asked. "Volcano does have a point, Sunshine. After all, you did scare Nature Bloom the last time you were Moonshade Fright for all of us to see." Buffer contributed. "And, you really gave her a scare!" Alkali commented. "Even though she was not supporting the thing you're against, and was not opposing you?" Yellow Bright finished. "Back to the main point, you use scaring and being mean too many times, and never tried being nice. And you have a tendency to go insane around knowing immorality's presence. You probably should learn patience and niceness before you do a speech," Evergreen suggested. "Plus, they may be encouraged to listen to you if you're nice and lovable!" Nature Bloom contributed. "And, include some diligence. Working very hardly and carefully on it is a good way to show that you do take it seriously, much better than scaring obviously. If you want to do a speech, I know some very effective tactics to write one! I am an all-subjects teacher after all!" Volcano proudly declared. "No thanks, every creature. But I got everything covered with my Element of Purity." Sunshine Rays told her best friends, "As long as I'm moral, concerned with the distinction between right and wrong or good and bad behaviour, I'll be fine!" "But...you usually work with all of us! As in, morality work with the other good values?" Volcano reminded. "Yes, you kept reminding me, that I can be nice, but not too nice to the point that I can't get creatures to do what they should do," Nature Bloom pointed out, "That's morality and niceness combined." "And I was reminded that one can be patient and accept, but not just accept anything and everything! There's a line between the acceptable and unacceptable! Thanks to you, I never accepted any truly unacceptable things! It's morality and patience combined!" Evergreen gave an example. "And if it weren't for morality, I might have blindly listened to creatures that should not be listened to, like villains! If I ever listened to them, I could have done something immoral and harmful to every creature! Therefore, I'm only a good listener when I have listening and morality combined." "Diligence may seem to be a sole worker, but it still needs combining. I mean, being diligent is good, but not when you're doing evil work like building something to use for bad purposes, so being diligent is only good when you're doing work for something good! It's morality combined with diligence!" Volcano resumed. "And I may be good at encouraging, but I won't be if I did something bad as in, encourage others using a bad method or, encourage them to do things that are wrong..." Alkali began, "But the Mian point is, I have been using morality combined with encouraging the whole time!" "Positivity needs morality, too. I mean, if it weren't for morality to set a border, some creature can be too positive and think that it's alright to do something bad or wrong when it really isn't!" Yellow Bright added. "Integrity needs morality, too! So creatures like Krona won't tell the truths that are supposed to be kept as secrets!" Krona added. "Good to know that you all acknowledge morality, so every creature will know that it is super important, as other good values rely on it to ensure their possesses don't do anything wrong or ridiculous!" Sunshine Rays declared, walking off, before Falcon Dive flew in front of her. "But, doesn't morality need the other good values?" "Yeah, we did say that it was combined with another good value throughout that discussion!" Yellow Bright pointed out. "More likely, combined with another Element of Purity?" Evergreen asked. "And if all the Elements of Purity combined with it to ensure that they do real good..." Volcano began, persuading Sunshine Rays to finish his sentence for him. "It means that morality is what they all need!" Sunshine Rays answered, causing the others to express shock. "No, Sunshine. It means that morality combined with the other Elements of Purity to ensure they do real good!" Buffer explained. "In other words, you'll only be real good if you combine morality with another Element of Purity, so you will really not do anything wrong!" Nature Bloom clarified. "Are you sure? I mean, morality is basically know what is right, do what is right, why would it be the one needing the others?" Sunshine Rays asked. "What?!" Luster shrieked, "Don't you get it, Sunshine? Morality is not..." "Independent?" Sunshine Rays finished the question for the unicorn, "I don't think that it's what you think. Many failed at morality by doing something wrong, and I'm going to show them the real morality." "By scaring them? As if!" Falcon Dive sarcastically huffed. Sunshine Rays was about to respond, but was interfered by a burst of magic aura, as Luster's biological mother Starlight Glimmer appeared. "Luster! Why are you still here?! School has started already! And why are all of your best friends still here?! It's getting late! Don't they have their jobs and work to do?!" Starlight asked. "Our jobs!" Buffer gasped. "Got to go!" Falcon Dive said, before dashing off. "Come on, Alkali!" Volcano instructed. "Right behind you, Volcano!" Alkali replied, flying after the dragon. After every creature left, Sunshine Rays, all alone, said to herself, "Great! Finally I can go back to rehearsing without any creature's disturbance..." The scene then changed to show Luster tidying up the School of Friendship's Library, a second before her five-minute timer blinked. "Good thing I made it both an alarm and a blinker, and can turn both, either or neither of them off whenever I needed to!" the unicorn said to herself, using her magic to stop the blinking, as she casted a spell to scan the area for trouble, before picking up something. "Uh-oh! Sunshine!" was all Luster said before using her magic to teleport herself out of the School. In Ponyville, Sunshine Rays was chased by a mob of angry creatures, and did everything she could to escape, making sharp right-angled turns, flying up and down buildings and bridges, ll the way until she. was blocked by creatures capable of flight, forcing her to dive down towards he ground, where she got trapped in an alley, with three walls surrounding her, the only opening blocked by the mob of creatures, and the opening above occupied by the fliers. "Got you now, Sunshine..." one of the creatures smirked evilly, a second before Falcon Dive's voice could be heard asking, "Oh really?!" The next thing every creature knew was Falcon Dive swooping in at a great speed, causing the mob to scatter, in order to avoid the griffon. In one second, Falcon Dive sped into the alley and grabbed Sunshine Rays, and flew out, before taking off into the sky. "Falcon Dive! I'm so glad to see you!" Sunshine Rays exclaimed in a grateful tone. "No time to thank me, we need to get you some where safe!" Falcon Dive declared, taking his pegasus best friend to their residence, the Castle of Friendship. Placing Sunshine in her room, Falcon Dive told her, "Stay here until some creature tells you that it's safe! And that some creature has to be, one of your best friends!" "Of course I know that, Falcon. Anyway, thanks for the rescue!" Sunshine Rays thanked. "No need to thank me, I'm just being selfless! Caring about others more than I will care about myself, saving them when they need it, but it's not just selflessness in this case: It's morality and selflessness! I mean, I helped, and the kind of help was the right, or more likely, the good kind of help, saving some creature from an angry mob." Falcon Dive explained. "So...you do have morality!" Sunshine Rays commented in a grateful tone. "Combined with selflessness! That's what gets the job done, even though I sometimes forget about the whole morality thing when I'm too focused on...being selfless and helping some creature..." Falcon Dive nervously chuckled, making his pegasus Best Friend express a bit of guilt. "Actually, you're not the only creature who forgets about the other good values while focusing on your own, Falcon." Sunshine Rays began,"I...I forgot about other good values, too! I was so focused on morality and wanting every creature to do what is right and good for every creature, I really forgot to be nice and patient and...probably forgot to possess the other Elements of Purity values, obviously." "As some creature selfless, I would never like others suffering like I do," Falcon Dive declared, approaching the white-coated pegasus. "Yes, Falcon Dive, I know that. But right now, I got some creatures I owe an apology to," Sunshine Rays said, looking at the ground. Suddenly, Luster and the rest of the Heroic Ten appeared, in the room, surprising the pegasus and the griffon. "There you are, Sunshine! Thank goodness you're safe!" Luster exclaimed, after her horn stopped glowing as she was not using magic. "Luster said that mob of angry creatures wanted to catch Sunshine!" Krona explained. "And I believe I know the reason why:" Volcano declared, before elaborating, "Sunshine confronted all the smokers with her scary performance and speech, acted cruel and disrespectful, and therefore the crowd did not like it, and is angry at her," "How did you know all that?" Alkali asked. "Intelligence," Volcano answered. "Back to the main point, Sunshine, we have to do something about this situation!" Evergreen pointed out. "As soon as possible, because you might never be able to go outside ever again if the crowd stays mad at you," Buffer added. "Maybe you should write a sincere and nice apology letter to them?" Nature Bloom suggested. "Speaking of apology, I am so sorry, every creature." Sunshine Rays told her best friends, while her ears folded down, "I did not listen to you, I acted mean and scary towards you all, and you did not do anything wrong to begin with!" "Don't worry, Sunshine, we all forgive you," Falcon Dive assured, placing his claw on her shoulder. "Krona does not mean to interrupt a moment like this, but she does not think that the crowd will do the same, that easily." Krona announced in third-creature. "Krona does have a point!" Volcano contributed. "But, the crowd probably won't be mad forever, I mean, no creature's emotions stay the same for that long!" Yellow Bright tried to cheer every creature up. "But don't forget, Sunshine needs to fix some...damage that her actions caused," Evergreen reminded. "And make amends to the whole crowd I just enraged," Sunshine Rays sadly stated. "Oh dear, you look very unwell, you're not feeling that bad, are you?" Nature Bloom asked in a concerned tone. "Sunshine Rays replied, "I feel awful...not for just what I did to every creature. I feel like...I ruined all chances of getting every creature to choose my hero, morality, over...immorality." "What makes you say that?" Luster asked. "It's a long story...and explanation," Sunshine Rays cried out, before singing about her backstory. "Morality is everything to me, the saviour, the hero, who saved me from villainy. Before it came, to purify, there was only, dying desires, brattiness, and a heart of ice. I wailed and demanded, for everything I wanted. Lied to cover up what should be told, until I was a fourteen-years-old. While doing a comprehension, focusing on a text to answer the questions, zooming in to absorb the story, about a heroic activist, and her quote about morality. 'Being moral is its own reward, spares you from consequences of doing what's wrong. The ability to obey the rules, will protect the world for as long as all get along...' The ending saying that glory was restored, because of the presence of goodness in all. The story got through to me, I figured, that I can't let morality fall." During an instrumental verse, Falcon Dive commented, "I never knew that you used to be...the opposite of moral...I mean, you were always so concerned about if we were doing what was right or not since we first met you!" Sunshine Rays stopped singing and replied, "No creature is born with the knowledge of what the real rights and wrongs are, morality is something they have to learn themselves, and choose to have it or not." "If you're so devoted to it ever since, does that mean it feels really good having it?" Evergreen asked. "More than that, I never got into so much trouble anymore, I knew it was right. Not much punishments, not much scoldings, ever since I changed to become moral," Sunshine Rays explained, "And even though it took away my fun, it became my new interest." "Glad to know that you benefitted from learning it, but...it unfortunately...doesn't have a very good...reputation, because of some creatures who think that it is all scolding and scaring and saying what they like is bad!" Alkali tried her best to not use nasty words. "All because of me," Sunshine Rays sadly cried, "Thinking that as long as morality is my only focus, I will be fine, but it wasn't!" "Morality is helpful and strong and good, but it is even better when the other Elements of Purity work together with it!" Luster pointed out. "Or any other good value," Yellow Bright added. "It's just like the Elements in the Periodic Table, which we learnt from Chemistry!" Volcano commented. "Most of the elements cannot stand alone, they need to combine with other elements to obtain a complete valence shell so they can be stable and unreactive like the noble gases!" Alkali explained. "Through losing or gaining electrons to form ions and ionic compounds, or sharing electrons to form covalent compounds. For more information, for covalent compounds, there are no ions, as no atom of an element loses electrons, they share the electrons, and the ones that share both get more electrons to complete their valence shells. And the shared electrons are drawn inside the overlapping shells..." Volcano began explaining some unneeded information at the moment before Evergreen cut him off. "Sorry Volcano, but I don't need think we need that information." "Whatever," Volcano responded. "By the way, Volcano and Alkali are right about the Elements of Purity needing each other like the Elements in the Periodic Table, I mean, they are best when one combine with another!" Buffer pointed out. "Kind of like us," Nature Bloom commented. "Nature's right. We're BEST when we work together!" Krona declared. "Better than when we work alone," Falcon Dive contributed. "And all we said about good values combined before, don't they all make sense now, Sunshine?" Luster asked, turning to her pegasus Best Friend. "Yes, they do. And I'm so sorry for thinking that my Element of Purity is independent of all of yours in ensuring some creature is good and does not do anything wrong! I was wrong: Morality do need the other good values as much as they needed it to make sure those who possess them is good, and does the right thing!" Sunshine Rays replied. "Glad to know that you're finally with us, Sunshine." Yellow Bright smiled. "Then what are we waiting for, every creature? Let's fix the damage and get those creatures to see the real morality!" Alkali cheered. "And the other Elements of Purity, and the other good values." Sunshine Rays warmly added, before resuming her song. "Now I know the truth that I used to not know, is morality does not stand alone. Combined with others that are on its side, other good values, and its synonyms, will help creatures by being their guides. Working with others, will improve and benefit them all, stronger and better together, it can be assured that Elements of Purity will not fall." After the song ended as the music started to fade, Sunshine Rays told her best friends, "The other good values will not fall neither, and nor would those who possess them." "Good to know that," Nature Bloom stated. "But we still haven't come up with a plan to solve the problems!" Falcon Dive reminded. "I actually came up with one," Luster told every creature. "And since listening is one of the Elements of Purity, I am willing to listen to you, Luster," Sunshine Rays politely told her unicorn Best Friend. "Wow, Sunshine, you really got a hang of this whole different good values thing!" Krona commented. "A variety of good values is more likely the better way to address it," Volcano pointed out. "Alright, now listen closely and carefully..." Luster told her best friends, as they huddled close. Outside the Castle of Friendship, the mob of creatures banged on the door, figuring that Sunshine Rays was hiding in the said building. All of a sudden, Lster teleported herself and Falcon Dive, and Yellow Bright outside. "Excuse me every creature, is there something we can help you with?" Luster asked. "There is something, alright!" a grumpy Earth Pony cursed at the unicorn. "Care to tell us where that rude Sunshine is?!" a grown-up pegasus asked in a furious tone. "Sorry, I usually like helping other creatures, but unfortunately, a case like this one is not one of those cases," Falcon Dive announced. "He's probably just trying to cover for his girlfriend!" an abyssinian shouted. Falcon Dive blushed slightly for a second before confronting every creature, "I do not have a girlfriend! Only best friends and friends and family!" "And Sunshine Rays may be scary and impolite, but she's really just trying to help you by ensuring you do what is right and good for every creature!" Yellow Bright pointed out. "And she will make it up to you," Luster added, but the mob doubted the heroes. "Oh, really?!" the Earth Pony asked. "then why don't you tell us what she's going to do?!" the pegasus asked in a demanding tone. "Or what she's doing right now?!" the abyssinian finished, before the mob crowded around the three creatures. Inside the Castle, Sunshine Rays had finished her script and gave it to Volcano and Nature Bloom, who examined it. "Well done. The Introduction explaining the topic is just right. The following two paragraphs clearly explains your view with Point, Elaboration, Example and Link. The second-final paragraph being the Counter-Argument to show your understandng of the opposing side, and the Rebuttal to move the focus back to your view. Followed by a good summary." Volcano commented. "And no nasty words, nor tone. I'm sure it's better than your ...old presentations." Nature Bloom added. "Great! Thanks for your help!" Sunshine Rays thanked, before taking the script and flying outside Outside the Castle, Luster Dawn, Falcon Dive and Yellow Bright snuggled with the mob, before their Best Friend arrived and caught ever creature's attention. "Every creature in this crowd, I am so sorry about earlier, my purpose is not to criticise you, it is trying to help you see that what you are doing has to be stopped, as it is for every creature's good, including you!" Sunshine Rays announced, "And yes, my behaviour did not seem to show I waned what's really best for you as a friend, so now, I am going to reason with you, in a much better way, with a much better speech." "Smoking is the practice of burning tobacco and ingesting the smoke that is produced. The smoke may be inhaled, as is done with cigarettes, or simply released from the mouth, as is generally done with pipes and cigars. Some grown-ups smoke for stress relief, pleasure, or in social situations. But smokers often become addicted to smoking, and worse, suffer health conditions because of it, and even worse, become a bad influence, motivating others to smoke before they pass on. Smoking is known to be bad for health, and should be stopped! Smoking can be fatally harmful to the smokers, as it destroys the tiny air sacs, or alveoli, in the lungs that allow oxygen exchange. When one smokes, they are damaging some of those alveoli. Alveoli don't grow back, so when one destroys them, they have permanently destroyed part of their lungs. When enough alveoli are destroyed, the disease emphysema develops. In other words, smoking is self-harm, and it cannot be undone. Another reason why smoking is something bad and that must be seriously taken care of and stopped is because many had died from it! Smoking can cause fatal diseases such as pneumonia, emphysema and lung cancer. It also causes 84% of deaths from lung cancer and 83% of deaths from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease! These numbers are already more than four out of five, and we can lose more creatures than we gain if the situation continues. This proves that smoking is indeed something harmful to every creature, to both smokers and non-smokers, as every creature is affected by the population whether it grows or shrinks. Smokers, despite knowing the harm smoking causes, still chose to smoke, mostly because of addiction or the feeling they feel when they smoke. Some people feel that smoking helps them to be alert and to concentrate, and also that it helps them to feel relaxed. Research has shown that smoking raises levels of dopamine, a chemical in the brain, increasing feelings of pleasure and reinforcing the desire to continue to smoke. Although having pleasant emotions are better than having negative ones, smoking is not a good method to feel those emotions, as it endangers lives, plus, there are many other ways to feel pleasant emotions that will not harm one's health! Smoking is burning tobacco and ingesting the smoke that is produced Smokers may find smoking relaxing and stress-relieving, but it harms them by destroying the alveoli, which helps them to breathe. Many deaths were caused by smoking, and the population will decrease if it continues, affecting every creature! Although smoking brings pleasant emotions, other, better methods to feel those emotions do exist. Smoking is more harmful than useful, and should be stopped." After explaining, Sunshine Rays told the audience, "I hope you can all understand." The Earth Pony from earlier stepped up, "Sunshine Rays, I accept your apology, and, have to apologise for how I acted towards you," "We're sorry, too." the others said in unison. "Don't worry, apology accepted, plus, how about I show you some better ways to satisfy yourselves, with the aid of my best friends?" Sunshine Rays offered, causing the crowd to cheer that they accepted the offer. "That was quite a speech, explanation, and offer!" a familiar voice commented. "Princess Twilight Sparkle!" the creatures greeted, before bowing before her. "Luster Dawn, my faithful student, I was told that there has been some...chaos and angry creatures storming around Ponyville. I was looking all over the town for them, but found your friend giving a speech out in the open instead." Twilight told the unicorn, before asking, "What is going on here?" "Well, it's a really long story..." Luster chuckled. "I can explain, your Majesty." Sunshine Rays told the alicorn, "Today, I learnt that morality is not independent of other good values, it is just as dependent on them, as they are dependent on it, in making sure that some creature does not do something wrong or bad! Ever since I was interested in morality, I always have it as my number one favourite value, and wanted to others to be moral, too. But I was so focused on wanting them to be moral, I forgot to be nice and patient and did not listen to my best friends! I was not really good without the presence of other good values, making myself look bad as some creature who scolds and scares and criticise others for their wrongdoings! My best friends still agreed to help me show others that being moral is still the good thing it is, after how I acted. My best friends also helped me realise that the Elements of Purity are like we ourselves are, helping every creature benefit when we work together as friends! And I cannot disagree with the Magic of Friendship being the most powerful magic of them all! For every creature, and everything." "Well done, Sunshine Rays, I can assure you that in my presence, Luster and all of your best friends do not need to write a letter to me, but I figure that you all would still like to write such a valuable lesson down." Princess Twilight Sparkle responded. "She does have a point," Yellow Bright commented. "We will never want to forget a lesson like that!" Evergreen added. "We can write it in a notebook," Alkali suggested. "Or, we can start our own friendship journal!" Luster announced, approaching every creature with a book in her magic aura, "There's plenty of pages for every creature! And yes, it is inspired by the friendship journal you and the Council of Friendship wrote years ago, inspired by Princess Celestia and Princess Luna's diary!" Princess Twilight Sparkle replied, "Thank you for the acknowledgement, Luster, and I will be delighted if you ever published your journal one day, if what happened to me and my friends don't happen to you. " the Alicorn made the Heroic Ten express a bit of shock and fear for a second, before she turned to Sunshine Rays, "Anyway, Sunshine Rays, you really stood up to every creature, and it is indeed an inspiring act. Thanks to you, I have decided be a real good friend to every creature, ensuring that they get the real best thing for them, starting by checking on what should be removed for theirs and others' good." "That is good to know, your Majesty." Sunshine Rays bowed. "Now, if every creature excuse me, I must return to Canterlot to resume my royal duties," Princess Twilight Sparkle told every creature, "You all may resume your activities, as well." In a burst of magic sparkles, Princess Twilight Sparkle teleported herself out of Ponyvillle, disappearing in front of every creature's eyes. "Now, who's ready to try out some other fun, great, episodes activities to satisfy yourselves?" Falcon Dive asked the crowd of creatures, causing them to cheer. The scene then changed to show what was happening at the lake near Ponyville; creatures racing with Falcon Dive, swimming with Alkali or chatting with their friends, as the Heroic Ten taught them to get over smoking. Luster and Nature Bloom decorated the cover of their team's new journal, and showed it to Sunshine Rays, who approached them with picnic snack. "Hey, Sunshine, what do you think of our new journal cover?" Luster asked, levitating the book for the pegasus to see. "Acceptable, and I can't wait for it to be filled with our friendship lessons and more!" Sunshine Rays responded, "But that doesn't mean we need to rush." "That's the Sunshine Rays we all love to have around," Nature Bloom commented, causing a shared laugh between the three girls. 11. Apple HouseAuthor's Note Apple House serves as the eleventh episode of the series. The episode and its title are inspired by the animated TV Show, The Loud House. Summary: The Heroic Ten visit the Apple Bloom and her husband, Tender Taps' family and housemates, who reside in Caramel's former residence, to help the large family become better creatures in order to start a space-saving campaign. Featured Characters: Juicy Apple, a teenaged earth pony, Apple Bloom's paternal relative, Apple Orchard and Haystack's only daughter. Apple Orchard, Juicy Apple's mother and Apple Bloom's paternal relative, who is in her fifties. Haystack, Juicy Apple's father, the husband of Apple Orchard, and Apple Bloom's paternal relative-by-marriage. Despite not being born a member of the Apple Family, he speaks like a farmer. Boiled Pear, an elderly Earth Pony. Despite being called 'Grandpa Boiled Pear', he is not the grandfather of any creature, since he is never married. Due to being a member of the Pear Family, he is Apple Bloom's maternal relative. Pear Sweet, Apple Bloom's eight-years-old maternal relative. Like Luster Dawn, she and her younger sister, Pear Treat were not raised by her parents, but raised by their relatives far away from their parents. Pear Treat, Apple Bloom's six-year-old maternal relative, Pear Sweet's younger sister. Tender Apple, Apple Bloom and Tender Taps' first born foal. Similar to her maternal cousin, Big Sugar, she is named after her parents. She is slightly older than her twin brother. Bright Butter, Apple Bloom and Tender Taps' second-born foal, named after Apple Bloom's parents, Bright Mac and Pear Butter, so that the family can always remember the late ponies. Dacite, a male adult Diamond Dog. He was involved in the speed dating event in 'Development of Relationships' with Rosa, despite not having any lines in the said chapter/episode. He is named after a type of rock called dacite. Rosa, a female adult abyssinian. She is named after the scientific name of roses, rosa. 11. Apple House In the Castle Throne Room, books and long scripts of paper were scattered all over the place, with Equestria's newest heroes looking through them. "Not long after the first speed dating event, we can't doubt that new couples and families will be formed in a not-so distant future," Sunshine Rays reminded every creature. "And more families mean more buildings and residences are needed!" Falcon Dive pointed out. "Every reason we are checking on the population and land of Equestria and Beyond to see if we really have enough or not," Volcano added. "I just hope we have more than we need!" Nature Bloom whimpered. "But not too much! Too much is not good!" Evergreen stated, "No matter what it is." "Good news every creature, I figured out that more apartments are being build in the big cities like Manehattan and Las Pegasus, and they probably will be enough to hold one hundred families!" Luster announced. "One hundred?! That isn't even one tenth of all the families in Equestria and Beyond!" Alkali shrieked. "Glad to see some creature really knowing her Geography and Social Studies," Volcano commented, earning a glare from every creature, making him gulp, "But still...problems are problems, and solving them is necessary." "Housing and population problems are serious! We need to do everything in our power to prevent them from happening! Especially before they can even happen!" Luster declared. "But how are ten creatures going to fix a problem like that?" Krona asked. "We can just tell Princess Twilight that Equestria and Beyond need more residences and apartments!" Yellow Bright suggested. "But wouldn't that cost materials and land?" Buffer asked. "And destroy natural habitats?" Nature Bloom added. "Now that you mentioned the, idea thrown out the window," Yellow Bight plainly said. "Or maybe we should invite our families to live in the castle with us? So they can sell their former residents to some creatures?" Falcon Dive suggested. "But their jobs are in their hometowns! It is really inconvenient for them to go there from here, and come here from there!" Buffer pointed out. "Or maybe we should open the Castle of Friendship to creatures? As in, make it like a building to house many, like an apartment block in Manhattan?" Evergreen suggested. "But it doesn't have enough bathrooms if that many creatures live in it! The Tree of Harmony must never had thought of that when it grew this castle," Sunshine Rays protested. "Well, maybe we should tell Princess Twilight to call off the next speed dating? I mean, we can't have too many creatures!" Yellow Bright suggested. "But we still NEED those births and future young adults!" Sunshine Rays remonstrated. "Or maybe we should suggest a law? I mean, a law to prevent having too many births, like, for example, each couple can only have one to two children. Although, triplets or more born at the same time are acceptable." Volcano suggested. "That is a great idea, Volcano!" Alkali commented. "But the residence problem is still unsolved," Krona reminded. Every creature groaned in unison, as they had more thinking to do. "Just when we could finally take a break from thinking of all these suggestions," Nature Bloom commented. "If only every creature can reside in the houses and residences that their families already own, so they won't need new ones!" Falcon Dive announced, giving Luster an idea. "You know what, Falcon Dive? You're a genius! If every creature resides with their families, they won't need new residences!" Luster exclaimed. "But, wouldn't that makes things very squeezed?" Krona asked. "Actually, the needs of the residents are not usually the problem: it usually is the wants and desires of the residents, that are the problem." Volcano explained, "I went to Alkali's home before, and even though there were only five hippogriffs, or should I say, used to have five hippogriffs residing there, before Alkali moved away, the place was full of stuff, that were mostly things that aren't needed, or not needed anymore. In other words, they are wants!" The dragon then turned to his hippogriff best friend, "Sorry I told every creature about your home without your permission." "It's alright, Volcano, I understand that they need an example!" Alkali assured. "So the problem is everything they don't need is taking up space! Easy! We can handle that by being selfless and abandoning our desires!" Falcon Dive proudly declared. "Easy for a fan of selflessness to do so, but not for those who aren't!" Sunshine Rays remarked. "But, maybe if we taught them selflessness, and our Elements of Purity, they will get rid of everything that they don't need, and free up some space for more creatures in their homes!" Luster figured. "Now that's the idea every creature needs!" Krona commented. "I agree and accept the idea," Evergreen announced. "Told every creature that there is always a bright side," Yellow Bright added. "So, where shall we start?" Falcon Dive asked. "In the house in Ponyville with the most creatures living in it: Madam Apple Bloom's house!" Luster declared. After the series' theme song intro played, Apple Bloom was seen leaving the School of Friendship with her best friends, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, for home. After crossing the bridge that connected the school with the shore on the other side, the Cutie Mark Crusaders bumped into the newest heroes they knew. "The Heroic Ten! It's been long since we last saw you!" Apple Bloom greeted. "Yeah, I mean, we never seem to encounter you after your graduation." Sweetie Belle explained. "Except for the time when Head-mare Starlight and Vice-head stallion Sunburst took Luster around on a World Tour, we interacted with the nine of you," Scootaloo pointed out. "Right..." Luster nervously chuckled, before asking Apple Bloom, "So, Madam Apple Bloom, do you still have ten creatures, including yourself, residing in your house?" "Yeah, only, that house is actually Caramel's, my brother-in-law's, he donated it to members of the Apple Family after marrying my sister Applejack, and moving into the Barn. As soon as I was married to Tender Taps, I moved there with him, and took over being in charge of the house from the relatives who were in charge of it before I came," Apple Bloom explained, "But by the way, back to the main point, there are ten creatures, including myself, living there." "And there would have been ten creatures living in Carousel Boutique if Button Mash and I lived there, and took our daughter with us." Sweetie Belle added, "But I live with Button and his parents in their residence, so I live in an environment with five creatures, including myself." "Rumble and I live with my aunts, and our daughter, so that's five creatures in our residence." Scootaloo stated. "Same as me!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed, hi-hoofing Scootaloo. "While I'm different, having to live with nine other creatures isn't as good as it sounds," Apple Bloom sadly stated. "Um, hello? You're talking to ten creatures who live together with four unicorns older than them; Head-mare Starlight, Vice Head-stallion Sunburst, Guidance Counsellor Trixie and Miss Sunset Shimmer!" Falcon Dive told the Earth Pony. "Hello, you live in a huge castle, while we live in a house!" Apple Bloom reminded. "Back to the point: living in a house with nine other creatures is hard, isn' it?" Luster asked. "It is." Apple Bloom sighed, "In a family as big a mine, everything is a competition for wants and needs. We have to race to the bathroom, we have to do a lot of dishwashing every day, we have to clean up, we have a lot of things..." "That is what we came to talk to you about!" Sunshine Rays told Apple Bloom, "We just decided to teach our virtues to families, and have chosen to start with your big family!" "Really? You guys are kidding, aren't you?" Scootaloo asked. "Heroic Ten won't lie! They are helping families learn the Elements of Purity!" Krona responded. "And we figured that a family like Madam Apple Bloom's would really need it urgently," Nature Bloom pointed out. "So, is it alright for us to meet your big family and teach them virtues the whole day?" Luster asked. Apple Bloom thought for a while before responding, "Alright. But just for one day, it is difficult to ensure ten out of ten creatures are all well and available on the one same day in my family." A few days later, Apple Bloom and her husband Tender Taps led the Heroic Ten to their residence. "Now remember, things are far from perfect in there," Apple Bloom reminded the creatures. "So don't be shocked to see what's in there, we know!" Buffer responded. "Alright, every creature," Apple Bloom announced, "Meet my big family!" The door opened to reveal a noisy, messy house occupied by Earth Ponies of different ages. "Wow, you are not kidding..." Evergreen said, staring at what she was seeing. "Alright, every creature, like I told you the other day, the Heroic Ten will be coming over to..." Apple Bloom began, before being cut off by one of her relatives. "Visit us! We know, thanks to you, and we're all so excited!" "Calm down, Juicy Apple, the heroes are here for more than visits!" Apple Bloom reminded her paternal relative. "Luster Dawn, the star student of Princess Twilight Sparkle, isn't it?" Juicy Apple's mother, Apple Orchard, asked the unicorn. "Yes...and the biological daughter of the Heads of the School of Friendship," Luster added. "Volcano and Alkali, you're teachers, aren't you?!" Pear Sweet, one of Apple Bloom's maternal relatives asked the dragon and hippogriff. "Partially correct: I am the teacher, and Alkali is my teaching assistant whom I rely on to ensure the students pay attention and not fall asleep during class," Volcano corrected. "And since we're older than you, you better call us Mr. for males, and Miss for females, instead of our names," Alkali pointed out. "Alright, Miss," Pear Sweet's younger sister, Pear Treat responded, before calling the rest of the Heroic Ten, "And Mr., and Miss, and Miss, and Mr..." "That's not what I meant!" Alkali panicked and shook her claws and flew after the filly. Falcon Dive watched the chaos unfold just before he turned his attention to one of Apple Bloom's paternal relatives, Haystack, the father of Juicy Apple. "Howdy, griffon." the Earth Pony greeted like a farmer. "It's Falcon Dive, as in, I'm Falcon Dive," the griffon told the adult. "Ah, Falcon Dive, Element of Selflessness, isn't it?" Haystack asked. "Yes, and still is." Falcon Dive plainly answered. "What is all the commotion?!" an old voice asked, before every creature turned to see its owner: Apple Bloom's maternal relative, Boiled Pear. "Grandpa Boiled Pear, " Tender Taps greeted his in-law, before whispering to the heroes, "Grandpa Boiled Pear is not any creature's grandpa, he never married! We just call him that!" "Alright...now you have seen the oldest member of the family, it's time for you to meet the two youngest ones!" Apple Bloom told her guests, rushing off to bring her twins. "Meet Tender Apple, we decided to name her that, after ourselves, just like her cousin Big Sugar was named after his parents." Tender Taps explained. "And meet her younger twin brother, Bright Butter, named after his maternal grandparents, my parents, Bright Mac and Pear Butter, so we can remember them," Apple Bloom explained. "They are so...adorable!" Nature Bloom squealed, a second before Alkali was heard panting. "And this...is Miss Nature Bloom, she's the changeling and Element of Niceness of the Heroic Ten," the hippogriff exhausted told the Pear children, collapsing in tiredness. "Wow! The Heroic Ten is so...awesome!" Pear Sweet exclaimed. "I wish our family can be different in species, too! Then we can be like the Heroic Ten!" Pear Treat added. "I completely advise against that wish! I mean, wanting to change what you biologically are born as isn't right!" Sunshine Rays told the kids. "Anyway, here's a better introduction of my family members, or should I say, relatives, who reside with me and Tender, excluding ourselves" Apple Bloom began, "From youngest to oldest: Bright Butter, Tender Apple, Pear Treat, Pear Sweet, Juicy Apple, Apple Orchard, Haystack, and Boiled Pear." "Wow, that's unique!" Yellow Bright commented. "But, where are Pear Sweet and Pear Treat's parents?" Evergreen asked. "Well, they live far away in a Pear Farm, they actually have a lot of kids that can't afford to take care of, so they sent some of those kids away to be taken care of their relatives who don't live with them! They sent Pear Sweet and Pear Treat here, when the two were born. Therefore, these Pear sisters were never raised by their biological parents!" Apple Bloom explained. "I totally know how that feels, experiencing that myself. " Luster declared. "But, do they ever get to see and remain in contact with their parents?" Buffer asked. "They do, but not very often, a few times every year." Tender Taps answered. "That's...so...sad!" Krona declared. "It's just what happens when you cannot afford to take care of kids: you need to hand them to some creature who can, while you do your job." Luster explained. "At least it's better than showing that you care about the children more than you care about your job, to the point that you don't care about your job at all." Sunshine Rays pointed out. "Anyways, Tender and I really appreciate your offer to help our family, Heroic Ten," Apple Bloom gratefully told the ten creatures. "But unfortunately, we have to go out today, so we can't see how you progress, as in, how you are going to help our family improve...whatever they need to improve on," Tender Taps added. "But we know that we can trust you ten, especially when you all have been in my Honesty Classes for months, in other words, you are my former students, and I know you all mighty well now," Apple Bloom pointed out. "We will not let you down," Luster replied. "Apple Bloom! Tender Taps!" Button Mash, Sweetie Belle's husband, could be heard calling from outside. "What are you waiting for? We are supposed to go on ou plans, like planned!" Rumble, Scootaloo's husband, added. "Coming!" Apple Bloom called to the ponies outside, before telling the heroes, "We got to go!" "Goodbye! Or...see you later?" Yellow Bright responded. "Whatever, as if choosing between that phrase and clause were important," Sunshine Rays commented. "And how do you know that one is a phrase, and the other is a clause?" Nature Bloom asked. "Clauses have subject-verb combination, phrases do not!" Sunshine Rays answered. "Glad to see some creature not confused, nor wondering the difference between them," Volcano stated. "Alright, now. All we have to do is get them too..." Luster began instructing her team, before Falcon Dive cut her off. "Be selfless and abandon all their non-needs to free up space!" Unfortunately, his sentence was said in a volume loud enough for the residents to hear. "What?! But...I love my toys!" Pear Treat cried. "And I love my collection!" Pear Sweet added. "All my childhood stuff..." Juicy Apple stated. "And my extra dresses!" Apple Orchard contributed. "Calm down, every creature,I know it sounds difficult for you, but maybe it won't be once we teach you the Elements of Purity," Evergreen assured. "You mean your imaginary myth?" Boiled Pear asked. "How dare you call those virtues, good values, an imaginary myth!" Sunshine Rays instantly confronted the elderly Earth Pony. "Sunshine?" Buffer called, making the pegasus retreat and nervous chuckle. "Whoops, sorry, every creature, I must not have mastered patience yet, and you all know me, I have a very intense dislike for immorality." "Back to the main point, we are not against your desires because we want things our way," Alkali told the Earth Ponies residing in the house. "Heroic Ten do it, because they want what is BEST for every creature!" Krona declared. "And that means encouraging you all to change your ways and become who you need to be," Volcano ended. "What are you talking about? We are fine, getting along with our family!" Haystack asked. "We may have fights and arguments with each other every week, but we always get along in the end," Apple Orchard stated. "And we already barely get what we want, living with many others takes away our freedom to get a lot of stuff," Juicy Apple briefly glared at her relatives-by-marriage, before turning back to the heroes, "And getting to keep our favourite toys and objects is all we can ask for." "And we're keeping them!" Pear Sweet declared. "Absolutely!" Pear Treat supported her. Seeing that encouraging the family to change would not be easy, Luster called for a team huddle. "Alright, every creature, we only have less than twelve hours to change this family for the better, and it sure won't be easy!" Luster told the creatures. "Maybe we can tell them that we will give whoever has the best personality characteristics today will get a prize? And give them a gem as the prize?" Alkali suggested. "But that will just get them to think that good deeds are done in order to get rewards, when the good deed being done is the reward," Sunshine Rays remarked. "Or maybe we should make them see that valuing the Elements of Purity is great and enjoyable?" Yellow Bright asked, "By making it look fun?" "Good idea, Yellow Bright!" Evergreen praised. "But one problem: How are we going to make it look fun?" Nature Bloom asked. "We can always invent a new game," Falcon Dive suggested. "Good idea! I suggest we create the game, 'Follow the Rules', the winner will be whoever can follow all the rules, without breaking any single one of them!" Sunshine Rays announced. "What if they detest it and call it boring? No offence, really, but, before Alkali came, my students slept through my classes, probably because they weren't fun." Volcano informed. So, we ned a good approach," Evergreen figured, "Any creature got an idea?" "Well, I suggest that we..." Buffer began, before he was cut off by Falcon Dive. "Spend individual time with them! Each of them! And teach them our Elements of Purity values!" "but I was suggesting that we..." Buffer began, but he was once again unheard, as Luster praised the griffon. "That is a great idea!" "Plus, teaching morality is what I always wanted to do, ever since I was fourteen." Sunshine Rays added. "But.." was all Buffer could utter as his best friends rushed pass him, to his dismay. "Buffer, what are you waiting for? We got work to do!" Yellow Bright called. "Coming!" the buffalo replied. "Alright, so I have decided, that we go in a circle so no creature will miss out an Element of Purity," Luster explained. "But how long are we going to be with each family member before we switch?" Nature Bloom asked. "Fifteen minutes, because in one hour, each member could see four of us! So it takes two and a half hours for them to see us all!" Luster explained. "But who will be with who at the beginning?" Krona asked. "And, what order will we be going in?"Yellow Bright added. "We will be the creatures going around while the family members will be staying in place." Luster explained, "And we will be going in the clockwise order of the Elements of Purity, as in, the order we introduced them." "Good to know the order, but you still haven't answered the question of who is with who at the beginning," Evergreen pointed out. "Oh, right," Luster responded, "Now, at the beginning, Krona will be with Boiled Pear, Buffer will be with Bright Butter, Sunshine Rays will be with Tender Apple, Volcano will be with Pear Treat, Nature Bloom will be with Pear Sweet, Alkali will be with Juicy Apple, Evergreen will be with Apple Orchard, Yellow Bright will be with Haystack, while Falcon Dive and I will be observing all of you until the fifteen minutes time is up, and I'll spend time with Boiled Pear, and soon after the next fifteen minutes, Falcon Dive will move up and see Boiled Pear, since Madam Apple Bloom and Mr. Tender Taps aren't here." "So, it's going in a circle, we can handle that!" Falcon Dive commented. Meanwhile, the Cutie Mark Crusaders and their husbands were visiting the restaurant, Tasty Treat in Canterlot, which was still ran by Saffron Masala. After getting a table, the adults started ordering food, after the orders were made, the six ponies started a chat with one another. "So, every creature, what should we talk about? Can't start nor talk without a topic," Scootaloo asked. "Well, we can always talk about life, like Rarity visiting me with her kids, but without Spike since he was busy, recently," Sweetie Belle started. "And how did that visit go?" Apple Bloom asked. "Normal and nothing special. Regular slice of life," Sweetie Belle groaned. "Well, things are never slice of life in my ten creatures house," Apple Bloom commented. "You mean, our ten creatures house," Tender Taps reminded his wife. Apple Bloom chuckled, "Right, Tender Taps. Now, I was saying, things are never slice of life in our house, with that many creatures living in it. I mean, it's like living in a jungle!" Flashbacks began as Apple Bloom narrated. "Every time the infants cry, some creature has to check on them, regardless of what they are doing!" The scene showed Apple Bloom taking a shower when she heard her babies wailing, before she stepped out of the tub with a tower wrapped around her body. "Pear Treat and Pear Sweet often get into a lot of mischief," The scene showed the fillies running around the house, nearly destroying some fragile jars and plates, which would had fallen to the floor and shattered if it were not for Tender Taps. "The two Pear sisters always need help with homework, schoolwork, their subjects! Even basic math questions!" The scene showed Pear Sweet asking Apple Bloom, "Aunt Apple Bloom, what is 9 times 10?" "Isn't it obvious? 90. Any number that isn't a decimal or a fraction, multiplied by 10, is just putting a zero at the end of it!" Apple Bloom face-hoofed. "What is a decimal? And what is a fraction?" Pear Sweet asked, before her sister asked. "Aunt Apple Bloom, do you know what five plus five is?" "Ten..." Apple Bloom plainly answered. "Juicy Apple may be a teenager, but she doesn't do any work! Except for her homework!" The scene showed Juicy Apple in her room, as Tender Taps was at her door, trotting towards her. "Juicy Apple, can you please sweep the floor today?" Tender Taps asked. "Sorry, Uncle Tender, I got homework today," Juicy Apple responded. "That's what you said the last time!" Tender Taps complained. "I'm sorry, I'm afraid getting more work is just part of my life," Juicy Apple told her uncle, to his annoyance. "The housewife, Apple Orchard, cannot handle two infants, two fillies and an elderly all at once!" The scene showed Apple Orchard being overwhelmed by the family members she had to take care of, as they were all in the living room giving her demands. "Aunt Apple Orchard, can you help us with our homework?" the Pear sisters asked in unison. "Apple Orchard! Where is my water?" Boiled Pear asked. The infants suddenly wailed as a horrible smell spread to the surroundings through diffusion. "What is that awful smell?" Pear Sweet asked. "Sorry, every creature! Infants first!" Apple Orchard apologised, rushing off to the cradle. "But... we are all born before they were! So it should be us first!" Pear Treat protested. "Correction, missy. I'm the oldest creature here, so I should be first, I'm the first-born in this house!" Boiled Pear argued. "Haystack is not good with understanding instructions," The scene showed Apple Orchard and her husband in the living room near the door, with her walking pass him. "Haystack, can you please take Juicy Apple and the Pear sisters to Sweet Apple Acres the next day?" Apple Orchard asked. "Sure thing, hon. Is it taking them there tomorrow?" Haystack asked. "I thought you said sure thing!" Apple Orchard complained. "Well, I did....but I just wanted to make it really clear..." Haystack struggled to reply. "And every time when we have cake, pie, or pizza to share..." The scene showed the family in the Dining Room, sitting on their seats around the Dining Table, just as Apple Bloom came walking in with a plate that had slices of cake on it. "Last few pieces of cake! Who wants it?" Apple Bloom asked. "I do!" every creature with the exception of the infants, exclaimed in unison. "But...we don't have enough to share. Maybe we should cut them into even smaller fractions..." Apple Bloom nervously told her family. The plate was snatched from Apple Bloom's hoof as the family members fought each other for the final slices, determined to not be the unlucky creature. "And whenever just one member of the family gets sick, the whole house will be like under lockdown, or...taking disease preventive measures!" The scene then showed two bored Pear sisters wearing masks as they looked out the living room window. "Can we please take off our masks?" Pear Sweet asked Tender Taps. "Sorry, we need to keep wearing them so we won't catch the same illness Grandpa Boiled Pear has!" Tender Taps apologised. "And we need to wait until he is well?" Pear Treat complained. "It's for our health," Tender Taps insisted. The three then turned to see Apple Bloom and Apple Orchard, who were mopping the floor and spraying ammonia around the house to keep it clean. After all the flashbacks ended, Rumble commented, "Well, try to make the most out of your adventures, because Scootaloo and I don't have something like that everyday." "They aren't adventures, we experience those things every single day, and got used to it." Tender Taps responded plainly. "Here's your orders!" Saffron Masala told the six ponies, using her magic to levitate their food onto their table. "Mmm...smells delicious!" Sweetie Belle commented after bringing her nose up close to smell the scent of the food. "It's not like anything we ever had back in Ponyville!" Button Mash added. "Why don't taste it?" Saffron Masala asked. Sweetie Belle did as Saffron suggested, levitating her (Sweetie Belle's) spoon and scooping a mouthful of food. After sending the food into her mouth and swallowing it, the white-coated unicorn commented, "It tastes...divine!" "Wow, you really mastered your sister's ways, Sweetie," Button Mash commented. "Oh, Button, I only talk like she does a few times," Sweetie Belle blushed. "Anyway, let's just make the most out of our hangout today!" Scootloo reminded her best friends. "You're right, Scootaloo! Let's just eat and make the most out of today! Plus, the Heroic Ten can probably handle my family," Apple Bloom responded, but she unintentionally said her sentence out loud that Saffron and several customers around them could hear, and cast their attention at the Earth Pony. "Wait. The Heroic Ten are handling your family?" Saffron asked. "Well, that's because they wanted to?" Apple Bloom nervously replied. "What?! Why would they want to choose a family in a village, rather thann a family in the capital city of the kingdom; Canterlot?!" a well-dressed Canterlot unicorn asked. "Well...they are planning to families virtues..." Apple Bloom stated. "Then will they come to see our families? I mean...teach our families?" another Canterlot pony asked. "Well...they do want to teach virtues to families, so...they probably will like it if you want them to teach you..." Apple Bloom answered. "Then please ask them to teach us!" the customers in the restaurant exclaimed in unison, overwhelming Apple Bloom and her best friends. "Hey, back when our sisters and our friends were the heroes of Equestria who kept saving it from threats, no creature sees to show so much attention towards them!" Sweetie Belle pointed out. "Any idea why you would be interested in new heroes who had only saved all of us from a villain once, when the Council of Friendship, who had saved us all a million times before they became the Council, and no creature treated them like heroes!" Scootaloo added. "We're sorry, nut the Council of Friendship aren't here," one of the customers pointed out. "Neither as any of the heroic Ten," Tender Taps reminded. "But the Heroic Ten has been becoming more of the...popular heroes, especially ever since they were featured in the best book in Equestria and Beyond..." another customer began, before Scootaloo sarcastically named the book. "An Author Meets the Heroic Ten, True Story, based on the events of the Heroic Ten helping the author write a better book than the most popular one before it, because the heroes knew the consequences of having a bad influence being popular." "And the song they created, about the Real, true best. They really are inspiring," Saffron commented, daydreaming bout the heroes. "But, the Council of Friendship wrote and published their Friendship Journal and sung for a crowd before!" Sweetie Belle pointed out. "There is no record or disc or whatever to record their song!" one of the customers remarked. "And, the Heroic Ten were the creatures who brought that wonderful event that made me meet and get along with my newest friend, Rosa," a Diamond Dog said in a somewhat romantic tone as he embraced his mentioned fried, a female abyssinian. "Oh, Dacite, we just got along well thanks to them," Rosa reminded. "Whatever!" Scootaloo interrupted, "Can we just go back to normal? As in, back to having meals here?" "Right after you promise to take us to see the newest heroes that we are fans of!" one of the customers ran straight up to Apple Bloom, influencing others to queue up behind him. Meanwhile, in the house, Buffer watched he youngest resident sleeping and sighed. "Nothing much to do, watching a baby," the buffalo then turned to his pegasus Best Friend, "Sunshine, how is your side going? As in, how things are going?" "Things are going fine! With Tender Apple asleep, I got plenty of time planning how I'm going to teach the residents here morality! As in, which things are right, or should I say...help them identify what is right and wrong in some situations, and don't you worry, Moonshade Fright is back in the Castle, and won't be showing up here to scare some creature!" was the reply. "Good to know that things are going good for you so far, and, since you seem to be more available than the others, maybe you can get them too..." Buffer began, before they heard Krona throwing a temper. "WHAT?! How dare old pony say that!" "Uh-oh..." Sunshine Rays and Buffer said in unison, rushing in the direction of the sound and finding the two in the elderly's bedroom, with the yak furious at Boiled Pear. "Yaks should not smash! They'll destroy lots of things faster than we can create them," the elderly said, enraging Krona. "Yaks smash! Yaks should smash! Yaks smash as a tradition! Yaks always smash!" Krona roared. "Krona! You only smash sometimes, not really all the time." Buffer pointed out, just before they heard Volcano going crazy. In the Study Room, Volcano lost his patience, saying his words out loud, "I can't believe it! I have never seen any creature your age not knowing all this basic stuff! You must have went through them a million times with the rest of your class! How can you not know that 1+2+3? Are you dependent on a calculator that you have been using all the time?!" "Sorry, I just...can't remember this kind of thing..." Pear Treat apologised, just before the dragon's bst friends opened the door. "Volcano, what is wrong?" Sunshine Rays asked. "Some creature can't remember the most basic things..." Volcano answered. Every creature then heard another commotion nearby, as they heard their Best Friend, Alkali crying out. "I was only trying to help!" In the hallway upstairs, Falcon Dive confronted his hippogriff Best Friend for teaching Juicy Apple to use her (Alkali's) method of cleaning the floor: Skating on soap bars. "Seriously, Alkali. You should know that not every creature learnt to skate, and Juicy doesn't have wings like you do! You are lucky that her head and brain and skull are protected by her helmet, but at the same time, not giving her a whole body safety gear is still not good! Especially when you're teaching her to do something that can risk her falling down and breaking her bones!" Falcon Dive scolded. "I'm sorry, I just thought that if she learnt my method, she wouldn't be so...not into cleaning anymore," Alkali responded. "Well, well, well. Looks like some creature needs morality lessons so soon," Sunshine Rays commented, as she approached the scene through flying. "Look out!" Apple Orchard shouted, as she slipped and slid on the hallway floor, crashing into her daughter and pushing them both towards the bathroom, hitting the pipes of the sink, causing the water to flow out like a water jet. "Sorry, every creature. I was training Madam Apple Orchard to be quick and patient, but she slipped and...you all know," Evergreen apologised from the room Apple Orchard came slipping out of. "What is going on up there?" Luster could be heard asking from downstairs. After clearing up the mess, Luster paced around the living room, in front of her best friends and Apple Bloom's family. "Alright every creature, we only got a few more hours before Madam Apple Bloom and Tender Taps return, so we got to hurry and make progress!" "We already know that!" Haystack remarked. "We just need another way to teach these values!" Sunshine Rays stated. "Well, earlier, I was suggesting that we all teach the whole family at once like teachers in a school does!" Buffer told Luster. "That's a good idea, Buffer! Why didn't you tall us earlier?" the unicorn responded. "But I tried to tell you all about it earlier! Anyway, there's more to it than just that, I suggest that we..." Buffer began, but he was cut off by Yellow Bright. "Teach the family our virtues one by one! In other words, we take turns teaching our Elements of Purity! As in, only one of us teach at a time, while the others stand by and wait for their turn!" "But..." Buffer tried to say what he wanted o say, but unfortunately, he was ignored. "Great idea, Yellow Bright! Now, we just need to find out an order, as in, a sequence, that we will go in," Luster declared. "I know we may usually go in the order we put the Elements of Purity in, but I already prepared for teaching morality, so, may I go first? Please?" Sunshine Rays asked. "Well, as long as every creature is alright with it," Luster replied. "Krona needs some time to calm down. Pegasus can go before Krona," Krona told the creatures. "And since I already started teaching diligence, I'm sure I can go fine, being the second-in-line," Volcano added. "Well, I usually don't like being the only creature the crowd looks at, but with ou all nearby, I'm sure I can handle it," Nature Bloom figured. "And don't worry, I will be more careful and check on safety, before I do anything not acceptable..." Alkali nervously chuckled. "I can teach patience to a whole class of creatures! I do have a job as a mediation teacher after all, and I can patiently wait for my turn," Evergreen assured. "Positivity is my thing since a long time ago! I can teach that after Evergreen's turn," Yellow Bright stated. "And I know what I should teach about being selfless!" Falcon Dive claimed. "Great, now let's get started! The order will be Sunshine, Volcano, Nature, Alkali, Evergreen, Yellow, Falcon, me, Krona then Buffer, before it repeats," Luster announced, "We do not have much time, so we are starting now!" "Did they all just forget about me?" Buffer asked himself, as he watched his best friends walk pass him to the side of the house. "Come on, Buffer, give the Apples and Pears some space! They are learning, while you aren't!" Evergreen called. "Coming!" Buffer replied, joining most o his best friends at the side of the room, watching Sunshine Rays teach from afar. "Now, the definition of morality is principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong, or good and bad behaviour, but it actually means a lot more than that. It is also knowing and doing what is right, because when you are moral, you care about if something is right or wrong!And will choose right over wrong!" Sunshine Rays explained. Bored and knowing that his turn was the furthest away, Buffer started to walk towards the door that was the entrance and exit of the house. "Where is Buffer going?" Krona asked. "Outside to buy some drinks, I'm getting thirsty, anyway." Buffer answered. "Alright, then. Just be sure that you can come back before your turn!" Luster called. "And before we start worrying!" Falcon Dive added. "Sure!" Buffer replied, before exiting. Some time later, Buffer returned to Apple Bloom's residence, only to find that a problem had grown in his absence, as his best friends were arguing over who should be allowed to teach the residents that moment. "They need to learn to be selfless in order to save space!" Falcon Dive argued. "But they need encouragement to do that!" Alkali protested. "They need to be diligent and work harder so that they won't need so many books!" Volcano joined in the argument. "They need to do the right thing!" Sunshine Rays quarrelled. "Telling the truth is important! The will make them trustworthy and trusted! Integrity should go first!" Krona disagreed with the rest. "Every creature, stop!" Buffer shouted, catching their attention. "Oh, hi, Buffer. You're back," Yellow Bright greeted. "Every creature, what happened?" Buffer asked. "Well, Sunshine Rays' morality stuff started to become something the family dislike," Krona explained. "It's not that detestable nor unlovable!" Sunshine Rays furiously remarked. "I tried to cheer them up by naming some positive things, but then when Grandpa Boiled Pear disagreed with one of my statements, I can't handle things....so Evergreen decided to fill in for me with her patience teachings," Yellow Bright continued. "But then, the family found meditation uninteresting," Evergreen added. "So I tried to help by encouraging them with encouraging lessons, that teaches them how to encourage one another..." Alkali contributed. "The main point is, none of us made it up to fifteen minutes, as we kept on...having setbacks," Volcano pointed out. "And just started this argument a few minutes before you came," Nature Bloom finished. "Well, you are lucky I'm back. Because I have listened to you long enough, right now, I'm going to let myself be listened to, and not ignored." Buffer declared, "And here's what I have been trying to say since the start of our virtue teaching: We should teach the family virtues like a teacher teaches a class, but instead of one teacher, we should teach them altogether. Because we know that the Elements of Purity only make us pure and good, when all are present, and not just one." "That is actually...undeniable," Luster commented. "And you are right about the Elements of Purity only making us good when all are present and not just one," Sunshine Rays remarked, "I myself learnt that lesson the difficult way..." "And we are all so sorry that we didn't listen to you," Evergreen apologised. "And forgot about you when we decided to take turns teaching the whole family," Nature Bloom added. "That's alright, every creature. Because right now, we got a family to tech!" Buffer announced. In a montage, Krona and Nature Bloom taught the family how to tell truths in a respectful way so that they would not hurt any creature's feelings. Soon, Nature Bloom and Evergreen taught how to be nice and patient towards others, followed by Sunshine Rays and Falcon Dive, who taught he family what being moral and selfless was about. Soon, Buffer taught what good listening was, creating better harmony among every creature. Luster Dawn then complimented her best friends, "Well done, every creature. It looks like our. work here is done, the family has improved, and it's all thanks to us," she then turned towards her buffalo Best Friend, "especially you, Buffer." "No need to compliment, I know that listening doesn't mean just listening to any creature, every creature must not be ignored, including the listener themselves, because they would also have something to say. So at the end of the day, every creature is both, a listener, and some creature listened to!" Buffer declared. "And thanks to listening, every creature is getting along!" Krona added, watching the family talk harmoniously from afar. "And I got something to write to my mentor," Luster added, taking out a scroll and quit. Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle, Today, my best friends and I learnt and found out that listening is a factor that leads to harmony and goodness in the land. Listeners do not just listen to any creature, they listen to what every creature has to say, including themselves. Followed by a spark of morality, they would do the rightful thing, and listen to whoever they knew was right, and that can either be some creature else, or the listeners themselves. When every creature is listened to, no creature will feel left out, even if their idea was not chosen, because when every creature is listened to, their existence is acknowledged, and when every creature is listened to, a good idea will not be so easily missed out. Signed, your faithful student, Luster Dawn After Luster used her magic to send the letter away, there was a knock on the door. "They're back!" the Pear sisters exclaimed. Once the door was opened, Apple Bloom and Tender Taps were revealed on the other side of it, looking exhausted. "Oh, heavens! Apple Bloom, Tender Taps, what happened to you two?" Apple Orchard asked in a concerned tone. "It's a long story," Apple Bloom answered. "And we need to see the Heroic Ten right away," Tender Taps added. "We are all here, " Luster told the exhausted earth ponies, "So, why would you need us?" "Well...remember what you said about your virtue-teaching campaign?" Apple Bloom asked. "You know, saying that you want to teach families virtues?" Tender Taps clarified. "Oh yeah. And guess what? We just taught your family enough in less than a day of twenty-four hours!" Falcon Dive proudly responded. "They are now getting rid of mostly everything unneeded to free up space," Evergreen explained. "Great! But um...do you think that many creatures wanting you to teach their families virtues, is alright?" Tender Taps asked. "Sure it is alright! We need every creature to have virtues!" Sunshine Rays answered. "Well...here's that every creature!" Apple Bloom said as she and Tender Taps stepped back to reveal the crowd of customers from Tasty Treat earlier, to the shock of the heroes. "What?! That's a lot of work for us..." Volcano fainted as he was already tired from all he had that day. Alkali helped her dragon Best Friend up, being watched by Krona and Buffer, while Falcon Dive face-clawed himself, Sunshine Rays, Evergreen, and Yellow Bright looked overwhelmed, Nature Bloom hid behind her best friends, while Luster Dawn gasped. "This is going to take a while..." Luster muttered. 12. Corrosive ReunionAuthor's Note Corrosive Reunionserves as the twelfth episode of the series. Summary: The Heroic Ten and their families visit Mount Aris to attend a birthday party, but not everything goes smoothly as Alkali discovers what her little brother has done in her absence. Featured Song: Do You Want to Mak some Water? (Parody of Disney Frozen's Do You Want to Build a Snowman?) Acknowledgements: Some information (rephrased or not) from The Facts About Ammonia Hydrochloric Acid-an Overview|ScienceDirect Topics Caustic Burn - an Overview | ScienceDirect Topics Featured Characters: Acid, a male preteen hippogriff who has a red coat, orange mane, yellow eyes, beak and claws. He is Alkali's younger brother (as mentioned in 'Jealous Teacher' by Buffer, and in 'Independent Morality' by Alkali herself), who is a decade younger than her. Water Rush, a male hippogriff with a blue coat. He is the father of Alkali and Acid, and a Chemistry Teacher at one of the Higher Grade Schools in Mount Aris. He taught Alkali the basics about acids and alkalis since she was young. Vapour Float, a female hippogriff/seapony with a light grey coat. She is the mother of Alkali and Acid, and a chef at an underwater restaurant in Seaquestria. She and her husband are twenty-five years older than Alkali, and thirty-five years older than Acid. Icicle, a female hippogriff with a light blue coat. She is fourteen years younger than her sister Vapour Float, the maternal aunt of Alkali and Acid, and a security guard around Mount Aris beach. Her stern, serious, protective, no-nonsense and tough personality is inspired by the character Ixlan from the animated TV Show, Elena of Avalor. Princess Aqueous, a preteen hippogriff/seapony who was born on the same year as Acid. Like her mother, Queen Skystar, she is friendly, cheerful and bubbly, unlike former Queen Novo. She has a very light blue coat, an indigo mane, and purple eyes. Lava, a preteen dragon who still had not gotten her wings, Volcano's younger sister. Krone, a preteen yak, Krona's younger brother. Purple Blend, a preteen earth pony, Yellow Bright's younger sister. Jack Pine, a preteen kirin, Evergreen's younger brother. 12. Corrosive Reunion The Canterlot sky turned darker and darker, as Twilight lowered the sun, making way for the moon and beginning dusk. In the streets below, Luster and her best friends were tired out from their virtue-teaching campaign, which was meant to help every creature save more space. "I'm glad that we finished teaching! I can really use a break!" Falcon Dive announced. "You are not the only creature," Sunshine Rays told her griffon Best Friend. "And, I'm glad that that was the last family we had to teach for the moment! So I can buy a special gift for some creature I'm visiting tomorrow at his birthday party..." Alkali told her best friends. "We all know who that is: Your only sibling, your little brother Acid." Volcano responded in a tired tone. "Yup, he is turning ten this year, and that means a decade old! So I, his only sibling and big sister, have decided to give him something more special than all my previous birthday gifts for him..." Alkali declared. "So you aren't giving him citrus fruits this year?" Yellow Bright asked. "And not giving him vinegar?" Evergreen added. "Nope! It is not an acid! Nor is it an alkali, neither is it a base, nor amphoteric oxide, and it is also not a neutral oxide!" Alkali replied. "Then is it, a universal indicator?" Volcano asked. "Close, but not it!" Alkali replied. "Is it a pH sensor?" Volcano asked. "Correct! I figured that he should get something special from me when he turns a decade old, and since he loves neutralising acids and alkalis with me since little, I figured that a pH sensor is a perfect gift! And I'll make sure I will get him the safest one I can find," Alkali declared. "Well, I have stayed here after the age spell for more than a year, so I can remember where a shop that sells Chemistry equipment is," Luster stated. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go buying!" Alkali exclaimed, grabbing Luster's front hoof and pulling the unicorn with her in a flash. After the series theme song intro played, the scene showed the events of the next day. The train was headed for Mount Aris, with many passengers inside. "I wonder how much has changed since I left," Alkali said her thoughts out loud, looking out the window. "How long since you have last been there?" Buffer asked. "Since the last School of Friendship break," Alkali answered. "That means you haven't been there for months!" Volcano gasped. "I know. I just hope that things never changed so much," Alkali responded. "Kids! You are preteens! You are closer to being teenagers than the rest of the kids! Is this how you should behave?!" Sunshine Rays could be heard scolding the younger siblings of the Heroic Ten. "We're sorry, Sunshine. We just barely see each other. We can't help ourselves but to have fun every time we meet!" Lava, Volcano's younger sister apologised. "Krone and Krone's friends only see each other every playdate! Which is not even every week! Can't Krone and friends play whatever they want?" Krone, Krona's younger brother, complained. "Things cannot always go the way you want them to! You can't just do whatever you want! Especially when what you want is not good!" Sunshine Rays roared. "Calm down, Sunshine. Remember patience?" Evergreen reminded. "Oh right, sorry every creature," Sunshine Rays nervously chuckled. "But what can we play in the train?" Purple Blend, Yellow Bright's younger sister, asked. "Well, kids can always chat with friends like adults!" Krona suggested. "Kids? We are preteens!" Jack Pine, Evergreen's younger brother pointed out. "Next stop, Mount Aris Station!" the train conductor announced. "We're here!" Nature Bloom exclaimed. After all the members of the Heroic Ten's families got off the Train, they were amazed by the view. "It's just the way I remembered!" Alkali exclaimed. "Good to know that nothing bad has happened. Now can we please go to the party? Some creatures need to play with their friends, here!" Lava complained. "Oh, right! Come on, every creature! I still remember the way!" Alkali announced, leading the guests to her former residence. "I can't believe how fortunate you are, Alkali. Living near the beach, so you are near land and sea!" Nature Bloom opined. "My Dad works on land as a Chemistry Teacher, and my Mum works as a chef at a restaurant in Seaquestria, they figured that they need to live somewhere in between their workplaces to work out," Alkali explained, "And my maternal aunt Icicle, who is fourteen years younger than my Mum, never married, she works as a Royal Guard around the beach, so she lives with my parents, and little brother." "So, is your family's income alright?" Evergreen asked. "More than alright, we have more than enough to buy what we need!" Alkali answered. "I still don't quite get how royal guards here get an income," Falcon Dive stated. "The Ruler of Mount Aris will give them money for every day they work!" Volcano explained, "Some creature totally forgot his Social Studies." Suddenly, there was the trumpeting of trumpets, which meant only one thing: there was royalty nearby! "Queen Skystar," the creatures bowed before the Ruler of Mount Aris. "Heroic Ten, what a lovely surprise to see that you brought a lot of members of your families here. I just hope that you really do have safety in numbers and not chaos and arguments. Because I believe that you are attending the same birthday party my daughter is attending," Skystar told the heroes, "And since most of you never met her before, allow me to introduce, Princess Aqueous." Skystar stepped aside to reveal a preteen hippogriff with a very light blue coat, an indigo mane and purple eyes. "Your highness," Purple Blend blowed before the younger royalty, causing the princess to giggle. "Don't worry, you do not need to be so formal towards me. I'm the future queen, not the current queen. And I'm still learning the duties and everything necessary." "Wait a second, Queen Skystar, what birthday party is Prinecss Aqueous attending?" Alkali asked in a somewhat worried tone. "How can you not know? We are here on the beach, and your younger brother is turning a year older today..." Queen Skystar gave the heroine a strong hint. Alkali gasped, "She's attending my little brother's birthday party?! But...she never met him!" "What do you mean, Alkali? Aqueous met Acid some time after you and your best friends became famous heroes, a few months ago. How can you not know that?" Queen Skystar asked. "What?! But...they don't even live close, nor do they go to the same school, how did they meet?!" Alkali questioned in a shocked tone. "You really don't know? Aqueous used to like eating all those not-so healthy cupcakes and sweets, until the day she came across Acid's fruit stand and tried his homemade strawberry milkshake. She then befriended him as he helped her get rid of her sweet tooth and choose fruits over those cakes and sweets!" Queen Skystar explained. "How can I not know that?! I'm Acid's big sister and only sibling for Equestria sake!" Alkali dramatically shrieked. "Well....you don't live with your brother ever since you left for the School of Friendship, perhaps that's why you don't know anything happening here," Queen Skystar figured. "But....how can my family not tell me anything when they attended Buffer's surprise party?!" Alkali asked. "Maybe you told them too much about what happened to you and not let them tell you what happened to them," Queen Skystar suggested, "Anyway, I sadly cannot attend the party, neither can I stay. I have some important errands to attend lately, and will pick up Aqueous at sunset. Just enjoy the celebration, and please save at least a bit of dessert for me if you can." After the queen left, Alkali was stunned: she could not believe everything she missed. "Are you alright, Alkali?" Nature Bloom asked. "Not really. Maybe I did not let my family have a chance to tell me what happened to them and what was happening at Mount Aris while I'm not around." was the reply. "That's alright, listening is not as easy as it sounds," Buffer assured. "Plus, you're about to see your family, and get a chance to learn what happened to them!" Yellow Bright pointed out. "And, you probably will not make the same mistake after knowing what the mistake is," Sunshine Rays added. "Thanks, every creature." Alkali thanked her best friends. "Can we just get going?!" Buffer's father, Bulwark asked in an impatient tone. "Oh right, sorry about the delay, every creature. Let's just get to the party," Alkali apologised to the party guests. "Actually, Miss Alkali, I already visited Acid several times, and know the way. Can I lead the way instead? It will be good practice for when I become queen," Princess Aqueous asked. "Sure, your highness. I do need a little time as not-the-most-important-creature," Alkali answered, allowing the princess to be in front of every creature. Once Princess Aqueous was leading the way, Volcano noticed something troubling his hippogriff Best Friend. "Alkali, I know that something's bothering you. Is it not knowing much about your little brother?" the dragon asked. "It is, Volcano. I'm Acid's only sibling, I should know all that the family knows about him, especially when I was the one who took care of him when no creature else was around, I can't believe I don't know much about him now, especially the fact that he is friends with the future queen of Mount Aris! And the future queen has been to my former residence several times?!" Alkali sadly explained. "Don't worry. I don't know much about what happened to my sister Lava, nor anything about what my family experiences in my absence, but we always have good times together." Volcano stated. "I hope I can have a good time with my family this time," Alkali lamented. "We are here!" Princess Aqueous announced, as they had reached the door. The door opened to revel a grown-up hippogriff with a blue coat, who greeted Alkali as he hugged her, "Alkali, my daughter. Welcome home, it's been ages since you last came!" "Thanks for the welcome, Dad. And just as expected, I brought the guests with me," Alkali replied, "even though Princess Aqueous took over leading them here half way." "Ah, Princess Aqueous, your highness, it's lovely to see you again," Alkali's father greeted. "Good to know that you welcome me as always, Mr. Water Rush, but I will like to be treated as a friend of Acid's," Princess Aqueous responded. "Wait....did she just call you Mr. Water Rush?! And did she just say that you always welcome her?! Which means she knows you and your name?!" Alkali asked. "Well, yeah, she knows my name, and your mother's and aunt's, and not to mention, know our jobs. She knows that I'm a Chemistry Teacher, your Mum is a chef at a restaurant in Seaquestria, and your aunt Icicle, is a Royal Guard protecting the beach." Water Rush answered. "I totally missed out all that?!" Alkali shrieked. "Calm down, Alkali, it's not the end of the world," Evergreen assured. "And the party has started!" Krona exclaimed, "Come and enjoy it!" The living and dining rooms were revealed to be full of creatures, most of them not being the guests whom the Heroic Ten brought with them. "I don't recognise most of these guests," Alkali said her thoughts out loud, just as two younger hippogriffs raced pass her, "And who are all these kids?!" "I thought you call these creatures these ages preteens!" Lava reminded. "Kids, preteens, whatever!" Falcon Dive sarcastically responded. "Oh...how much have I missed?! I need to see my brother ASAP!" Alkali told herself. "Alkali! There you are, I missed you so much, dearie." Alkali's mother, Vapour Float greeted. "Mum! I'm sorry I never visited home for a long time, and never let you and Dad tell me much about what happened to you, and what happened here." Alkali apologised. "It's alright, Alkali. Family always get through, plus, I knew you would be coming, so I made you your favourite seafood, and also prepared your favourite land food: Seaweed Salad, and Bitter Gourd soup respectively." Vapour Float responded. "Thank you so much, Mum! But, right now, I really need to find Acid and catch up on everything about him that I missed," Alkali told her. "Well, Acid is playing with his friends right now, maybe you should wait until their playtime ends. You don't have to look after him like you did years ago, meaning that you are completely free of your big sister duties," Vapour Float stated. "But he is not a teenager yet! He is turning ten today, and that means he is still a preteen! He still Neds some creature to look after him!" Alkali argued. "Oh really? Why don't take a peek at what he does nowadays, because he is doing one of those activities right now in the free room," Vapour Float insisted. "Wait. We have a free room?!" Alkali asked. "Well...after you graduated from the School of Friendship and became a resident of Princess Twilight Sparkle's former castle, we figured that you will never need your room anymore, so we...move all of your things into a new closet, and made your room a free room for us to fly around in. Or...for Acid and his friends to play in." Vapour Float explained. "Alright, Princess Aqueous, all we need to do is solve all these math questions and we can get pass!" Acid told his friend. The hippogriff children were playing a game of Break into the Lab, which was a game they invented themselves: One team had the role of heroes, with the aim to break into the opposing team's headquarters and shut off the alarm clock before it rings. The game not only tested their agility, but also their academic knowledge of science, math and language. The game was interrupted by a door knock. "I'm busy! Try again later!" Acid called to the creature on the other side. "But Acid, it's me! Your big sister!" Alkali called. "I said later, sis." Acid responded, before resuming his game. Outside, Alkali felt a heart ache, "Did my little brother just...shunned me out?" "Alkali, there you are. Your maternal aunt is here, don't you want to see her?" Luster asked. "Aunt Icicle is back?! Thanks for telling me, Luster!" Alkali quickly dashed off. Meanwhile, Falcon Dive and Sunshine Rays were playing a hippogriff-themed board game against Yellow Bright and Evergreen, with not much luck due to Falcon Dive's attitude. "One, two, three, four, five, landed on another....question tile." the griffon groaned. "Question: What do hippogriffs do before the Storm King?" Evergreen levitated the question card at the top off the stack and read the question out loud. "Just fly and run around Mount Aris?" Falcon Dive sarcastically answered. "What?! No! The correct answer is grow up, go to school, then get a job, get married for some of them, have kids, then retire when old enough, let their grown-up children take care of them, as part of the life cycle, and celebrating their traditional holidays!" Sunshine Rays corrected. "Since you answered it correctly, you still got marks, but unfortunately, since your team's second answer is correct, you only get half of full marks," Evergreen plainly told her opponents. "Well done, Falcon Dive," Sunshine Rays sarcastically told her teammate. "Cheer up, you two! You still got plenty of chances to get your score up!" Yellow Bright pointed out. "Thanks for the positive points and thoughts, Yellow Bright," Falcon Dive responded. On the other side of the living room, Alkali's maternal aunt was having her first interaction with Krona and Buffer. "So, when Eclipse Instant took control of every creature, you just used tricks and most commonly make your opponents crash into each other?" Icicle asked. "Absolutely! Heroic Ten was outnumbered, so they just used that trick to solve the problem!" Krona declared. "We are still...sorry about having to hurt every creature back there, we were actually doing our best not to hurt ay creature," Buffer stated. "No reason to apologise. I am impressed by your actions. I just have to try that out one day," Icicle replied. "Makes sense, because you're a Royal Guard," Buffer commented. "And protector of Mount Aris!" Krona added. "Protector of anywhere I'm needed," Icicle corrected. In the mean time, Alkali was asking the guests who were the parents of all the hippogriff kids whom she did not know, what she missed. "Well, Acid is becoming somewhat popular this year," an adult hippogriff told the heroine. "Somewhat popular? But how?" Alkali asked. "By starting that fruit stand, I recall," the adult stated. "But a fruit stand cannot become so popular! There are shops and restraunts in both Mount Aris and Seaquestria!" Alkali pointed out. "Well, his stand does have some mouth-watering fruit salads," the adult described, with saliva dripping out of his beak. "Back to the main question; what makes the stand popular?" Alkali reminded. "Oh, right. Well, Acid does create some smoothies and milkshakes and fruit juices for his costumers..." he adult stated. "Are those drinks so irresistible that they became so popular?" Alkali asked. "I wouldn't say that irresistible ," the adult figured, "But I do remember that Acid does tend to show that he is your brother." "Wait. He did?! But how?! I wasn't there with him!" Alkali asked. "Well, he has pictures of you and him together since you were little," the adult explained. "And...did he keep on saying that I am a member of the Heroic Ten? And the fact that I'm his big sister?" Alkali asked. "Well...sometimes, I remember, but he does sound proud when he declares that he is your brother," was the reply. "He used my name to boost his fame?! That does it! I'm giving him a piece of my mind!" Alkali stormed off, marching away like a giant. "Uh...what is Alkali mad about?" Nature Bloom asked, watching her hippogriff Best Friend from a far. "Alright, birthday boy, what should we play now?" Jack Pine asked Acid. "Can every creature play charge and smash?! Just suggesting!" Krone asked. "Wouldn't that be a little dangerous? Some of us are stronger than others?" Nature Bloom's younger brother,Terrain asked. "No offence really, but he does have a point," Purple Blend stated. "Or maybe we should race each other across the beach?" Falcon Dive's younger sister, Kestrel suggested. "Or just play Buck Ball?" Sunshine Rays' younger brother, Clear Sky, recommended. "I was thinking that we..." Acid began, just before there was a loud knock at the door. "Whoever that is knocking the door, really have no idea how loud they are!" Buffer's younger sister, Cushion, said her thoughts out loud. "If none of you are answering it, I will," Lava announced, marching towards the door. Once the door was opened, the creature who was knocking it pushed it all the way to the wall, smacking Lava who responded with a yelp. "Acid!" Alkali confronted, once she entered the rom. "Sis, why did you do that?! I told you that I will see you later, and that 'later' isn't now!" Acid scolded. "And can some creature get me out of here?" Lava asked, with her voice muffled by the door. "Coming!" Jack Pine responded. "Sorry if I'm being so rude, but I have some very important business that I need to talk to you about, little brother," Alkali resumed confronting Acid. Acid's friends all stood away from him and his older sister, as their confrontation began a new level. "What can be so important to you? You always do cheerleading, encouraging and do everything the fun way!" Acid asked. "I am not like I used to be before studying at the School of Friendship and after studying there, Acid, and there are some certain things that I do take seriously. Like what the real right and wrong are," Alkali braved. "So, what is it that you are taking so seriously that you're confronting me about right now?" Acid asked. "Did you use my name to gain fame?" Alkali started the topic. "How did you know that?!" Acid asked in a somewhat furious tone. "Doesn't matter. It is not right, and now that I know morality, I'm here to get you to stop doing what is wrong!" Alkali faced him. "Or maybe you are not pleased that I'm getting popular here in your absence, and wanted me to stop so you can be the popular hippogriff around, once again," Acid protested. His sister was shocked and backed off a bit, "What?! No! I am serious! Using some creature else's name to get what you want is never right! Doing it will make you immoral! Plus, you would be like that horrible former manager of Coloratura's, using her fame to manipulate others and get what he wants!" The preteen hippogriffs and creatures around gasped as they continued watching the siblings face off. "I never manipulated any creature! I was earning the family some bits fair and square by selling our fruits after making them into something unique!" Acid defied. "But you became more popular than I did when I had my hygienic, cleaning campaign when I resided here! You totally used my fame as a heroine nowadays, to gain every creature's attention!" Alkali confronted. "Probably because my acidic fruits are better than your alkaline soaps and detergents," Acid denied his sister's words in a sour tone. Alkali felt hurt when her brother offended her favourite things for the first time since ages, gasping before she angrily accosted him, "I'm so sorry, Acid, but acidic fruits still have their sugar, like some acidic foods, and they can cause health problems like very serious cancer! Alkaline fruits and food most likely wouldn't cause problems like that, because some of them even improve health and reduce the risk of such diseases caused by acidic diets." "But acidic fruits are still considered healthy," Acid plainly denied his sister, "Plus, they taste way better than alkaline food. Because alkalis taste bitter!" Alkali gasped after hearing her brother say that about alkalis, especially in an offensive tone, something that he would barely do, especially around her. In the mean time, Volcano was calculating the scores of the players playing the board game earlier. "And the winning team is Evergreen and Yellow Bright, sorry about that, other team." Volcano told the players in a polite tone. "Way a go, Falcon Dive, for halving our score throughout the game," Sunshine Rays sarcastically praised. "What?! I was giving the best answers I could think of! If you want to hear the worst answers I got, here's the list! If, I can remember them..." Falcon Dive responded. "I don't think you should say them, Falcon," Yellow Bright informed. "Yeah, there are plenty of hippogriffs here, they can hear your bad answers, and get offended!" Evergreen pointed out. Right after the word 'offended' was said, commotion could be heard as Alkali and Acid's confrontation went to an even higher level. "Acids taste sour!" Alkali could be heard shouting in an offensive tone. "Alkalis feel soapy!" Acid could be heard offending back. "Acids are corrosive!" Alkali criticised. "Alkalis are also corrosive!" Acid maligned. "Acids react with metals, except for unreactive ones, forming a salt dependent on what acid and metal was involved, and hydrogen gas, and corrode the metal in the process!" Alkali insulted. "Bases can also corrode metals, including the soluble bases, alkalis!" Acid retributed. "Acids react with carbonates to form salt, depending on the type of acid and carbonate, plus water, plus the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide that traps heat in the atmosphere!" Alkali criticised. "Alkalis react with ammonium salts to form salt, depending on the type of alkali and ammonium salt used, plus water, plus ammonia gas that can cause immediate burning of eyes, nose, throat and respiratory tract and can result in blindness, lung damage or even death!" Acid affronted. "Only when there is a high concentration of it!" Alkali corrected, with bitterness in her tone, "Not to mention that acid solutions can conduct electricity, making it even more dangerous!" "Alkali solutions can also conduct electricity, because they have free-moving ions to conduct it, like acid solutions do!" Acid retributed. "Acids can burn skins as they donate protons or hydrogen ions that lowers the pH, and it can even go to pH of zero!" Alkali offended. "Alkalis can also burn skins, and they can go even deeper into the skin than acids, causing even more damage!" Acid discredited. "Acids are simple covalent compounds, and they behave as acids when those compounds dissolve in water or water vapour, and some of them causes pollution, more specifically, acid rain pollution!" Alkali maligned. "Alkalis are soluble bases! Bases are any metal oxide or hydroxide, insoluble bases do not react nor dissolve in water, therefore they are not alkalis. But alkalis do dissolve and react with water, and they are most likely Alkali Metal hydroxides, formed by an explosive reaction between the metal and water. Alkali Metals are the most reactive and dangerous elements in the Periodic Table, and they tend to become more reactive down the group! Thus, alkalis can be formed through an even more dangerous way than acids!" Acid criticised. " Only sodium and potassium form alkalis, the rest of them form insoluble bases! The soluble bases are sodium, potassium, calcium and ammonium hydroxides!" Alkali corrected before starting another point in an offensive tone, "Acids react with basic oxides and amphoteric oxides!" "Alkalis react with acidic oxides and amphoteric oxides!" Acid vociferated. "Acids do not react with acidic oxides and neutral oxides!" Alkali shouted in an offending tone. "Alkalis do not react with neutral oxides and basic oxides!" Acid retributed. "Acids turn blue litmus paper red!" Alkali offended. "Alkalis turn red litmus paper blue!" Acid insulted. "Acids have pH values less than 7!" Alkali exclaimed in an insulting tone. "Alkalis have pH values greater than 7!" Acid reacted with a similar tone. "Acids are substances that produce hydrogen ions when dissolved in water, and the hydrogen ions are responsible for its properties, also known as acidity!" Alkali shouted. "Alkalis are substances that produce hydroxide ions in water, and all alkalis dissolve in water to give hydroxide ions, which are responsible for its properties, also known as alkalinity!" Acid shouted back. "Acid! Alkali! Since when do you two criticise each other's favourite things?!" Vapour Float asked, entering the room. "I taught you two everything I know about your favourite things, but not for you two to insult each other!" Water Rush added. "And you're a twenty-years-old adult now, Alkali," Vapour Float began, before Alkali interfered. "Going to be twenty. The year I was born may come before the year Acid was born, but its day and month comes after the day and month Acid was born." "Fine, going to be twenty, but you are still expected to act like a mature grown-up and not have quarrels with kids, especially your younger brother, that easily," Vapour Float pointed out. "Acid used my name to gain fame!" Alkali explained, "He kept saying that he's the brother of one of the famous new heroes of Equestrian and Beyond!" Alkali stated. "And using others' names to earn something for yourself, is obviously a wrongdoing!" Sunshine Rays told every creature, as she and the rest of the Heroic Ten arrived. "Seriously, very disappointing to see you act and behave that way," Icicle commented. "I was just trying to get some creatures to do things with me, especially after Alkali never did so, when she became busier! And shunned me out!" Acid cried, before running away in tears. Alkali was shocked to hear what her brother said about her, asking herself out loud, "I...did shun him out?!" "Well, now that it is mentioned, Acid did look up to you as his Best Friend since he came into the world," Water Rush told his daughter. "Your father, maternal aunt Icicle, and I were always busy doing our jobs in the afternoon once you return from school, leaving you at home alone with Acid most of the time," Vapour Float added. "You were a great big sister and care giver to him, keeping him safe from everything that can be harmful to him," Icicle contributed. "Especially when you taught him about acids and bases by telling him about them before he was even a year old!" Water Rush continued. "And ensured you played safe, especially whenever you use to neutralise the weak acids and alkalis such as fruit juices and soaps," Vapour Float added. "But as soon as you were a teenager, you became busier," Icicle recalled. "And we were still busy working as always," Water Rush stated. "So...when I became busier, Acid didn't have any creature to play with, nor do things with..." Alkali sadly said her thoughts out loud, "I failed my job as a big sister..." "I may not have any siblings, but I do know one thing that you must do: you have to be like a friend and companion to him, so you can become closer once again," Luster told her hippogriff Best Friend. "And, since you don't live with each other, you need to still keep in contact!" Nature Bloom added. "You can always arrange a meeting with him once every week, or two weeks, or...any period of time that is less than a year," Volcano suggested. "But right now, some creature got to Mae up to her little brother!" Krona reminded. "You are right," Alkali responded. In his room, Acid was talking to himself, still upset with his only sibling. "How can she have graduated from a friendship school? She still mistreats her own sibling! Her only sibling! And never cared! And never interacted ever sine she had best friends! And the her only sibling finally got new friends to do things with, she had to ruin things...just like she ruined our favourite thing to do..." Memories of the past years then came flowing into his head, as he remembered how old he and his sister were when they still did their one favourite thing: neutralising acids and alkalis. "Looks like we need a bit more acid..." a twelve-years-old Alkali told her two-years old brother, who gave her another lemon that was already used for making lemonades earlier, with a bit of juice left in it. "Thanks for the assistance, Acid, now hopefully I can put in the right amount..." Alkali responded, dipping a portion of the lemon into a solution, before she asked her only sibling, "Can you pass me the litmus papers?" Acid did as told, giving his sister what she asked for. After she dipped the papers into the solution, and observed that neither of them changed colour. "Great! That means the solution is finally neutralised! Although, it is impossible to really get pure water around here, but anyway, since the litmus papers did not change colour, we can finally just remove the salt and collect the water," Alkali declared. By the time the adults arrived home, Alkali and Acid were watering the plants. "Alkali, Acid, let me guess, that water you are using for the plants is the water from your experiments, isn't it?" Water Rush asked. "Indeed, Dad, we neutralised lemon juice and soapy water, like we used to do. And, Acid only touched the litmus papers and lemon, nothing too dangerous," Alkali replied. "Good to know that you always keep Acid safe and occupied, Alkali," Vapour Float told her daughter, "Sadly I did not do the same with my younger sister, being busy when she was born..." "But she lives with us here, you'll have plenty of time to talk over dinner!" Alkali cheered her mother up. "You're right, Alkali, let's just make the most of our time when we can," Vapour Float responded. On the year Alkali was turning thirteen... "Alkali! You're back! Can we do neutralisation now?" Acid greeted his sister. "Sorry,Acid! But my teachers gave me a lot of homework! I'm afraid that that needs to come first!" Alkali responded. "Hopefully you can still look after him, because Aunt Icicle is going out to do her Royal Guard work," Icicle told her niece. "Sure Aunt, Icicle! I can show him how I do my homework and explain why the answers are the way they are, to him! That way, I'm killing two birds with one stone, which means achieve two aims at once," Alkali replied. "Hopefully you will," Icicle answered, closing the door and leaving. "But, Alkali! What about our favourite thing?" Acid asked. "Sorry, Acid, you don't want your big sister failing her tests, don't you?" Alkali asked. "No..." was the response. "Good, now, just make yourself comfortable listening to what I have to say as I do my work..." Alkali said, walking to her room with her brother following. The next year, Icicle brought Acid home from his kindergarten school. "Remember to do your work," Icicle told her nephew. "Of course, Aunt Icicle! Hopefully Alkali can finish her work as well, then we can finally do our thing again..." Acid said, his tone gradually changing from cheerful too sad. "Why don't you just do your homework?" Icicle asked. "Oh, right..." Acid replied. Soon Acid, with a plate of squeezed lemons, walked to Alkali's door, knocking it, he sang, "Do you want to create some water? Come on your exams are over. There's plenty of time to do so, and it'll be finished the sooner we go, it's a little while and fun! I waited for a time like ages! For this one action to finally be done! So do you want to make some water? It does not have to be purified water!" Alkali, on the other side of the door, working on some plans on her table, sighed and called to her little brother, "Not today, Acid! I'm busy preparing for my activism to encourage every creature to be more hygienic and wash themselves more often!" "Alright, bye." Acid sadly sang, retreating to his room. In a short montage, the days and nights flew by as Alkali became an effective activist who successfully encouraged every creature certain good habits. Soon, summer came, and a slightly older Acid decided to try get his big sister to do their favourite experiment once again. "Do you want to make some water? This time try it with different reactants? Like other citrus fruits or vinegar? Or even dishwashing soap, from the kitchen? I'm really getting lonely, never playing with you, after all this time..." In a second montage, Acid was seen graduating from kindergarten, and finally getting to interact with his big sister, but still not do their favourite experiment. After Spring returned, and Acid going to his new school, Alkali packed her things for the School of Friendship, to her little brother's dismay. Soon, a Parents-Teacher Conference Meeting was held at the School of Friendship, granting the students' families a chance to see both the teachers, and the students themselves. Acid went with his parents, in hopes of seeing his big sister, but unfortunately, Alkali was constantly distracted by meeting her best friends' families and barely noticed him. The many months passed and the events of the Heroic Ten's Graduation Day unfolded, making Acid believe that his sister was finally returning to Mount Aris. But to his horror, Princess Twilight Sparkle let the heroes reside in the Castle of Friendship, officially making it clear that Alkali would not be returning. In the present, Alkali, with her birthday present for her brother, sadly approached his door, knocking it, "Acid?" "Little brother if you can hear me, I would like to, and have to say I'm sorry. I'm a horrible sis, let things turn out like this, after everything I missed... I was so distracted by other things, that I have the least concerns, for the fat that I'm some creature's only sibling... Before the day is over, do you want to make some water? The door opened and revealed Acid, who looked at his big sister and her gift for him. Seeing how she silently expressed that she wanted him to open her gift for him that instant, he took the present and found a pH sensor, smiling. "A pH sensor! Thanks sis, but are you sure you want to use it for our favourite thing?" Acid asked. "Sure, anything for you, especially today, little brother." Alkali replied in a warm tone. Later that day, after Acid and Alkali finished neutralising their solution, filtering it through a filter paper, then poring the solution into a flat, wide container for evaporation and setting up a clean, silver tray above it for the water vapour to condense on and slide into a beaker at the end. "That's really unique!" Buffer commented. "And best of all, those reactants did not go to waste!" Nature Bloom added. "I'm always glad to see something good around the world," Sunshine Rays remarked. "Alkali, after all these years, I'm glad that old times are returning," Acid told his sister. "And I'm glad that we're finally close together once again, Acid," Alkali replied, before sharing a hug with her brother. "Acid! It's time to have the birthday cake!" Princess Aqueous informed. "Thanks for telling me, Aqueous!" Acid responded, before announcing, "I'm coming, eery creature!" As the events unfold, a letter for Princess Twilight Sparkle was read out loud. Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle, I may have graduated from the School of Friendship, but there is still a lot of things about friendship that I have to get right. Today, I got into a major fight with my only sibling, my little brother, Acid, when I visited Mount Aris and my former residence to attend his birthday party. I soon discovered that I have shunned him out, over the years, nearly ending my friendship with him. Thanks to my best friends, who gave me helpful suggestions, I fixed my mistake and learnt something magical about a good sibling relationship. A good relationship between siblings, is very similar to the relationship between good friends. They would look out for one another, and show care towards one another. Now I learnt this lesson, I will be more concern for each of my friends, and family members, for as long as I remember them. And never shun any of them out. Signed, one of your faithful students' best friends, Alkali After the letter was finished, trumpets could be heard outside. "That's my Mum. I'm sorry, every creature, I have to go," Princess Aqueous told every creature. "That's alright, we can always see each other again next time!" Purple Blend stated. "Such a shame that one of our friends is unable to be here because of some unfortunate things," Lava commented. "Otherwise he can meet you," Jack Pine continued. "But there''s still next time!" Krone reminded. "And don't forget the food that your Mum wanted!" Kestrel reminded, giving Princess Aqueous a food container with cake and some of the party food in it. "Hopefully she likes blueberry cake," Terrain added. "And apples, and pineapples and peaches and all the food in there..." Clear Sky listed. "Thanks, every creature!" Princess Aqueous responded, before leaving. "Goodbye! And safe travels!" Cushion waved. Outside, Queen Skystar greeted her daughter, "Aqueous! How's the party? And is that some of the food I'm hoping for?" "Well, it is some of the party food, and you did ask every creature if they can reserve some for you, so it probably is..." Princess aqueous answered. "Blueberry cake and fruits?!" the queen exclaimed, the moment she opened the food container, "I didn't have these for a long time when I was hiding from the Storm King! This is great party food! I should totally get my Mum to return to Mount Aris, too. And have a land food feast with cakes and fruits..." "Oh, Mum," Princess Aqueous giggled. "Alright, I'll just have a daily diet of land food with your grandma once I invite her over, and we can have lots of land fun!" Queen Skystar cheered. "Right...By the way, I think you have to be a bit more careful with food, especially after what I heard Acid and Alkali said about acidic and alkaline food back there..." Princess Aqueous advised. "Wait, there's acidic and alkaline food?!" Queen Skystar asked. "Well, if you don't really know, here's the long explanation..." Princess Aqueous began. Meanwhile, in Acid's room, the two hippogriff siblings were spending private time like they used to do when they were younger. "And this is a gift from your friend who unfortunately can't come today..." Alkali told her brother, giving him the last present he had that day. "A book about Acids and Bases, too bad its title cannot be 'Acids and Alkalis,' something I would like even more," Acid commented. "It's alright, we're still close siblings, especially since we made arrangements of when and where our next three meetings will be, so we can stay in contact," Alkali assured. "And I can't wait for your birthday, even though the food will most likely be alkaline," Acid said. "Don't worry, acidic food is allowed as well," Alkali chuckled. "And I don't need to guess, that the cake is an almond cake," Acid remarked. "You know me too well, Acid," Alkali told her brother. "Alkali, the train will be here in quarter of an hour! We got to go!" Luster called from the living room. "Whoops, I got to rush off, see you next meeting, Acid," Alkali informed. "See you next meeting sis,"Acid replied. "There you are," Evergreen greeted her hippogriff Best Friend. "Let me guess, spending some last minute time with your brother," Volcano commented. "Totally, after shunning him out for all those years," Alkali responded, scratching her head a bit. "So you made up to him by companying him!" Yellow Bright exclaimed. "The more likely correct words to say are 'by keeping him company', Yellow Bright," Sunshine Rays corrected. "Anyway, good to know that hippogriffs got long," Krona stated. "Actually, since Acid was born, he and Alkali are known as the 'Corrosive Siblings', a nickname that family and friends of their parents used to call them whenever they are together," Water Rush told the heroes. "And I bet we all know why you nicknamed them that," Falcon Dive started. "Because both acids and alkalis are corrosive," Buffer finished for the griffon. "Something that our favourite things have in common," Alkali declared. "Anyway, we're glad that you do get along after all that happened earlier," Nature Bloom remarked. "Not to interrupt your conversation, every creature, but you got to catch your train," Icicle reminded the guests. "Our train! We almost forgot! Goodbye, and see you next gathering!" Luster called to Alkali's family, before rushing off with the rest of the guests. 13. Medallion of the LionAuthor's Note Medallion of the Lion serves as the thirteenth episode of the series, as well as the mid-season finale of Season 1. This episode is inspired by the Elena of Avalor episode, Heart of the Jaguar. Summary: The Map sends Luster Dawn and a friend of the Heroic Ten's younger siblings, Gloss Semblance, to an isolated hidden area where they meet an ancient serpent, Xian Zhe, who sends them on a quest to get the Medallion of the Lion. Featured Songs: Do Not Let Fear, Ancient Serpents, Decide or Divide Featured Characters: Gloss Semblance, a preteen unicorn colt with a gloss green coat and a silver mane. Like the Heroic Ten's siblings, he is the younger sibling of a graduated student from the School of Friendship, but unlike the siblings, his sibling is the same gender as he is, and he is not related to any of the heroes by blood. Xian Zhe, a wise ancient serpent, his name is derived from the Chinese word, '先哲‘ which means sage/ great thinker of the past. He is inspired by Quita Moz from the Elena of Avalor. 13. Medallion of the Lion Early one morning during breakfast, every creature gathered around the Dining Table as for usual. "Pancakes for every creature this breakfast!" Starlight cheerfully announced. "I believe that the correct saying is 'this morning'," Volcano corrected. "Whatever, just enjoy every creature! It's not every morning that you eat these fruit faces pancakes, especially when they're inspired by the ones made by the previous Ruler of Equestria..." Starlight began, before Falcon Dive cut her off. "Princess Celestia, we know." "She tended to make them for her sister Princess Luna, every morning, something I found out when the Map summoned me to sole their friendship problem," Starlight recalled. Once Starlight's sentence was finished, her daughter's cutie mark began to glow. "Um, Luster? Is that mark supposed to do that?" Krona asked. "It is when she is summoned by the Map," Starlight explained, before gasping, "That means...the Map is calling her!" Rushing to the Throne Room, the creatures found out that the Map had not only summoned Luster, but also summoned a pony with a cutie mark of a shiny silver platter. "Is it just me, or did I see that cutie mark before?" Starlight asked, observing the floating cutie mark images on the Map. "That's because you have met the pony with that cutie mark, before, Head-mare Starlight!" Yellow Bright exclaimed. "He is the youngest brother of one on of the students at the School of Friendship!" Alkali gave a hint. "She meant, one of the former students, the student had graduated!" Evergreen clarified. "But we still take our younger siblings to see him, as in, see the pony with that cutie mark!" Buffer added. "If you can't work it out, we're talking about our siblings' unicorn friend, Gloss Semblance," Sunshine Rays stated. "Oh! Right, Gloss Semblance is the youngest brother of a former student, since their parents have three sons, and no daughters," Starlight remembered, "And Gloss tends to come to the School whenever parents and guardians can enter." "He and our younger siblings met and befriended each other on the first Parents-Teacher Conference we had," Nature Bloom recalled. "Because he was with his parents when they came," Krona added. "Just like our siblings!" Alkali contributed. "The only difference is, Gloss's sibling is the same gender as he is, and his sibling is close friends with other creatures, not us." Volcano pointed out. "I may not be there when Gloss befriended your siblings, but I do remember my first meeting with him, we became friends so instantly!" Luster remembered. "Don't mean to ruin this good conversation, every creature, but Gloss isn't here yet! And if he isn't here, Luster can't go on her mission to whatever that place on the Map that the cutie marks are floating around at!" Falcon Dive announced. "Oh, right! Thanks Falcon! I'll just use the name scan and magic compass spell I learnt before to find him, and get him here!" Luster declared, using her magic to do as she said she would do. "To make things faster, I'll give you a lift!" Falcon Dive told his unicorn bst friend, picking her up and flying out the door. In the Throne Room, every creature waited for the return of two of their best friends, just before there was a spark of magic, as Luster had teleported herself, Falcon Dive, and Gloss Semblance into the room. "Gloss Semblance, it's good to see you again!" Nature Bloom greeted. "Especially since you couldn't make it to the last birthday party we all went to, with our families!" Alkali added. "Good to see you all again, older creatures..." Gloss Semblance greeted in a rather nervous tone. "Gloss? Are you alright?" Luster asked. "Not quite!" the preteen unicorn shuddered. "Maybe he needs a little space," Luster told her best friends, taking Gloss to a corner of the room. Once they were away from the crowd, Luster asked the preteen, "What were you so uncomfortable about?" "I...I never experienced being the only kid in a room before, it was so...overwhelming!" Gloss Semblance cried. "But, you know all these creatures older than you, especially when they are the older siblings of all of your friends!" Luster pointed out. "But this time, none of my friends are around! I always feel braver with them! Without them, I feel like a coward!" Gloss sobbed. "I do feel braver with my best friends nearby, too But I do not depend on them as a source of bravery," Luster explained, "And company is actually a boost of bravery, the real source of bravery is in the creature who owns it." "But...I'm not very brave, that's why I never went to the School of Friendship, because I'm not brave enough to live somewhere my parents aren't living! My oldest brother went to the School, my older brother went to an Academics School far away, while me? Stuck in hometown because I'm too afraid to leave my parents..." Gloss sobbed. "Tell you what, I was uncomfortable when I left Sire's Hollow and my grandparents for the School for Gifted Unicorns," Luster explained, "But that was until I became close to Princess Twilight Sparkle, my mentor who can...be kind of like a mother to her students." "You are lucky to have some creature like her, but I don't," Gloss stated, looking gloomy. "But the Map had called just the two of us! Maybe we'll get along better throughout the mission! Pus, you're not going to feel like the only preteen in an adults' group since there aren't any group of adults just a duo," Luster pointed out. "Maybe you're right," Gloss replied. "Alright every creature," Luster turned to the others as she announced, "Sorry that Gloss can't quite handle being the youngest in a huge group, he needed some space, and I'm sure I can take him on whatever mission the Map has for us, so no reason to worry." "Except for the fact that you are chronologically younger than him," Starlight said with a smirk. "Mum, that doesn't matter because of the age spell..." Luster reminded. Starlight giggled, "Just joking, I know that, Luster. And by the way, safe travels." After getting off the train, the unicorns were amazed by the natural sight, as there were no houses nor buildings around. "Why would the Map send us here? There probably won't be any friendship problems to solve if there aren't any creatures here to have such problems!" Gloss whimpered. "Or maybe the problem can be a problem that the problem solvers themselves have!" Luster figured. "What do you mean?" Gloss asked, still afraid. "Well, my grandparents told me that they used to have problems, and soon, when the Map sent my parents to solve it, my parents realised that the friendship problem they had to solve, is their relationship with their parents," Luster explained. "So, you think that the Map sent us here to solve...our friendship problem? I mean, can't it just send us to Ponyville to look for the problem and get along?" Gloss asked. "I don't think 'send' is the right word for this situation, I mean, there wouldn't be much of a send, if we were already there..." Luster told the preteen. "Or maybe the Map's broken! Or Discord messed with it to send us on a wild goose chase like he did when he sent the School of Friendship's first and former teachers away!" Gloss figured, "We probably should just go back..." "No way Gloss, maybe there are creatures here that we have to help, only...right now, we haven't found them. Maybe they live deep in these woods surrounding the Train Station," Luster interfered, "We should explore it and check, just to be sure that it is, or is not a false alarm." "But...the woods is...somewhere we never bent too! Plus, I don't think many creatures go there! It can be dangerous!" Gloss cried. "Then we'll just use our magic to defend ourselves, simple as that," Luster said in a calm, easy-going tone. "No! " Gloss cried as he hung onto Luster's back legs. "What was that for?" Luster asked. "I'm sorry, Luster. It's just that...I don't want either of us to go in there, nor do I want both of us going there. It's just so...scary," Gloss whimpered. "Gloss, it's not even as scary as it is at night! And I can just conjure up a force field as we walk in there! We'll be fine!" Luster assured. "You can keep on saying that, but I just...can't think the way you do!" gloss cried. "Gloss Semblance, you don't have to worry. Things are only scary because you think they are! Scared is a feeling, and just like other feelings, creatures feel them because of different things, and what the creature themselves are like. In other words, what you are scared of might not be what I'm scared of, because it is only scary to you, so the real thing can't be that scary," Luster explained. "I will like to believe you, but I'm not so sure how I'm supposed to brave my way though the mission!" Gloss replied sadly. "Don't worry, a little company should be enough to boost your bravery," Luster assured, hopping into the woods, followed by Gloss, as light, upbeat, positive music started playing. Luster sang, "Take a look, listen and smell of this amazing natural place! What you first think can be proven wrong, as you take a closer gaze. Keep your feelings and worries down as they can alter your views, what is real remains reality and you see it as what you choose! Don't let your characteristics take away the beauty of your surroundings, the reality can be better than what you think of certain things. Never let your fear, make the refreshing water feel freezing, put all of your negativity aside, and let your world be pleasing. Look closely and you will see, the branches are just the regular branches that they always will be. Strolling and seeing the little animals roaming around, in the tall trees, or safely on the ground. Don't let your characteristics take away the beauty of your surroundings, the reality can be better than what you think of certain things. Never let your fear, make the refreshing water feel freezing, put all of your negativity aside, and let your world be pleasing. What can look awful or frightening only worsens, as you let your negative thoughts make some twitches and turns. The only way to not view them as something not scary nor frightening, is to tell yourself, that it is only terrifying because of what you are thinking. Don't let your characteristics take away the beauty of your surroundings, the reality can be better than what you think of certain things. Never let your fear, make the refreshing water feel freezing, put all of your negativity aside, and let your world be pleasing." After the song ended, the two unicorns were in front of a huge boulder that was surrounded by bushes. "I guess you are right Luster, I did let myself get scared by making things look scary to me, so everything here can be rather pleasing and alright, nothing to be afraid of," Gloss told his companion. "That's the spirit, Gloss! And a reason why positivity is one of the Elements of Purity," Luster replied. "And maybe we can get a better view by standing on the top of this boulder," Gloss suggested. "Worth a shot," Luster replied, teleporting them both on to the top of the rock, only to fall through the intangible surface and find a secret cavern underneath! "That surface was an illusion!" Luster said her thoughts out loud. "Does this mean that there are more illusions in this woods?" Gloss whimpered. "No there aren't, the illusion you just found is the only one here," a somewhat old voice could be heard saying. One of the tree roots from the underground caverns turned into a fifty-metres long serpent, who slithered down towards the unicorns. Gloss Semblance whimpered and hugged Luster in fear, as the serpent chuckled. "What's wrong, kid? Never seen a serpent before?" "Well, don't mind him, he can be afraid of countless things, unlike me," Luster told the serpent. "That's alright, even I was scared of serpents bigger than me when I was little, way back when. By the way, I'm Xian Zhe, named after the Chinese word that means sage, or great thinker of the past. And it is a pleasure to meet you two unicorns," "It's a pleasure to meet you too, Xian Zhe. Anyway, I am Luster Dawn, and this is Gloss Semblance, a friend of my best friends' younger siblings." Luster Dawn introduced. "Good to meet and know you both, although, one of you seems to have a great problem that needs to be solved," Xian Zhe stated, closing into the unicorns, causing Gloss Semblance to hug Luster even tighter. "And...that problem is a lack of courage, and it is obviously, manifestly, Gloss's problem," Xian Zhe plainly said, pointing his tail at the younger unicorn. Luster then gasped, "Could this be the friendship problem...or basically, the problem the Map sent us to solve?" "Did you mean, the Castle of Friendship's magical map? The one grown by the Tree of Harmony?" Xian Zhe asked. "How did you know about it?" Luster asked. "That's because, I'm not any regular, common, ordinary serpent; I'm a special, divine, ancient serpent, the rarest serpent around! And I can sense what's happening around Equestria, and most likely the big changes everyday!" Xian Zhe explained. "I don't remember reading such thing! Or such creatures that can do that!" Luster scratched her head.. "That's because..." Xian Zhe started, before singing. "Ancient serpents are very special creatures; they can live up to twelve decades, one of their many rare features!" "Twelve decades?! That's 120 years!" Gloss Semblance interrupted by saying his thoughts out loud, before Luster shushed him. "They eat both plants and meat, but despite their great size, a plateful is the most they can eat! They have the ability to store trillions of joules, all from consuming several food molecules." "Are you telling the truth? Because that sounds too impossible to be true!" Gloss Semblance could not help but say, before Luster pulled him back with her magic. "Gloss! Let him finish explaining!" "Ancient serpents are not usually seen, because they spend their time protecting their lairs, and keeping it clean. Most importantly, they get a lair to look after, once they passed a big test, and become their mentors successor." "Mentor's successor?! Just like Princess Twilight Sparkle!" Luster could not help but comment. "Oh great, now you are the creature interrupting," Gloss Semblance responded. "Every ancient serpent with a lair of their own, has a duty to watch all of its magic, and keep it hidden with stone. Ensuring that no creature unworthy, will ever get such power that might shape reality..." "So, this lair contains magic powerful enough to do that?!" Luster asked. "It does," Xian Zhe replied, "In fact, every ancient serpent protects unique magical things from the outside world, so no creature can mess with them, which is why they keep them, and themselves hidden in lairs that are hidden from everything. But fortunately, you two are nothing like threats I have to protect this lair from." "Ancient serpents may not have wings nor look light, but they have the ability of bird-like flight! But they sadly have a low reproduction ability, one couple can only have offsprings as many as three..." "Maybe that's why you're so rare, you don't have much of you to begin with," Luster figured in a somewhat sorry tone. The next second, Xian Zhe immediately switched back to a cheerful tone as he sang. "But cheer up! There are so many wonderful things about ancient serpents! They can do so much, they don't need any servants! But they are still the friendly kind, they totally welcome friends, and can put burden behind..." After the song ended, Gloss Semblance caught Luster Dawn's attention, "Luster, can I have a private talk with you?" "Sure, you can," Luster relied, before telling Xian Zhe, "Can you please excuse us for a second?" "Of course, if only I don't have knowledge of many things power!" Xian Zhe answered. "What is it?" Luster asked in a soft tone. "I'm getting really scared: I mean, a serpent who barely leaves his lair? Saying that he is the rarest species of serpent around? And he keeps a lot of magical things in his lair? And he says that his species can live up to twelve decades old?! Do you think that's too out-of-the-ordinary?" Gloss asked. "It can be very hard to believe, but don't forget, former Rulers of Equestria, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are much older than regular creatures, something that is very uncommon, too! As well as Dragon Lordess Ember's father, the former Dragon Lord!" Luster pointed out. "But they didn't hide from every creature! Unlike he does! And staying in a lair deep in a woods with a secret entrance? Those former rulers don't have something like that!" Gloss Semblance argued. "Gloss Semblance, Xian Zhe already explained his reason why he hides here, I believe the real reason why you think he is a little...appalling, is because you're thinking of too much negative thoughts, that's what negative thoughts do: Mostly nothing good," Luster assured. "Looks like what Gloss Semblance needs is something even more powerful than any magic, to be confident and brave," Xian Zhe told the unicorns, "And I know just the thing he needs to find: The Medallion of the Lion, whoever can get it from the King Lion will undoubtedly be some creature with unspeakable bravery." "Are you sure he needs that? I mean, he'd probably gain courage as he gets older like every creature does," Luster responded. "But what about the problem that we have to solve? And my courage problem?" Gloss asked. "Well, solving one problem is better than solving none," Xian Zhe stated, "And don't worry, the medallion is right around the corner, or kind of around the corner, as far as I can get you to the King Lion, is to the border of his kingdom," the serpent swiped his tail and made a magical portal to another realm. "Do you think that we have to go there? I mean, who would want to go up close to an actual...lion?" Gloss asked Luster, shuddering. "Well, we might have to at least give it a shot, so we won't miss anything, plus, Nature Bloom taught me that we should always start a first meeting by being polite and respectful," Luster answered. "Oh, and one more thing: You must remember, that the realm the King Lion resides in, have magic of its own. You unicorns best not try your own magic there, because the realm is nothing like the world you live in. And one more warning: It is safer to reverse your answers there." Xian Zhe warned. "Don't worry, we will," Luster vowed, before walking through the portal with Gloss. Reaching the realm, the unicorns were amazed by the natural surroundings with many animals whom they usually could not understand like other creatures. "So this realm is just filled wild animals from the African Savannah? Like giraffes, elephants, antelopes, gazelles and birds? I don't see any magic here! Maybe Xian Zhe just said that so we wouldn't use our magic and make things tougher! We should just use magic to find the King Lion, and get what we came for, and leave!" Gloss suggested. "I'm not so sure we should do that right away, we can just ask the animals for directions, no need to use magic for that!" Luster pointed out. "Fine," Gloss Semblance responded, following Luster. Approaching two giraffes, Luster asked, "Excuse, me, giraffe? Do you know where we can find the King Lion?" "The King Lion?!" the giraffes asked in a somewhat shocked tone. "Why would you want to find him?" one of the giraffes, the female giraffe, asked. "He doesn't usually get visitors, but he still has guards to protect his territory!" the other giraffe, the male giraffe explained. Gloss Semblance whimpered to hear what the giraffes said, shuddering, "Th King Lion doesn't have visitors? That is so unusual, especially for a ruler!" "But do you know how to get to his territory from here?" Luster asked. "We do, but we never dared to go there," the female giraffe replied. "Just go straight uphill and through the maze, his territory is in the very centre," the other giraffe explained. "Thanks for the directions!" Luster thanked, walking off with Gloss Semblance following. "Just be careful!" both giraffes said in unison. "See? Asking isn't that hard," Luster assured the colt. "But maybe that's just the ease before the advance, what if they can't be trusted? I mean, we're probably creatures they have never seen before, and yet they just give us directions without asking us questions? Do you think that it's odd?" Gloss asked. "But Gloss, back in Sire's Hollow and Canterlot, whenever some creature asks me for directions, I just directly answer them and not ask where they are from, or why they are skingquestions!" Luster pointed out. "But those giraffes sound scared when you ask them about the King Lion, you don't think that the king is...scary? Do you?" Gloss Semblance whimpered. "Maybe they just think he is scary, so in reality, he isn't," Luster positively figured. "I just hope that you are right..." Gloss Semblance said as he followed her. The two unicorns then spotted the maze when they made it to the top of the earlier mentioned hill. "There's the maze! And...the centre looks like a huge mountain," Luster observed. "This really makes no sense! Lions do not live in mountains! They usually live around rock formations in the savannah! This is the weirdest thing I've ever encountered!" Gloss Semblance remarked. "Come on Gloss, let's just get what we need and go as soon as we do so," Luster assured. Once they reached the entrance of the maze, two male rhinoceros, like Royal Guards, stopped them. "Halt! Who goes there?!" the large animals said in unison. Fearfully, Gloss Semblance nervously replied, "No creature..." "Excuse me, please don't mind us being from another realm, but we will probably leave as soon as we get the Medallion of the Lion," Luster told the rhinoceros. "Any good reason why you would want that medallion?" the other rhinoceros asked. Gloss Semblance walked backwards in fear as Luster stood in front of him, "An ancient serpent said that my friend Gloss Semblance here needs to find it, and we can't go back if we don't get it." "If what you were saying was true, why isn't your friend the one doing the saying?" one of the rhinoceros asked, with steam flowing out from his nostrils. The unicorn colt whimpered as the events unfold, but Luster managed to advice her friend, "Remember! Things are only scary because you think they are!" Gaining courage from Luster's advice, Gloss Semblance stood up to the rhinoceros, "The only reason I didn't do the talking, is because I was scared, and thinking of all sorts of negative things that hold me down. Now, this instant, I am telling you: Brave or not, I'm going to get that medallion and return to where I belong! And most likely, you will never have to deal with me coming here, ever again!" The rhinoceros looked at each other, before one of them responded, "You sure have bravery in you, kid." "And that's something that makes you unlike every animal in this realm! Except for your friend here," the other rhinoceros stated. "You both may enter," the two large creatures made way for the unicorns, allowing them to get into the maze. "You did it!" Luster praised, as she and Gloss Semblance walked down the path in between the maze hedge walls. "Only because you were there to advise me," Gloss Semblance replied. The two unicorns quickly encountered a decision: They had to choose between the left and right paths. "Which way do we go?" Gloss Semblance asked. "Left or right?" Luster said her thoughts out loud. "We must get it right! If we got it wrong..." Gloss began, before he realised something, "Wait...get it right? Switch answers? Maybe we should just go left all the time when we have to choose! Because we have to reverse our answer! And the reverse of right in the directions' case is left!" "Alright, left we go!" Luster exclaimed, trotting off and causing the preteen to follow her. Not long after making a few turns, the two unicorns encountered a board with a math question on it. "State the maximum or minus value of the graph? How can a natural habitat like this have a math question? Don't tell me that there are secret academics, educational schools here!" Gloss Semblance said his thoughts out loud. "It's not just a math question: It's an Additional Mathematics question! Volcano and Alkali taught me how to do it, you just start with some factorising and..." Luster began, while activating her magic to write the answer, but unfortunately, she found that instead of doing what she wanted it to do, her magic was levitating all sorts of things, including her friend! "I'm so sorry, Gloss!" Luster apologised. as she deactivated her magic, causing everything to fall." "I guess now we know what Xian Zhe meant about magic here," Gloss Semblance groaned. "Who goes there?!" a female cheetah asked, causing the unicorns to turn their attention towards her and her companion, a male cheetah. "Just...two creatures needing to see the King Lion..." Gloss Semblance nervously answered. "You sound rather nervous, are you hiding something?" the male cheetah growled after she asked her question, scaring the colt. "Gloss, remember? What you think is scary?" Luster reminded. "Is not really that scary," Gloss finished for her, as he took a deep breath and faced the cheetahs, "I am not hiding anything. My friend and I just need the Medallion of the Lion so that we can leave." "You are brave to go this far, but you need to have something valuable to trade the king for the medallion," the female cheetah responded, "Don't have anything, and he will barely give you that medallion for free." "But we don't have anything that is worth a lot to give him!" Gloss Semblance ejaculated. "You can find a diamond to trade," the male cheetah suggested, "All you have to do is answer that math question, and use your answer to figure out which one of the points on the graph that you must go." "Which one of the points on the graph that you must go?" Gloss Semblance repeated the sentence in shock, "But the graph's too small for us to fit in!" "Not the actual one on the ground," the female cheetah stated. "As soon as you draw your graph on that board, the graph on the ground will appear as well," the male cheetah explained. "Alright, Gloss, since some creature your age won't get a hang of Additional Mathematics, I might as well do it, despite my chronological age." Luster declared, as she used the dirt on the ground as ink, and her hoof to write. As she wrote, the preteen unicorn noticed lines forming on the ground the cheetahs pointed at. "Luster, look! Whatever that's on that board is the same as whatever is on the ground!" Gloss Semblance called. Luster moved her head to see the ground that the board was blocking from her view, seeing the lines like the ones on her graph, Luster giggled, "Looks like this place really does have magic of its own." After a while of difficulty, Luster eventually completed the graph, ending with the coordinated of the graph's maximum point. "Alright Gloss, because the coefficient of x square is a negative number, this graph has a maximum value that serves as the turning point. And the coordinates of that point is (5/3, 66/9) Now, 66/9 is the y value, and since the graph is asking for the maximum value, we should just choose the y value." Luster told her friend. "But wait, we have to reverse our answers, so maybe instead of positive 66/9, we should go for negative 66/9," Gloss Semblance suggested. "Um...Gloss, the y-axis on the graph do not go that far down!" Luster stated. "Then maybe we should try going down the x value instead! That's the reverse of y, is it?" Gloss Semblance asked. "Well, maybe in this realm," Luster remarked. "Or maybe the y value? Or just draw the negative y value? Oh...why is it so hard to get a hang of this place?!" Gloss Semblance asked. "You got to hurry," the male cheetah warned the unicorns. "Because once the graph is completed, you are expected to go, go, go!" the female cheetah added. "And if you don't make up your decision...or you will most likely suffer a division!" the other cheetah continued. "Lose what?!" Gloss Semblance asked. But instead of directly answering his question, the cheetahs began to sing. "Time is running pass, time is running fast. You got to make your decision, or you will get a division. Decide or divide, so you better choose a side, could it be wrong, or could it be right? You'll find out by going on a ride!" During an instrumental bridge, Gloss Semblance figured, "Wait, the maximum value or the minimum value? Since on the y-axis, minimum values are down at the very bottom, and we would usually find diamonds deep down, and things are reversed here, we should go up the y-axis and go for the maximum value, which is on the graph!" "Alright, then through the maximum value it is!" Luster announced, about to go onto the huge life-sized graph. "Unless that is what they want us to think!" Gloss semblance suddenly thought and said out loud, "We should go for the minimum value instead." "But when the coefficient of x square is a negative number, there are no minimum points nor values! Just a maximum!" Luster stated. "You must make your choice, before this plant splits apart!" sang the cheetahs, as they stood around a plant with a large fruit. "If you do not, you might get an attack on your heart!" The cheetahs' words were making Gloss Semblance even more anxious and panicked as he tried to figure it out, "Maybe we should include the x-coordinate? Or maybe go for the x value? Or go for the exact maximum point involving both x and y coordinates?! I just can't decide!" "Decide or divide, so you better choose a side, could it be wrong, or could it be right? You'll find out by going on a ride!" As the music went on and the cheetahs repeat the chorus, Luster noticed that the plant was getting very close to the last seconds before its splits. "Gloss! The plant!" "Luster, be careful!" Gloss Semblance called out. The cheetahs ended the song with, "Divide!" Unfortunately for Luster, when she reached the plant, it bursted open, scattering several seeds on the ground where she stood. To make matters worse, the seeds grew into a new plant that sprayed magical dust on her, making her cough as she went through a transformation, to Gloss Semblance's shock. "Luster! Are you alright?" the colt ran up to his friend, to his horror, instead of a unicorn, all Gloss Semblance could see was a parrot with Luster Dawn's colours. "Luster?! Is that you?!" Luster did not seem to remember anything her regular self knew, as she acted like a wild parrot, being focused on animal needs. "Seeds! Seeds! Seeds!" she chanted, as she flew forward, trying to find the mentioned food. "Hey, where are you going?! I need you with me!" Gloss Semblance called, running after Luster, but he unfortunately fell right through the intangible ground that had the graph drawn on it. Once he landed after a scream as he fell, Gloss Semblance looked up to see the mirrored image of the graph on the underground cavern ceiling, something unpleasantly surprising. "Are you kidding me?! I was having a horribly tough time making a decision that isn't even necessary because all points lead to the same place here?!" The preteen then turned to look at a diamond in the cavern, gasping once his sight sensed it. "The diamond! All I need to do now is get it to the King Lion, and hopefully go back with Luster," Gloss Semblance told himself, just before gasping, "Oh no, Luster! I can't leave her here! Neither can I take her back without changing her back into a unicorn..." "Seeds!" Luster could be heard squawking, catching Gloss Semblance's attention as he turned to notice the entrance of the caverns, about thirty metres away. "Luster!" the preteen unicorn called, as he picked up the diamond with his hooves, placing it on his back, "Wait up!" Once he was out, he quickly caught up with his friend, "Luster..." he panted, "Please stop flying around without me, I really need you by my side..." Luster obviously did not listen to Gloss Semblance's words, as she continued squawking, "Seeds!" "What did I just tell you?!" Gloss Semblance asked Luster, annoyed that she flew off out-of-control again, during the chase, he mumbled to himself, "Now I know what that 'divide' and 'attack on the heart' means..." After chasing Luster, Gloss Semblance soon found what she was looking for in the area she circled around. "Luster...look at what I got..." Gloss Semblance said in a persuasive tone that lured Luster to him, as he held up a leaf of seeds with his front right hoof. "Seeds!" Luster exclaimed, charging at the preteen. "Then come and get them!" Gloss Semblance called, running with the diamond on his back, and the leaf pocket filled with seeds in his mouth. Soon, the two reached the mountain foot, where the chase ended as Gloss gave Luster the seeds "Luster, I may not have any seeds left, after you eat them all, but can you please stay close to me and not fly off wild and on the loose?" the unicorn asked, as she pecked on the seeds. Luster did not answer, but she responded by giving him a warm nuzzle, causing him to giggle, "Oh, Luster! I guess that is a yes." The two then looked at the mountain and its height, before the preteen unicorn declared, "Well, all we got to do know is...climb and find the king." The scene then changed to show the two as they hiked up the mountain, with Gloss saying his thoughts out loud, "Who would want to live on a mountain that' really tall? Especially at the peak? Probably some creature who doesn't like visitors...and why is it getting colder and windier?" The freezing winds on the mountain acted like friction, as it opposed Gloss Semblance and Luster's motion. After all their struggles, the two finally reached their destination, with Gloss Semblance panting and wheezing for air. "We finally made it! Now...as soon as we meet the king, the sooner we can leave..." The gates to the king's lair opened after Gloss Semblance gave it a push, catching the attention of the former. "Who dares enter my lair?!" King Lion roared, revealing himself to the visitors. Getting scared, Gloss nervously started a conversation with the lion, "Hi...I'm Gloss Semblance, and I came here to ask you if I can trade this diamond for the Medallion of the Lion..." King Lion was where near pleased, responding with a roar, "NO!" "No?!" Gloss Semblance repeated in a shock tone. "But I will keep the cute, little birdie instead," King Lion said, turning his eye on Luster. "What?! No! She's my friend!" Gloss Semblance cried. King Lion went closer and closer, making the frightened colt retreat, allowing the former to grab Luster. "Birdie stays, while you and your diamond offer goes!" Determined to not lose his friend, Gloss Semblance snatched Luster from the king's paws, and tried to dash off with her. Unfortunately, the king was even faster, and managed to snatch Luster from the colt's left front hoof. "Luster! No!" Gloss Semblance called. "Lionesses! Get him out of my sight!" King Lion called, summoning several lionesses who surrounded the colt, who quickly tried to use his magic to. fight, only for it to fail and give out nothing but sparks. The lionesses then moved in on the colt, as the scene went black. Gloss Semblance was soon imprisoned underneath a rock pile like a prisoner locked in a dungeon. With his magic not working, all he could do was call for help, "Xian Zhe?! I'm sorry I messed up this badly, but I can really use some help now!" Unfortunately, there was no answer, leaving him to figure a way out all on his own. "If Luster were here, she'd probably just bravely try her best to get out..." the preteen figured, "But...I am not her, and now, I don't have any magic. Plus, I'm not match for those lionesses, and I can't get out without making the rock pile collapse on me. And...I still haven't figured out why the King Lion did not accept my offer?! I mean, who would want to have a bird more than a diamond?" Gloss Semblance then looked at his reflection in the shiny diamond's surface. Staring at his reflection, made him gain a different kind of reflection. "What have I done? What a fearful coward I was the entire way, especially after how Luster told me that things are only scary and...awful when I think they are, and mostly because I am thinking negatively...so it means.." he gasped as he realised something, "The King Lion isn't that scary! And he probably doesn't like it when I'm scared of him! Just like the other animals today, I was scared of him! He might not like being feared of by every creature... just like...what regular creatures are like...I was the one scaring myself the entire time, I should have known." "What is he crying about?" one of the lioness guards asked. "Who cares, as long as the king doesn't see him close to the birdie, he's fine," the other lioness guard replied. Their conversation immediately reminded Gloss Semblance abut the King Lion and Luster. "Luster! I must save her, no matter what!" the colt told himself, with determination in his tone and heart, "But first, I need to get out of here..." He then looked up and said to himself "The rock pile will collapse on me if I moved one of the rocks surrounding me..." he then looked at the ground he was standing on, "But there aren't any rock piles below me! ?I'll just use magic and try to blast the ground, hopefully, it works..." With a determined and brave expression on his face, Gloss Semblance activate his magic and destroyed the ground he was standing on, falling down with a scream, catching the lioness guards' attention. "The prisoner escaped!" one of them told the other. "We better warn the king..." was the reply. Armed with his bravery and determination to save his friend, Gloss Semblance was able to perform his spells like he could in his home world, being able to make his hon glow like a super-powered torch, and levitate the diamond as he ran. "I'm coming, Luster!" Gloss Semblance called, rushing out of the caverns in the mountain, and soon up the trail until he was back at King Lion's lair. "You again?!" the king roared. "Yes, it is me, Gloss Semblance, and I am here to inform you that I need my friend back, and as a king, you should put others before yourself, regardless of whether they are your subjects, or not."the colt confronted, surprising the king, who backed down a bit. King Lion then smiled, "Now that is the spirit I was hoping to see from you!" "Wait, you were?" Gloss Semblance asked in a tone with confusion, but not fear. "I never saw any animal who isn't afraid of me before, you are the very first one to do so, something I'm proud of you for, therefore, you may have your friend back," the king gave the unicorn Luster, who was happy to be reunited with the colt. "Thank you, your Majesty, and, I'm sorry about what I've done to escape from the rock pile prison, I would make up for it by being the creature who repairs it," Gloss Semblance vowed. "That is a noble offer you got there, Gloss Semblance but my guards have already done so, a while ago..." was the reply. "If you say so, and one more final thing before I go...Your Majesty, may I please have the Medallion of the Lion, in exchange for this diamond?" the colt asked politely with a bow. "Sounds like a fair deal...I accept it," King Lion answered, before he took out the said medallion from his fur, like a magician trick. After the trade was finished, Gloss Semblance replied, "Thank you so much, Your Majesty," before picking up Luster and calling, "Alright, Xian Zhe, you can come out now, I got the Medallion of the Lion, and once I got it, Luster and I should be going back, remember?" The surroundings suddenly transformed back into Xian Zhe's lair, as Luster turned back into a unicorn. "What did I miss?" she asked, confused. "Oh Luster, I'm so glad that you're back to normal, and not a seed-obsessed parrot!" Gloss Semblance hugged his friend, causing them both to share a laugh. "You two are really interesting creatures..." King Lion said, as he approached the two unicorns. "King Lion? Your Majesty? Shouldn't you be in your realm?" Gloss Semblance asked. The king chuckled, "I actually am in my realm, because I am..." within a second, the lion transformed into something surprising. "Xian Zhe?!" the unicorns asked in unison. "You were the King Lion, this entire time?!" Gloss Semblance asked. "Indeed I was, I just set that whole test up so you can finally find the unspeakable bravery you need," the ancient serpent explained. "So... the Medallion of the Lion doesn't give whoever has it courage, getting it from the King Lion proves that they have courage!" the colt finally understood. "And your courage really proved itself strong when you were able to activate your magic and have it to obey your commands despite the environment in that realm," Xian Zhe added. "Probably because saving my friend was the only thing that mattered to me, something that really boosted my courage," Gloss Semblance figured. "I may not remember what I did or went through after getting sprayed by that plant, but, everything you two are saying is quite enough to know for now..." Luster stated. "And since the medallion doesn't give any creature any courage, I believe that I don't need it, and therefore, I'm going to return it to its rightful owner," Gloss Semblance said, levitating the medallion to the ancient serpent. "That's nice of you Gloss Semblance, but I believe that you should have it, as a token and reminder of this day," Xian Zhe replied. "Thank you so much, Xian Zhe, and I'm ready to hear more from you anytime, because now that I know I have courage the whole time, I will not scare myself with any of those stuff I think of," Gloss Semblance responded, just as his and Luster's cutie marks glowed. "That means our work here is done!" Luster exclaimed. "And it turns out, the Map did send us to solve our own problem! Or more technically...my problem..." Gloss Semblance said, somewhat embarrassed. "And this is a very valuable lesson to learn. Can I please report a letter to Princess Twilight Sparkle about this?" Luster asked the two for permission. "Sure, but please tell the Princess that she should be more careful with information about rare creatures, especially when they have a reason to hide from every creature," Xian Zhe pointed out. "Don't worry Xian Zhe, I promise that this letter will not say a word about you, if you really wanted that," Luster assured. "I respect your decision, Luster Dawn," Xian Zhe chuckled. Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle, Today, the Map sent Gloss Semblance, a friend of the younger siblings of my best friends, and I out of Ponyville to solve a problem, but we soon found out that the problem was Gloss' lack of courage problem. He overcame his fears when he finally took in my saying that things are only scary to the creature who thinks that they are, so in reality, they are not. Gloss Semblance soon found out that courage and bravery have always been with their owners, and friends and allies only help boost their courage and bravery, but never really give them it. Gloss Semblance's courage became the strongest thing he ever had when he was determined to save me, his friend. Therefore, the Magic of Friendship has the ability to boost courage and bravery, among its many wonders. Signed, your faithful student, Luster Dawn After Luster sent the scroll away, Xian Zhe asked the unicorns, "So, now that some creature finally let his courage and bravery out, should I tell you more about ancient serpents?" "Well, I can stay, but not for too long, especially when I have school on Monday," Gloss Semblance stated, "And we promised every creature that we will be home as soon as the mission is accomplished. "I respect your promise-keeping spirit, colt. Of course you two may go, but don't forget to visit me if you can!" Xian Zhe replied, waving them goodbye. "We will!" Gloss Semblance answered before Luster teleported both unicorns out of the lair. 15. The Solo MissionAuthor's Note The Solo Mission serves as the fifteenth episode of the series. This episode is inspired by the Big Hero Six The Series episode, Fan Friction. Summary: Nature Bloom goes on her very first solo mission when a new fan fiction book about the Heroic Ten and the creatures they have relationships with, humiliates all of them except her. Featured Characters: Mitigate, a young adult serpent residing in the Smokey Mountains. Like Nature Bloom, he can be sensitive, despite publishing a fanfic about his favourite heroes. 15. The Solo Mission Inside the Castle of Friendship Hallway, Nature Bloom whimpered as she stared at Luster Dawn's magically created obstacle course. "Come on, Nature, it's just for a little while, then it's over...shouldn't be too hard..." she muttered to herself, before she closed her eyes and charged blindly through the obstacles. The turquoise-green changeling's method was proven to be quite unsuccessful, as she got hit by the popping spines, poisonous gas shot out by the large wild flowers, and caught in the thorns. Seeing how bad their Best Friend was in the obstacle course, the rest of the Heroic Ten decided to keep the course away, with Luster using her magic to return the hallway to normal. "That is the sixth failure in a row, Nature!" Falcon Dive complained. "Not to discourage you, Nature, but you need a lot more practice and confidence, and bravery to pass!" Alkali stated. "I know that means I'm awful..." Nature Bloom sobbed. "Now, now, Nature, you'll get there some day!" Evergreen assured, sitting next to the crying changeling. "Like all of us did!" Buffer added. "We know you can do it, Nature Bloom!" Yellow Bright cheered. "But, I just broke the fail record!" Nature cried. "Krona may failed five times and got mad, but she made it in the end." Krona declared like a yak. "What if I never past? That could mean I'll never be strong enough to go solo!" Nature cried, "And that will mean I'll be super dependent of others!" "Don't worry, we will be there for you when you need us most!" Luster assured. "And the purpose of this solo obstacle course training is to help us gain independence spirit," Sunshine Rays pointed out. "But the whole reason behind it, is to train ourselves to be independent!" Nature Bloom pointed out. "To prepare us in case we have to do something on our own!" Falcon Dive explained. "But we barely have something to do on our own, other than our personal things, of course!" Volcano stated. "For now, we're going to be at your side and go through everything together if we can," Luster assured. "And if your ways don't work, you can always try ours, or seek our advice and suggestions," Evergreen figured. "It's only when we can't, you'll be handling it alone!" Falcon Dive stated. "Which is impossible! I mean, there's barely a time we can't help you when you need us most!" Yellow Bright pointed out. "I hope so, I really am not good at going...solo..." Nature Bloom replied, sadly walking away, leaving her best friends behind to look at each other... After the series' theme song intro, the sun could be seen rising outside the Castle of Friendship, marking the start of the next day. Nature Bloom joined every creature for breakfast at the Dining Table, as usual. "Good morning, every creature! So, what are we going to do today? It's a Saturday, we're all mostly available with nothing to do, other than whatever we can..." Nature began, before being interrupted by a burst of magic that suddenly appeared in the room. "Eclipse Instant! Shapeshifter! What's with the sudden undeclared visit?!" Luster Dawn asked the two creatures who had teleported in. "We're so sorry about that, Luster." Shapeshifter apologised. "We were travelling around Equestria and Beyond, but stopped because of...this..." Eclipse Instant explained, levitating a book for every creature to see. Luster took a look at the book's cover and read its title out loud, "An Alternate Route for the Heroic Ten?!" the unicorn gasped, before noticing something, "It is just a fanfic, nothing much to worry about, fanfics are quite common ever since long ago!" "But fanfics about real creatures?!" Sunshine Rays pointed out. "That is totally different from fanfics about characters!" Falcon Dive contributed. "And we don't think you all are going to like this one..." Shapeshifter informed. Luster, the fastest reader, levitated the book in front of her and read the chapters silently, getting shocked and shocked as each second flew by. "So, what's the book about?" Krona asked. "Something that most likely won't happen in our world!" Luster answered. "Ooh! Can it be all of us having some special super powers that we don't really have?!" Yellow Bright asked, "I mean, superpowers and action stories are pretty popular as many age groups come up with such ideas!" "Something like that..." Luster replied, as Yellow Bright took the book and and a look in its pages. "What?!" the Earth Pony shrieked. "We figured that would happen..." Eclipse Instant plainly said. "When you see it..." Shapeshifter added. "Yellow Bright going on a date with Evergreen?! In a place far away from the crowds and towns, the wilderness?! A picnic?! And kissing?!" the Earth Pony summarised, before calling to the friend he mentioned, "Evergreen, what do you think? I mean, what do you think bout this?!" "Well, I think that it might be a little..." the Kirin sneezed before she could finish the sentence. "Are you alright, Evergreen?" Nature Bloom asked in a concerned tone. "Somewhat alright..." the Kirin let out another sneeze before a series of sneezes began, causing every creature else to back off. "I think you need to rest, Evergreen," Nature Bloom advised, "Rest will enable your body to heal, as your white blood cells fight the viruses in your systems." Before Evergreen would respond, Krona yelled, "What is this?!" The yak had taken a look in some other pages in the book, and that meant some other part of the story, and she was certainly not pleased with it, at all. "Krona building a statue of her and Buffer that is as big as they are?! Krona can't build! Doesn't whoever wrote this know?!" Krona roared hr question out loud. "Come on, Krona, maybe we should get you away from this," Buffer suggested, leading his yak Best Friend away. "Is there anymore?" Falcon Dive asked, before he quickly got an answer that was obviously not the kind that he would be hoping for. "There is more, alright! And worst of all, it is something that I really don't like! Well, precisely one part of it is something I really dislike!" Sunshine Rays started, before showing the griffon the page. "Falcon Rays?! Sunshine and Falcon's relationship name?!" was the shock reaction. "That doesn't sound right..." Volcano said his thoughts out loud. "Of course it isn't right?! This never happened!" Sunshine Rays responded, "And it's pretty awful to the creatures this fanfic is about! I mean, their relationship story is something no creature but friends and families should know!" "If Falcon Dive and Sunshine Rays were to get together, Sunshine would be known as Sunshine Dive or Mrs. Dive, not the other way around with Falcon being known as Falcon Rays!" Volcano explained. The pegasus and griffon were unpleased to discover what their dragon Best Friend was really thinking about. "What?! Out of all the bad things, that's what you're most concerned about?!" Falcon Dive asked in a rather mad manner, like Sunshine Rays whenever she went insane. Their conversation was interrupted by some creature who did not get upset with the book, flipping through it and reading with a positive spirit and a small smile expression on her face. "Alkali, how can you be pleased with something that upsets and humiliates your best friends?!" Sunshine Rays angrily asked. Upon hearing the question, Alkali turned to the pegasus, "Sorry every creature, there's just this chapter...I mean storyline...or whatever...about me and my little brother, Acid. And it says here in this book that Acid is my only sibling, a decade younger, or more precisely, almost a decade younger than me." "That's quite true! I mean, Acid is indeed your only sibling, and your age difference is correct," Volcano stated. "Lucky you," Falcon Dive huffed, not being satisfied nor pleased with some creature else's fortunes this time round. But as soon as the short phrase was said, Alkali's calmness disappeared when she gasped and read, "Acid returned to Alkali after his encounter with that scorpion, but instead of praising him for getting rid of that threat, Alkali nicknamed him 'Acidic', and Acid thought, I knew that she would not be idolised!" "Nicknaming your brother instead of showing concern for him?!" Volcano asked, before commenting, "That is so not you! I mean, you will never do that!" "Acid, finally becoming resentful towards his sister and alkalis, turned into a villain named Acidic, with acid-controlling powers?! Used his powers to make everything acidic, killing plants and animals, bringing about acid rain...the Heroic Ten banished and imprisoned him in an acidic lake?!" Alkali read out loud, completely unpleased and shocked with the story's format. "That makes no sense: There's only natural seawater that is alkaline, fresh water that is weakly alkaline and very close to neutral like pure water, but never any natural acidic water known!" Volcano pointed out. "And I will never banish nor imprison Acid in an acidic lake!" Alkali cried out loud, before dramatically placing her head down as if it was a bowling ball that fell. "Oh great, now our siblings are getting involved!" Falcon Dive panicked. "I won't even banish nor imprison him at all!" Alkali continued dramatically drying. "Let me take a look at the rest if you really can't handle it," Volcano told his hippogriff Best Friend, flying over and taking the book from her, "Let's see, fifteen years later, Acidic's return...Alkali and Volcano's kid?!" The dragon then went through the same experience as the rest of his best friends, "I have had enough of this!" snapping the book shut in a second, he stormed off, "I'm leaving it for whoever wants to read it next...or whatever!" "Hmm...whoever wrote this fanfic clearly never thought ahead of who it can impact.." Luster began, after the angry Volcano, Falcon Dive, and Sunshine Rays, plus a crying Alkali left. "In some not very nice ways, unfortunately," Nature Bloom added in her usual, soft-spoken tone. "That's why we came here with it," Eclipse Instant stated. "We knew you will figure that it is...quite unacceptable..." Shapeshifter added. "It is unacceptable indeed!" Sunshine Rays responded in a furious tone, causing the remaining creatures to look in the direction gf her voice. "What? It even got you two involved?!" Luster asked, after flipping through several pages. "Well, it is probably because Shapeshifter and I...do have roles in your real adventures..." Eclipse Instant sheepishly stated. "Says in here that you have secret feelings for each other that you kept secret before it is revealed and got together?!" Luster summarised, before closing the book with her magic, "If I were either of you, I'd be embarrassed!" "I think it's quiet...awkward..." Shapeshifter blush. "Maybe we should stop, looking at what's in this fanfic, as it is not giving any creature a pleasant time, we should try to avoid it instead," Nature Bloom figured. "Hang on, I'm looking at the contents to see what else is in here," Luster informed, before reading out loud, "The Heroic Ten and Others, Yellow and Green, Furry of Mammal Love, Romance between the Wings, The Tale of Two Siblings, A Reformed Duo, Dusk and Dawn?!" "Uh oh," Nature Bloom muttered, as the unicorn quickly flipped through the pages of the book. "Nightfall Dusk and Luster Dawn?! Dating?! Kissing?! Romance adventure?!" Luster gasped, "I haven't even know if Nightfall Dusk likes me the way I like him!" the unicorn dramatically cried out. Every creature had gathered in Evergreen's room after seeing the fanfic that upset them. All with the exception of a certain changeling and a sick Kirin. "I may be selfless and care about the needs and wants of others than my own, but this fanfic is a want...that can never be accepted!" Falcon Dive claimed. "I may like romantic relationship between opposite genders, but about real creatures instead of characters?! That is not what I like!" Sunshine Rays added, "But I still like opposite-sex couples, though." "Whoever wrote this book should think twice!" Krona roared. "Especially when it is published," Yellow Bright contributed. "Every creature, do you think we should talk about this elsewhere? I mean, Evergreen needs her rest since she's sick," Nature Bloom asked. "Oh, right! Sorry about that, Evergreen," Buffer apologised. "We thought that you could use some company!" Volcano explained, "And...hear about what's going on." After sneezing, Evergreen replied, "Don't worry, every creature. I know you all care, but sick or not, I have to say that something must be done about those fanfics! I mean, we can't have such things that hurt some creatures' feelings out and about!" "It hurts more than hurt! It's heartbreaking!" Alkali cried dramatically as her tears flowed out of her eyes like waterfalls. "Still upset with the made-up story involving your little brother?" Volcano asked his hippogriff Best Friend. "More than upset; I'm devastated!" Alkali responded, before resuming her crying. "Look at poor Alkali! Something must be done," Evergreen told every creature. "Well, we can find the author and tell whoever that is to stop what they're doing..." Yellow Bright began, before asking the others, "Does that sound familiar?" "You don't say?" Buffer responded. "Of course! We confronted authors before! Or...helped authors before!" Sunshine Rays recalled, "When we found a horror book being the most popular, Luster casted a spell that helped us find the author, and as soon as we got to our location, we helped him write a better book that became the new most popular book! And fortunately, it still is the most popular book today!" "We all know that!" Eclipse Instant informed. "Because we all were involved when those events happened?" Shapeshifter reminded. "Oh, right." Sunshine Rays responded to the reminder. "But back to the point," Evergreen announced after a sneeze, "We need to find the author of this fanfic and convince whoever it is to stop!" "And do more than just stop! They have to fix the damage it caused!" Sunshine Rays pointed out. "But...who's going to take care of Evergreen? I mean, Head-mare Starlight and Vice Head-stallion Sunburst are looking after the School alongside Guidance Councillor Trixie, and Miss Sunset Shimmer is asleep right now!" Yellow Bright asked. "Well, Shapeshifter and I are quite available," Eclipse Instant stated. "We'll look after her, while you ten...I mean, nine, will go and find the author!" Shapeshifter finished. "Thank you, both of you," Luster thanked, before instructing her available best friends, "Alright, every creature, follow me!" As they ran through the hallway alongside the others, Falcon Dive asked Luster, "Um, do you even know how are we going to find the author, this time? I mean, shouldn't you conjure that magic compass through scanning the name written...or whatever that spell is!" Luster stopped in her tracks, replying, "Thanks for the reminder, Falcon Dive. I'm just glad that I have learnt this spell." After casting the spell and receiving the magic compass, Luster led the creatures to the front doors of the Castle of Friendship, "This way, every creature!" But unfortunately for the heroes, when Luster used her magic to open the golden doors, the other side was revealed to have an overwhelming crowd of creatures who obviously had seen the fanfic! "Uh oh..." was all Volcano could mutter. "Um, hello? Is there anything we can help you with?" Luster asked. "We just read the fanfic and would like to ask you and the Heroic Ten some questions!" Matilda the donkey, an old friend of the Council of Friendship, responded to Luster's question. "The fanfic is a fanfic!" Krona declared loudly, for every creature to hear. "And fanfics are most likely just stories written by fans of others' stories, using the same characters!" Volcano defined. "Volcano, isn't it?!" an excited Earth Pony mare rushed up to the dragon and asked. "Yes, it is." Volcano answered, "As in, yes, I am Volcano...Volcano the dragon...I'm just named after volcanoes." "You're just as intelligent as the fanfic said so!" the Earth Pony commented, before asking, "But by the way, are you really going to be married to..." Unable to stand the question, Volcano quickly used one of his claws to cover the Earth Pony's mouth to prevent her from saying the final part of her sentence clearly. "Sorry about that, and the fact that I am done for! I'm out of here!" Volcano stormed into the Castle angrily, slamming the doors shut. Meanwhile, Krona and Buffer were experiencing the same situation that had drove their dragon Best Friend to his brim. "Are you two romantically involved?" a pegasus stallion asked, before receiving an unpleasant respond. "Obviously not something for every creature to know!" Krona angrily roared. "What she meant is, we haven't even dated before! We just hang out as best friends?" Buffer clarified. With Yellow Bright... "Do you like Evergreen?" Matilda asked. "Like her as a best friend!" Yellow Bright answered cheerfully. "But the fanfic says that..." before the donkey could finish, Yellow Bright intervened. "The fanfic is just a fanfic! You can't believe that it is real!" "And since this story fanfic is not about characters of a story, you can't expect them to be so confirmed with a chance of becoming real...I mean, if it was about the characters of a story, maybe the fanfic can be an inspiration for the author to use in the actual stories?! But back to the main point, we are not characters of a story! We are real, living, existing creatures!" Sunshine Rays informed a group of creatures on one particular side. "Real life cannot be predicted by fanfics!" Falcon Dive told some creatures on another side. "Did your brother Acid..." a unicorn stallion asked Alkali, only to be interrupted by her immediate dramatic crying response. "Don't say that! I mean...don't ask that! The fanfic's ridiculous! I mean...I won't..." Luster strolled through the crowds and tried her best to calm them down, "Come on, every creature. Just remember the fanfics are fanfics! They aren't real! And since this kind is not about characters, it really won't be happening for..." The unicorn bumped into a creature wearing a hoodie, who helped her up and told her, "We got to stop bumping into each other like this. Luster gasped as she knew and recognised the creature at once after hearing him say that sentence. "Nightfall Dusk?!" she whispered. "Be careful, we don't want to give ourselves away," Nightfall whispered in response. Luster nodded with a determined expression on her face, before she teleported herself, Nightfall Dusk, and the rest of her best friends in the area inside the Castle. Once they were back inside, the creatures heaved a sigh of relief. "That was a close one!" Nature Bloom said. "Too close!" Sunshine Rays added. "Krona does not like what happened back there!" Krona declared. "None of us did," Buffer contributed. "And not just you," Nightfall Dusk informed, as he stepped forward and removed his hoodie, revealing himself to the heroes. "Nightfall Dusk?!" Luster's best friends, minus the crying Alkali, and the absent Volcano and Evergreen, asked in unison. "Yes, every creature. I am Nightfall Dusk, I came from Canterlot to inform you all about this fanfic about you called An Alternate Route for the Heroic Ten..." "We all know about that!" Falcon Dive shouted in an impatient tone. "And we are all annoyed and upset with it!" Yellow Bright exclaimed, before saying in a softer tone, "I'm sorry, but there aren't any positive sides about this..." "Something must be done! I don't know how much longer any of us can stand the effect the fanfic caused!" Sunshine Rays complained. "And now we can't even go out without the crowd overwhelming us like this!" Buffer added. "We might as well just hide her and wait until the effect wears off..." Falcon Dive figured. "Wait?! It can go on FOREVER!" Krona complained. "We have to do something right away!" Sunshine Rays claimed. ""Or we might never go out alright, ever again!" Buffer contributed. "And I might never be able to see my little brother Acid, nor be happy with him ever again...because of this fanfic!" Alkali dramatically cried before her head collapsed onto the Castle of Friendship's floor. "And I might never be able to do my job without a disguise, ever again!" Nightfall Dusk added. "Don't worry, we will fix this!" Luster assured, placing her hoof onto Nightfall Dusk's chest. "But, how?" Nature Bloom asked. "We cannot leave the Castle because we cannot let the public see us..." Falcon Dive stated. "Or they will just...you know back there!" Buffer continued. "Overwhelm and ask such questions because of the fanfic?" Krona clarified. "And I don't think any of us can stand creatures talking about the fanfic that upsets us!" Sunshine Rays ended. "And I will never do such an awful thing to my one and only little brother and sibling, Acid! How can the author do this?!" Alkali resumed crying over what she disliked. "Just calm down, every creature!" Luster announced. "Calm down! You know what, Luster? You just reminded me of a certain Best Friend of ours who always tell us that!" Yellow Bright commented. Luster thought for a while, before solving the puzzle as she figured out who Yellow Bright indirectly mentioned. "Of course! Evergreen! She is our Element of Patience! She can handle this! I mean, being patient, she certainly won't get as upset nor overwhelmed like the rest of us!" Luster exclaimed, beginning to gallop off. "But, Luster, isn't Evergreen unwell and in bed?" Nature Bloom reminded, causing the unicorn to screech to a halt. "Oh, right, Nature Bloom! But that means she can't go out and handle the problem! Nor go and find the writer to set things right," Luster sadly stated. "If only there is some creature else here who can handle the crowd, and the environment," Yellow Bright figured. "Most likely some creature who isn't said to be in romantic relationship in the fanfic!" Nightfall Dusk added. "Wait a second! the fanfic!" Luster remembered, before using her magic to take out the book and flip though its pages. "Yes! The fanfic doesn't have anything about Nature Bloom being in romantic relationships nor anything much about her relationships! So that means..." Luster began, starting to turn her attention to Nature Bloom, with the other creatures around doing the same. Nature Bloom was overwhelmed, "What?! Me?!" "You're the one creature here who isn't humiliated by the fanfic!" Falcon Dive implied. "So Nature would probably not have any trouble with ridiculous questions because of fanfic!" Krona added. "And I'll just transfer the magic compass to you, so you can find the author," Luster informed, further overwhelming the changeling. "I'm so sorry...every creature...but I...might not be able to do it alone..." Nature Bloom interrupted them. "But why?!" Nightfall Dusk asked. "Well...I broke the fail record with six failures on the obstacle course, and every creature isn't going on up to the even harder levels until I passed! And the obstacle course doesn't even have magic-absorbing difficulty to prepare us for situations in those environments in many schools and buildings nowadays! Plus, the obstacle course is a solo test! Testing for independence! And failing it means I am not...independent..." Nature Bloom explained, "I might be a dependent, scared, little changeling forever!" "Nature, don't say that!" Sunshine Rays told the changeling. "You just have to try again!" Falcon Dive aded. "Like we all do!" Yellow Bright cheerfully commented. "Quite true," Buffer responded to Yellow Bright's comment. "Best friends will pass together!" Krona declared like a yak. "Together or not, I'm sure we'll all pass!" Luster ended. "But right now, we aren't going to be right by your side, physically," Sunshine Rays informed Nature Bloom, approaching the latter from the latter's right side, "You will have to find the writer of this fanfic and get whoever that is to stop and fix the damage! Without us." "But we will still be together at the end!" Falcon Dive said as he flew to Nature Bloom's left side. "Plus, we can give you advice and instructions to follow in case you don't know what to do!" Yellow Bright cheerfully added. "Alright..." Nature Bloom responded, still a bit nervous and unsure. "Don't worry Nature, Heroic Ten believes in you!" Krona assured. "So will I, Heroic Ten member or not," Nightfall Dusk contributed. Soon, a long list of instructions and advice was created by the Heroic Ten, with the exception of a certain nervous changeling, who was trying her best to calm down while waiting for some creature to open the door and let her into Evergreen's room to get the list. "Nature, the list is completed!" Luster informed, opening the door and levitating the long script with her magic. "That's a...long list alright..." Nature Bloom commented, sounding a lot like Fluttershy. "Every creature got something to write in it," Luster stated. "Even...Evergreen?" Nature Bloom asked. "Well, since Evergreen was unwell...I mean, is unwell because she is still unwell, Yellow Bright wrote what she had to say for her," Luster explained, using her magic to levitate the list to her changeling Best Friend, "Though I'm not so sure if you can find it amongst the many others in the huge list of instructions, advices and more..." "More?! Like what?!" Nature Bloom asked, scrolling down the list, before reading some notes...most likely requests of what the others want the writer of the fanfic to know, "I may strongly support opposite-sex gender couples, but not fanfics about real creatures like that! One factor that makes some creature a great creature regardless of job, is the ability to listen... I will never banish nor imprison my beloved only sibling and little brother in an acidic lake! And he's never going to turn evil! Fix this!" "Well...knowing our best friends very well, I'm sure you can tell which sentence is from who, right Nature?" Luster asked after nervous chuckling from hearing the changeling read such sentences. "I know Luster, but, I'm still not so sure about this..." Nature Bloom voiced her thoughts out. "Come on, Nature! Think about it! Do you really want us to suffer?!" Falcon Dive asked. "Do you want us to be humiliated?" added Volcano. "Do you want us to not be able to leave the Castle ever again?" Sunshine Rays contributed. "Do you want to let us all down?!" Alkali asked, with tears flowing from her eyes continuously. "Well, I will never want something so awful to happen to any creature..." Nature Bloom figured, "So...I guess I will do it..." "YOU GUESS?!" every creature around asked in unison, expressing shock in their tone. "Alright...I will do it..." Nature Bloom whimpered. "Good. Then here's the compass that will lead you to who you're looking for," Luster told the changeling, using her magic to transfer the ownership of the compass to Nature Bloom. "Now the magic compass will be following you to guide you to your destination. Good luck, Nature!" Luster finished. "Wait! Wat! Wait!" Yellow Bright called, rushing towards the changeling with a pile of clothings and hats and scarves and more outfits, "In case the creatures out there see you, wear these disguises and walk right pass them!" The Earth Pony then went very close to Nature Bloom, whispering the message, "If they don't recognise you, they won't act the way they will want to act around you..." "Thanks, Yellow Bright...I just hope that no creature finds it strange for me to dress up in this kind of outfit," Nature Bloom opined. "Don't worry, we're sure you'll do fine!" Buffer assured. "And can you please get going?! Half day just passed by, you know?!" Falcon Dive impatiently reminded. "Oh, right! Goodbye, every creature! I'm going!" Nature Bloom announced, putting on her clothes disguise and flew off. The unrecognised changeling rode the train all the way to the Smokey Mountains, currently resided by Hoofields, Colts, and all aces of different creatures. "The Smokey Mountains!" Nature Bloom gasped, "I can't believe I'm visiting here! Without...my best friends..." she sadly sighed her last sentence, before moving on. Not long after her arrival, Nature Bloom encountered a small yellow bird with its feet stuck in the soil. Quickly responding, she used some of the water in her water bottle to wet the soil, before she dug the bird out, receiving a nuzzle from it as thanks. "You're welcome, little friend," Nature Bloom giggled, "But right now, I got something to take care of, and I got to hurry!" Nature Bloom ran off into the town, giving herself a quick tour before she went back to business, looking for the writer she had came for. "The compass says that whoever I'm looking for is right in this building..." Nature Bloom told herself, just before the door opened to reveal a serpent, who was alerted by the soft sound of Nature Bloom gently touching the door with her front left hoof. "Hello there...whoever you are..." he greeted, before asking, "What are you doing here? You aren't like any of my Mum's friends! Wearing some outfit like this..." Nature Bloom nervously chuckled before starting her pat of the conversation, "I know that what I'm wearing is...quite unusual, but...I really need to look for whoever wrote the latest fanfic about the Heroic Ten called, An Alternate Route for the..." "Before she could finish naming the fanfic, the serpent dismissed her, "I'm sorry, but I can't help you with that!" The serpent retreated and slammed the door shut, making Nature Bloom theorise "If he acted scared when I'm talking about the writer of the fanfic, there's a huge chance that he is the writer! But, how am I going to convince him to come out and talk?" Nature Bloom's attention was then turned towards several creatures who were around a poster of the Heroic Ten, which read, 'Our Newest Heroes'. Seeing how many creatures adored her and her best friends, Nature Bloom knew the one thing that might get the serpent to come out. "That's it! If every creature loves me and my best friends, and most likely will give us what we ask for, maybe the serpent will come out and talk to me if he knows that I'm me! " she told herself in a soft volume so that she would be the only creature capable of hearing what she just said. "But...how am I going to ensure I won't arouse too much attention?" As Nature Bloom was pacing around, she accidentally tripped on a small stone and fell, scattering her clothings. causing a few creatures around to gather around her, with intentions to help. But as they cleared away the clothing, they were able to see Nature Bloom's undisguised self, recognising her! "Nature Bloom?!" the creatures gasped. The changeling nervously chuckled in response. Overwhelmed by the crowd, Nature Bloom backed off towards the building she was in front of, telling the creatures, "Please...stay away! I don't like undivided attention! I really don't! Please..." As the crowd got closer and closer, Nature Bloom got more and more overwhelmed and afraid, as the shadows loomed over her, occupying the area the light was supposed to shine... All of a sudden, a loud noise indicating a crash, could be heard from behind the crowd, catching their attention temporarily as they turned their heads, while they were distracted, a claw grabbed Nature Bloom and pulled her up before the crowd turned back to see that the famous heroine was out of sight. "Where did she go?" some creature could be heard asking. "She must have gotten away while we're not looking," another creature figured. Inside the upper floor of the building, the serpent had Nature Bloom safe from the crowd. "Thank you so much, for saving me from the crowd back there..." teh soft-spoken changeling thanked the serpent, causing him to blush. "It was nothing, sweet...I mean, it was nothing, Nature Bloom. By the way, I'm...Mitigate..." the serpent said with difficulty, making his name sound rather hard to hear. "Excuse me, what did you say was your...name?" Nature Bloom asked. "It's Mitigate, I'm Mitigate, and I am a serpent," Mitigate introduced. "Nice to meet you, Mitigate, and I'm quite impressed that you've done your introduction better than I did on my first time wherever I go," Nature Bloom commented. "But...I thought that you were better than me, Nature Bloom," Mitigate responded, before telling her, "You're a famous heroine of Equestria and Beyond now, and the one creature who introduced niceness to every creature by being the Element of Niceness, and you barely use insulting words, and never offended any creature!" Nature Bloom blushed before replying, "Thanks, Mitigate, it's great to know that some creature outside the friends and family I know thinks this way, too!" "So...what were you doing dressed up like that earlier? I mean, no creature could recognise you when you looked Lik that!" Mitigate asked. "Well, it is a long story explanation...but, from the looks of it, I'm sure you can tell that I didn't want to be...recognised," Nature Bloom answered. "Actually I kind of wish that I wouldn't be recognised, too," Mitigate commented. "Wait, you do?" Nature Bloom asked in a somewhat shocked tone. "Yeah, for some reason, my two best friends aren't the only creatures who will pay attention to me back during school times. For some reason, many classmates seem to like saying attention to me, like they like me for some reason. It makes me feel like I will never get privacy unless I wasn't seen, or...not recognised..." Mitigate explained. "I can understand that, before I enrolee in the School of Friendship, I was he top Biology student in my whole entire school, gaining lots of attention, overwhelming me!" Nature Bloom mentioned her tough times, "My schoolmates probably want to learn Biology from me, but...they always overwhelm me with their attention..." "My classmates kind of overwhelm me with the unwanted attention the they were giving me," Mitigate stated. "I just can't help but feel sorry for you, I mea, getting attention that you don't want? That must be a hard time!" Nature Bloom commented. "And I feel kind of bad for you when I heard what you said about your schoolmates...I guess that we are pretty much alike, for two creatures who just met each other for the first time." Mitigate replied. Nature Bloom blushed a bit before saying, "Well, that is something I can't disagree with...I mean, something that I have lots of reasons to agree with?" "Oh Nature Bloom, they say that you are always careful with your words, and it's quite true, I mean, you don't seem to want to get your words wrong, and you certainly don't seem to want to make a mistake trying to correct tone," Mantigate told her. Nature Bloom could not help but blush when she head what the serpent said about her, before responding, "Aw...thanks, Mitigate. My close ones probably already know that about me so they won't usually utter a word about my words! Although, I do remember my best friends acknowledging my concerned with words nature." "And you're amazing at it, Nature Bloom. You're the nicest creature I know, and now, you're the nicest creature I've ever met," Mitigate told her. "It's good to know that," Nature Bloom responded, just before a cuckoo clock in the building stated making noise. "That means it is seven! Time for dinner! Sorry, Nature Bloom, I don't have anything for you...probably because...no creature can predict the future?!" Mitigate told the changeling, slightly panicking at the final part. Nature Bloom chuckled, "That's alright, Mitigate, my best friends packed some food for me in my backpack. "Good to know that you have what you need, Nature Bloom, because a soul like you best not go hungry! I mean...best not suffer from hunger?!" Mitigate stated to panic with his words again, before Nature Bloom assured him. "Don't worry, I know that not every creature will know how to use such nice words all the time, and I believe the they can learn how to be nicer, some day. And you are not an exception." "Thanks, Nature Bloom, that really cheered me up," Mitigate thanked her, slightly blushing. "You don't actually always have to call me that, I'm also alright if you just called me 'Nature', just like my friends and family would," Nature Bloom informed. "Alright, Nature! I will be back in a few minutes!" Mitigate called, before slithering out of her sight. Nature Bloom could not help but think about the new serpent friend that she just made, before she open-end her bag to take out the food container which contained her snacks. The long list of requests was taken out alongside the food container unintentionally, and Nature Bloom winded up seeing an awful statement, saying, "If you don't stop and fix the damage, I will ban you from writing and sharing such stories for eternity! To ensure such thing will never happen again!" "Sunshine Rays!" Nature Bloom gasped, "She must be more than upset! I have to let the writer know! But wouldn't that be something...awful to say?" Back in the Castle of Friendship hallway, the rest of the heroes could only wonder and think about their Best Friend alone on a solo mission. "The day has already ended, I just hope that Nature Bloom is alright..." Luster told the rest of the creatures as they stood in Evergreen's room. "Well, we did help her pack some snacks for the trip, she'll have something to eat for sure!" Yellow Bright pointed out. "Maybe the search takes a little longer than we thought," Evergreen figured from inside her room, since she was sick, she was separated from the others for the sake of goodness. Despite her illness and bedroom door being closed, the others still could hear her voice from inside the hallway. "Or maybe the fixing takes more time..." Falcon Dive suggested. "But I'm sure we all can trust Nature Bloom, I mean, her niceness really helped you all out during your very first adventure..." Eclipse Instant reminded. "Sure, Nature Bloom's niceness is GREAT!" Krona declared. "I hope that it's enough to get the writer to do something!" Sunshine Rays said. "I may not be so sure about this, every creature, but do you think hat we should send Nature Bloom a message on what we think that she should do to get the mission accomplished faster?" Buffer asked. "Didn't we already did that?" Falcon Dive reminded. "I actually recall that we kind of put a lot more requests of what we wanted to tell the writer, than instructions and suggestions on what should be done," Volcano informed. "All I can recall and remember is that horrible story about me and my little brother Acid!" Alkali cried, as she still had not gotten over the fanfic. "Well, now that Volcano mentioned it, I think we did put more comments than instructions! Nature Bloom can use a lot of time to find those instructions and suggestions!" Luster announced. "Oh great, a mistake realised after it is published!" Sunshine Rays sarcastically commented. "But mistakes can be fixed, can't they?" Shapeshifter asked. "Well, we most likely say mistakes can be made up for, as in make amends for mistakes," Volcano corrected. "Anyway, back to the main point," Nightfall Dusk reminded, "If Nature Bloom can have problems finding our suggestions and instructions amongst the list of comments, we might have to send a new message, one that only has instructions and suggestions." "That's right, Nightfall! I'll get the scroll and quill, right away!" Luster declared. In the meantime, Nature Bloom finished her snacks and was mumbling to herself, "I'll just tell the writer that my best friends will like it better when there is no fanfic about them? But what if that hurts..." "Nature?" Mitigate called, startling her. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you," the serpent apologised, "Now, I just thought of what you said back there about looking for the...writer of the fanfic. And, can you please promise me that you will not...do anything that can startle some creature sensitive?" "Sure...especially when I'm sensitive myself, as well as the nicest creature my best friends and family know," Nature Bloom responded. "The writer of the fanfic is actually...me..." he admitted, making Nature Bloom a little shocked. "You are?" she asked. Mitigate nodded, "Yes, I have been a fan of the Heroic Ten ever since the day they became heroes, saving all of Equestrian and Beyond from Eclipse Instant, but it was not just the fact that they saved every creature that makes them special.." Flashback through Mitigate's point of view... "Every creature in this crowd, I've been learning friendship at the School of Friendship for a while, learning the values of Honesty, Kindness, Laughter, Generosity and Loyalty, taught by the teachers. But today, during my adventure with my best friends, each of them showed a new value that they have." Luster announced, before explaining each of her friends' values, making them feel proud. "Krona showed her integrity, when she told the truth about what she was thinking, despite it being against what she learnt about friendship, in order to prevent an unfortunate outcome that would happen if she did not." "Buffer showed his listening skills when he stopped an argument between his friends by listening to what each of them had to say, and identifying who should be listened to." "Sunshine Rays showed her morality when she prevented us from taking the treasures that we found, which is something wrong as the treasures did not belong to us." "Volcano showed his diligence, when he was hardworking enough to clear a boulder that could take days to clear." " Nature Bloom showed her niceness, when she warmly approached a Crystal Cave Spider and respected it, despite its earlier attack." "Alkali showed her encouraging spirit by giving Krona the hope and motivation she needed to slide down a slope." "Evergreen showed her patience throughout the journey, staying calm and not complaining much, and most importantly, helped all of her friends be patient enough to walk through a cavern filled with fragile crystals slowly and carefully." "Yellow Bright showed his positivity, by helping his friends think positively, when they were overwhelmed by few and negative thoughts." "Last but not least, Falcon Dive showed his selflessness, when he bravely saved every creature at the risk of his own life." "And Luster Dawn, who led us through the adventure, and the battle against Eclipse Instants's brainwashed army and Eclipse Instant herself, showed that she, Luster Dawn, is a great leader." Luster's best friends announced, "Therefore, Luster showed us her leadership!" "I never thought that we can have a group of ten heroes instead of six, especially a group of heroes that announce virtues! I mean, heroes are usually known for defeating villains, saving every creature from dangerous disasters all and all...barely the kind that introduces virtues!" Mitigate explained, ending the flashback. "But, Princess Twilight Sparkle and her friends, the Council of Friendship, released their friendship journal ages ago, before they opened the School of Friendship!" Nature Bloom reminded, "And that journal has all sorts of valuable friendship lessons! They taught some virtues, too!" "But they were never at the level the Heroic Ten are on," Mitigate explained, "When the Heroic Ten went to convince an author to write a good book than a popular one, spreading the message that the best and the most popular are not the same, I was impressed. When the team stand up for real rights and wrongs, something that no creature had done before like they did, I knew that they were and still are, the best heroes I know!" "Well, the Heroic Ten do quite much on their first few months as heroes, especially focusing on the virtues they introduced on their very first day!" Nature Bloom stated. "I know, and being devoted to those virtues really makes them so...inspirational...as they attempt to teach every creature those virtues, and real friendship," Mitigate continued. "Quite true, the Heroic Ten do teach and show such virtues," Nature Bloom insisted. "But out of the Elements of Purity, I like the Element of Niceness the most, and that means...out of the Heroic Ten..." the serpent struggled to say the rest of the words, causing Nature Bloom to finish for him. "Did you mean that I'm your favourite Heroic Ten member?" Mitigate was silent for a few seconds, before admitting, "Yes, Nature Bloom. I mean, I've actually done research on niceness and kindness after you and your friends graduated together. And my research actually leads to me finding out...that niceness and kindness are different, with niceness being..." "Just being pleasant by being polite and respectful and treat others well, while kindness is showing that you care? Yes, I know that, but I still stand up for niceness, especially when that is the virtue that my Best Friend Sunshine Rays keeps forgetting about, whenever she gets too focused on morality," Nature Bloom explained, "In other words, there is still a place for niceness." "Wow, you really are the niceness expert, Nature Bloom! I mean, I kept my liking for niceness a secret because I kept thinking that there is no way it can keep up with kindness, but now, thanks to you, I feel more comfortable about it," Mitigate commented. "Thanks for the compliment, Mitigate. But I still have to get you to..." before Nature Bloom could finish her sentence, a letter that was magically sent by Luster came flying into Nature Bloom's hooves. Unrolling it, the changeling began to show shocked expressions on her face. "What does it say?" Mitigate asked. "I...think I can really use a bit of privacy for a moment, do you mind?" Nature Bloom asked. "Sure do not, Nature Bloom," Mitigate answer. Once she was at the corner, Nature Bloom talked to herself, "What am I going to do? I only have this weekend to fix the problem, otherwise my best friends might not be able to go to work next Monday! The problem needs to be solved, fast! But that means needing to show care towards others, and by the looks of it, I have to be moral and selfless, but that might mean giving up being nice to boost the chances of success!" After thinking for a while, Nature Bloom finally made her decision, "Alright, being kind is something good, so it is worth it at the sacrifice of being nice...especially when there is a serious need for it! Plus, my best friends do get successes much more times than I did, so maybe I should be following their suggestions..." The changeling trotted towards the serpent, who greeted her, "Nature Bloom! Are you alright?" "I'm somewhat alright, because there is something I really need to inform you about." Nature Bloom began, before taking a deep breath, "The fanfic you created is ruining the lives of the creatures it is about!" "What?!" Mitigate asked in shock. "It is not right to write fanfics about real creatures instead of characters! That's why the Heroic Ten are so upset with it, alongside Eclipse Instant, Shapeshifter, Nightfall Dusk, and Alkali's little brother, Acid! If you continue writing and publishing such thing, you're just going to hurt them even more, or worse, influence every creature to do the same! We need you to stop and fix the damage at once, and if you don't...you will be threatened." Nature Bloom warned in a confronting tone to show how serious she took the situation. Instead of the effect she was hoping for, Nature Bloom observed Mitigate being hurt by her not warm nor. pleasant approach. "Well...it was great knowing you, Nature Bloom, but I...can really use some time alone right now!" the serpent cried, rushing off and away, as the changeling watched. "What have I done?" Nature Bloom asked herself. Alone once again, Nature Bloom paced back and forth, talking to herself, "I did what my best friends suggested, it should work, should it?! I was just being moral and selfless, therefore, I should be being kind! Standing up, pointing out the mistake, confronting...showing that I do take it seriously with that approach...what could have gone wrong?!" The changeling then overheard Mitigate's crying from downstairs, "How could Nature Bloom be like this? I expected her to be nice and approachable, especially when she promised me that she will be careful with her words around me! But she just..." The remainder of the sentence was replaced by crying, while Nature Bloom realised what went wrong. "I broke my promise! Worst of all, I assured him that I am the nicest creature, but now...I just followed some suggestions that showed hm...that I'm not who I first appeared to be. I really messed up...and...failed, once again..." Nature Bloom fell into despair. Just then, familiar chirping could be heard, Nature Bloom turned her head to see the yellow bird that she helped earlier at the window nearby. "Oh, it's you," she sadly said. The bird chirped rapidly, telling Nature Bloom something helpful, which the changeling responded, "You're saying that I should do things my way?" The bird nodded with a chirp, but Nature Bloom was doubtful, "But...I've done things my way on the obstacle course back at home! And got the most failures among the Heroic Ten! I kept doing it my way and failed!" Nature Bloom's sentences did not change the bird's attitude one bit, as it told her several more sentences through its chirping. "So you actually say that you may have failed learning to fly your way, succeeding only when you copy others' ways, but when it comes to finding food, your way is the most successful? And you're telling me that every creature is good at different things in different ways? So there is no such thing as some creature with all the best ways, and sometimes, I can get through the situation, my way?" Nature Bloom asked, which the bird nodded. "Thanks, little friend! I know what to do now!" Nature Bloom thanked, receiving a chirp reply from the yellow bird, before it flew off. Mitigate was still downstairs, upset and was trying to recover from the recent experience, just when Nature Bloom approached him with her usual, caring voice, "Mitigate?" "Leave me alone, Nature Bloom!" Mitigate responded in a somewhat panicked tone. "Listen Mitigate, I am so sorry about how I acted back there, especially after I promise you that I will be warm and approachable, but then hurt you by making you see that I wasn't who you thought I was, so soon..." Nature Bloom apologised, before explaining, "The truth is, I was pressurised by the new letter I got from my best friends, which urged me to get you to fix their reputations faster, so I...turned on niceness to be moral and selfless, and follow my best friends' suggestions...I'm really sorry, it is a mistake, I should have done things my way this time round, and that means ask you nicely, will you please write a message to the public to tell them that the fanfic is not something to fuss about?" Mitigate was soothed by Nature Bloom's warm, polite tone, and replied, "Well...I...I'm not so sure, Nature, I mean...a public message is different from a fanfic." "Don't worry, if you can't handle it alone, maybe a friend can do it with you, and that friend, is me." Nature Bloom assured, "I always feel braver with friends." "Thanks Nature, you really are nice, the nicest creature around," Mitigate told her. The next day, the Heroic Ten finally got the news they were hoping for. "Finally! No more fanfic mayhem!" Falcon Dive exclaimed, cheering as he loop-de-looped around the Castle hallway. "Nature Bloom has really done it!" Luster said, "She got the writer to tell every creature that publishing the fanfic is a mistake, and creatures should not write fanfics about real creatures!" "Because fanfics are about characters, not real-life creatures!" Sunshine Rays chimed in. "Right, but the main point is, they got the message to stop thinking that the fanfic can predict the future, or basically, things will not happen because of a fanfic like this, anyway, a valuable lesson is also featured in their column!" Luster informed. "Every creature is good at something in their own way or another, so there are times when your way of doing things is best," Buffer began, before Krona finished for him. "And times when others' ways are best!" Krona declared. "I'm just glad that this whole mayhem is stopped on the day before work," Volcano told the others. "And I just hope that I can patch things up with my little brother!" Alkali announced, packing her things for a trip, "I have to check on him at Mount Aris!" When Alkali opened the door, Nature Bloom and Mitigate were revealed to be on the other side. "Nature Bloom, you're back!" Luster exclaimed. "And I brought some creature who would like to have a word with you," Nature Bloom informed, brining her new friend in. "Heroic Ten and friends, I'm so sorry for publishing a fanfic about you that humiliated you all, I should have been more thoughtful and think twice, I am really sorry and I hope that my public message patched things up," Mitigate apologised. "It's alright, some creatures here caused public problems before," Shapeshifter assured, as his eyes moved to look at Eclipse Instant who was standing right beside his left. "And got forgiven, so we are going to pay it forward and forgive you, too." Eclipse Instant added. "And now we can finally go back to work," Nightfall Dusk contributed, before telling every creature, "I best be going back to Canterlot now, see you all some day." After waving him goodbye, Luster then continued the conversation, "We actually have something to apologise for, too. Pressurising Nature Bloom into doing things our way, ruining her reputation!" "Don't worry, I know that you just wanted things to get done!" Nature Bloom assured. "But we just made you into...something like me whenever I think about something bad!" Sunshine Rays stated. "I know that I was still trying to help, but what matters now, is that everything is solved," Nature Bloom pointed out. "And every creature has learnt from recent mistakes," Mitigate added. "We should be more thoughtful whenever we do something," Nature Bloom began, before Mitigate finished for her. "And remember that we are all better at something in a different way, so you just got to do things the way you know that you can do best!" "And since you got it out in a public message, I don't think a letter is needed to be sent to Princess Twilight Sparkle to inform her about it," Luster said. "And before I forget, how's Evergreen doing? Is she any better?" Nature Bloom asked. "Oh, Evergreen?!" Yellow Bright responded to the question, "We kind of forgot that we're about to go out to get her one last bit of medicine!" "Go?! Go! I have to go to the train station or I will miss my train to Mount Aris!" Alkali was instantly reminded of what she had to do as well. "Excuse us!" Yellow Bright and Alkali shouted in unison, rushing out of the Castle in separate directions, as every creature else watched. 16. Need of HelpAuthor's Note Need of Help serves as the sixteenth episode of the series. Summary: Falcon Dive attempts to resume his protector activities despite being hurt, causing even more problems in the process. Featured Song: Superhero Selflessness 16. Need of Help Loud cheering was in the atmosphere, as all of Ponyville were in the town's stadium, watching the annual Ponyville's Talents Performances, judged by the Ruler of Equestria, Princess Twilight Sparkle, who were given more special seats to sit on, alongside the Council of Friendship, and their kids. Among the regular audience, the Heroic Ten, with the exception of Falcon Dive, were watching the show with great interest. "Those moves are extraordinary!" Luster could not help but exclaim. "And that flyer surely must have taken in a trick or two from Physics with those angles and body shape changing," Volcano added. "Oh, come on, Volcano! Just take a little break from science, would you? And math, and language and...other subjects that you teach?! Basically, just take a break from them and enjoy this annual show!" Alkali told her dragon Best Friend. "Alkali's right, Volcano. It ain't every day that a show this good comes to town!" Krona added. "Plus, it's not every time an event like this occurs, one of our best friends is in it!" Buffer contributed, before clarifying, "I mean, involved in it as a non-audience." "The correct word is 'participator', which means some creature who participates in an event!" Volcano corrected. "Whatever, just stop talking and start paying attention to the show, because here comes Falcon Dive!" Yellow Bright told his best friends. As soon as Falcon Dive stood forward to the middle of the stadium, Princess Twilight Sparkle greeted him like he was any of the other participators, "Falcon Dive, it is a pleasure to have you here in this year's Talents Performance. What will you be doing for your performance?" "Glad you asked, your Majesty. I am going to take off into the air and fly in all sorts of directions, doing stunts until every creature's impressed enough!" the griffon declared like Rainbow Dash would. The captain of the Wonderbolts could not believe what she was seeing and hearing, "Whoa! That Falcon Dive's got really epic confidence, just like some creature I know," the blue pegasus said out loud. Back with Twilight, she had responded to Falcon Dive's claims, "Well, Falcon Dive. You have to act fast, because booking for the final slot in the competition has really taken loads of your time away. You only have 2 minutes before it ends." In the sidelines, Falcon Dive's best friends were shocked to hear what the Ruler of Equestria had to say. "Only 2 minutes?!" Sunshine Rays gasped. "Can't Princess give Falcon Dive more time than that?! Krona means that, Falcon saved Equestria and Beyond before, became famous hero! Can't he get more time?!" Krona asked. "I'm sorry every creature, but hero or not, Falcon Dive and the contestants or...participators have to be treated equally..." Luster explained. "And it was Falcon's own decision to book last slot," Evergreen reminded. "Because he is the Element of Selflessness!" Nature Bloom added. "Being selfless like he is meant to be!" Yellow Bright commented. "Choosing to give himself the worst slot so no creature else has to suffer from getting it!" Sunshine Rays contributed. "But don't worry, because Falcon Dive is still epic as he is!" Alkali cheered, causing every creature to pay attention to their best friend's performance. Like a real falcon, Falcon Dive was flying fas and diving down at great speeds without crashing into any creature nor anything. Going very close to the audience several times in their direction, before making a sharp turn on time to prevent himself from colliding into them as he flew pass the sidelines, maintaining a close distance between himself and the audience, that the audience cold feel the breeze as he whooshed by. "That's our Falcon Dive, alright!" Buffer exclaimed. In another part of the sidelines, Fluttershy was watching with her husband Discord, their daughter, Screwball, and their little animal friends. At one point during Falcon Dive's performance, involving the griffon flying very high into the sky, Discord could not help but get too excited, as he exclaimed, "Oh, look! He's going really high into the highest of heights under the sun!" Discord accidentally batted one of Fluttershy's mice friends of their seat with his draconneques tail, sending it on a dangerous trip, flying towards the ground! Fluttershy gasped as her little mouse friend plummet to its death. Fortunately, Falcon Dive, who noticed the mouse's situation, quickly abandoned his original plan of how he wanted to perform his finale, diving down to the animal's rescue, as fast as a peregrine falcon! The griffon succeeded in rescuing the mouse's life, catching it on his furry back, just as time was up. "Time is up! That means your performance can't go on, Falcon Dive, regardless of whether you have finished it or not." Princess Twilight Sparkle informed. "But that move wasn't the one I planned and practised for my finale!" Falcon Dive complained. "I'm sorry Falcon, but you are meant to participate like the other participants, despite being a famous hero," Princess Twilight Sparkle apologised, before announcing o the stadium, "Every creature in this crowd, I have made my decision: \the winner of this year's Ponyville's Talent Performances is none other than; Bulk Biceps! His talent of being able to juggle all those dumbbells and lift several carts is the most amazing one I've seen today!" Bulk Biceps proudly came forward to the stadium to receive the prize trophy from Princes Twilight Sparkle, and getting a photo of himself with the princess. Meanwhile, Falcon Dive returned the mouse to Fluttershy, who was relieved to see that it was alright, "Oh, thank goodness, you're fine and unhurt!" the yellow pegasus told her mouse friend, nuzzling it before thanking Falcon Dive, "Thank you so much for saving him." "But, you lost!" Screwball reminded the griffon. "I know," Falcon Dive responded in a somewhat sad tone, before getting over his slight sadness as he declared, "But tat prize and victory isn't what I cared about the most. As some creature selfless, the good of others is always what I take as the most important, my own good is the least important thing to me." "So, you sacrificed your victory, to save a mouse?" Screwball asked. "I sacrificed my wishes, to save a life," Falcon Dive corrected, "And a heart!" "That is really...awesome!" Screwball exclaimed. "It's more than that, it's really selfless! Being selfless is the game this griffon is good at! As the Element of Selflessness!" Falcon Dive proudly declared. After the series' theme song intro played, the scene changed to show more of what happened after the competition. "Falcon Dive! We're so sorry you lost," Sunshine Rays told her griffon Best Friend in a rather sad tone as she flew to his side. "Especially after how hard you trained yourself for winning!" Volcano added. "All that effort...WASTED!" Krona cried. "But they're nothing to me, compared to the wants, needs, good and lives of others!" Falcon Dive explained, striking a pose. "Falcon Dive, your show was really...epic!" Rainboom squealed, as she and her twin brother Sonic, plus their parents, Rainbow Dash and Soarin flew over. "You may have lost, but you really impressed my sister," Sonic informed the griffon. "Can you please teach me your moves? Growing up, I want to be a Wonderbolt, but now that I've seen you in awesome action, I want to fly just like you! Diving at great speeds, doing tricks, stunts..." Rainboom went on before being cut off by her mother. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, Rainboom! You can do stunts and tricks, but not those very dangerous kinds! Just stick to the Wonderbolts' safety rules, okay?" "Alright, Mum..." Rainboom sadly responded. "Oh, the poor filly looks so sad!" Nature Bloom could not help but feel sorry for Rainboom, seen the preteen pegasus upset. "You know, Rainboom. If you want to learn from me, why don't you hang out with me, and I'll teach you all the moves you want to learn!" Falcon Dive offered. Before Rainboom could say something in response as her expression changed from upset to happy, Sunshine Rays interrupted. "Halt! Sorry to say this every creature, but there are some very strict rules about children being with those who are their close family members and friends, and not being allowed to be with those who aren't their close family members and friends!" "Oh great, Sunshine Rays and one of her explanations of why we shouldn't do something!" Lil'Cheese said in an annoyed tone. "Like regular rules, these rules are rules to keep you safe! Break them and you will suffer! Not because the rules threaten you, but because you yourself let your sin nature take you over and turn yourself into a monster that causes nothing but trouble as you do what you shouldn't do!" Sunshine Rays explained background information about rules and sin nature, before moving back to the point, "Now, back to the main point, I was saying that there is such a strict rule to keep children safe this way because wandering off with strangers often lead kids to big trouble! They can get in danger, being held captive or worse, given bad treatment..." "We know! You don't need to tell us..." Sparity impatiently cut Sunshine Rays off. "Fine, but if you get into trouble by breaking the rules, you got no creature but yourself to blame," Sunshine Rays shrugged. "Sunshine, can't you be a bit more...nice? I mean, you may be very moral, but not being nice is really something not good!" Nature Bloom asked her pegasus best friend, after every creature else seemed a bit offended by Sunshine Rays' latest sentence. "Your question should have been 'can you be nicer?', because there is such word as 'nicer', you only use 'more' when there is no such word as..." Volcano began correcting, before an irritated Sweet Caramel Apple interrupted him. "Enough about all this! We probably should be playing or doing our work right now!" "But...I haven't got any tips from Falcon Dive on how to...do what he can do!" Rainboom complained. "I'll show you someday, Rainboom, especially when I'm selfless, I care about your wants and needs, alongside every creature else's, and when those wants and needs are alright, I will try my very best to help them get them!" Falcon Dive declared. "But sine you youngsters can really use some learning about morality, I would like teaching you kids, too." Sunshine Rays joined the conversation. "And you kids still have to take your school work and studies seriously!" Volcano added, "I would like to help you catch up on everything you need to know and more!" "Looks like we found some very suitable babysitters," Pinkie Pie said in a sing-song tone. "What?! Mum, my best friends and I aren't as little as we were when Luster first got here!" Lil'Cheese protested. "Lil'Cheese, we all understand, but, you and your best friends can really use interesting virtues lessons, and the Heroic Ten seem to be just the right teachers for the job!" Rarity told the colt. "But what about what Sunshine Rays just said?" Precious Treasure asked. "She has plenty of good points of why something is right or wrong," Applejack honestly stated, before turning to Sunshine Rays, "Do you think it's alright to let ten kids visit the Heroic Ten in the Castle of Friendship for lessons?" "Well, since it will be like a teacher with a class, it will most likely be alright, especially when the teacher is some creature trustworthy..." was the answer, before Big Sugar asked the white-coated pegasus. "Then why did you hold big protests against Rainboom and Falcon Dive hanging out as Falcon teach her?" The kids then started to overwhelm Sunshine Rays, gathering around her with unpleasant tones as they sounded like they were booing her. "Well...rules can get quite complicated at times, and what is truly best can be a bit...difficult to identify..." the pegasus tried to explain. Meanwhile, Falcon Dive was having a conversation with Rainboom and Sonic's parents about the mentioned foals. "So you're going to fetch them after sessions with them are over?" the griffon asked for a final time. "Totally, just make sure that they're...totally safe and alright!" Rainbow Dash answered. "Don't worry, I'll do my very best to teach them selflessness the right way, plus some of my flying tricks!" Falcon Dive responded. "Spoken like a Wonderbolt!" Rainbow Dash commented. The next day, Falcon Dive was in the Castle of Friendship's hallway, right in front of the castle's golden gate entrance. The Lil'Heroic Ten were all pitted in two rows of five in front on the carpet, as he explained selflessness, "Being selfless means putting others' good before your own! And that means, you are willing to sacrifice your own time and wishes to help them! But that help is only good when it is not helping them do something wrong! So the entire time, selflessness had mostly been combined with..." "Morality, I'm really absorbing Sunshine Rays' words about that virtue," Bulk Junior interfered. "Right, anyway, do you all want to know something very cool about me and selflessness?" Falcon Dive asked. "Cool?! Of course we will want to! I mean, please tell us, Falcon Dive?" Rainbow exclaimed before politely asking. "Wow, you really must have taken in niceness from Nature Bloom," Screwball commented Rainboom. "Alright, the coolest thing I mentioned is...just like how Sunshine Rays picture morality as her hero, I picture selflessness as a superhero!" Falcon Dive declared. "Really?!" Muffin Whooves asked in shock. "But, selflessness is a virtue!" Sweet Caramel Apple pointed out. "And not a real creature!" Big Sugar added. "Who says that heroes are just any creature who saves others from getting crushed by falling objects, falling to their dooms, getting shot and all those?" Falcon Dive asked, as music started to play, before he began to sing. "Whenever trouble arises, we used to hear stay-out-of-it advices. But there's always a need for a rescuer, to dive in and save the one in danger. Many may think that a brave rescuer, is a one true superhero, but think again! It's the characteristics and virtues that make them them. If it weren't for such good values, rescuers won't even be heroes to save you! So for one to really do such deeds, selflessness is the virtue that they need! Like real superheroes, selflessness saves others in such scenarios. More concerned for others' needs, to the point you will do such deeds! Willing to sacrifice your own good, in situations as big tough as boulder, or light as wood, all for the sake of others' goodness... That's Superhero Selflessness! If you think that heroes only save every creature from disasters, falling items, falling into a pit, or villain attacks! You will be proven wrong sooner or later, as such heroes can be overwhelmed by many setbacks! So the best thing for us to have, is every creature being able to save others like heroes! Turning others into do-gooders, will save more than ever, and make one a real superhero! Like real superheroes, selflessness saves others in such scenarios. More concerned for others' needs, to the point you will do such deeds! Willing to sacrifice your own good, in situations as big tough as boulder, or light as wood, all for the sake of others' goodness... That's Superhero Selflessness!" After the song ended, Rainboom could not help but respond, "Selflessness is really awesome! I take back what I said about loyalty being the best, because selflessness is really better!" "Um, Rainboom? I don't think Mum and Dad will like to hear you say that about loyalty! I mean, loyalty is what Mum represents, especially when she stayed loyal to her friends, plus showed Dad's team the spirit of loyalty at Rainbow Falls during the Equestria Games Tryouts!" Sonic reminded his twin sister. "Whoops," Rainboom nervously chuckled, before Falcon Dive giggled, assuring her, "No worries, Rainboom, you can combine virtues! Every virtue needs another or a few more to set a limit so creatures who possess them will not go too far! And I'm sure your parents will understand if you ever liked selflessness more than loyalty." "Or maybe I will equally love them both!" Rainboom exclaimed. "That works for me," Falcon Dive replied, just before he could hear commotion coming from outside the Castle. "Do you hear that?" he asked the kids, before they ran towards the window and saw a puff of black smoke coming from Ponyville. "Where there's smoke there is fire!" Falcon Dive cried, "Sorry kids, but I got to help in any way I can, especially when some creature can be in trouble!" The griffon dashed out of the Castle and towards the problem. Rainboom, immediately rushed out of the building through the front gate like her hero did, and was quickly followed by her best friends. "Rainboom! Where are you going?" Lil'Cheese asked. "ISn't it obvious? I'm going to see Falcon Dive and superhero selflessness in action!" Rainboom exclaimed. "What?! Are you out of your mind?!" Sonic asked. You better stay out of trouble!" Precious Treasure aded. "Fire is not safe!" Sparity contributed, "Even for dragons at times." "But I got to see what Falcon Dive does! I mean, how else can I know what some creature selfless does in a time of crisis?" Rainboom asked. "Don't you already know that they use to the rescue and help?" Muffin Whooves asked. "Yes, but I got to see how he does it!" Rainbow exclaimed, before rushing off. "Rainboom, no!" Bulk Junior cried, but it was too late; Rainboom was already gone. At the burning house, a crowd of creatures had gathered around it, watching Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich, in their fire fighter uniforms trying to put out the furious flames. "We're going to need more water mist!" Pinkie Pie called. "Don't worry, I'll get some water from a cloud! Be right back!" Rainbow Dash called back, before leaving in a flash. "All the animals have escaped, but there's some pony still inside!" Fluttershy cried. Every creature else gasped to hear what Fluttershy said. "Are you sure, darling?" Rarity asked. "The last animals that got out told me," Fluttershy nodded. "But which part of the house?! Wherever that pony is, we got to save him!" Applejack declared. "The pony is a 'her', I mean, she's a female," Fluttershy corrected. "Say no more!" Falcon Dive shouted, diving into the house like a rocket. "Was that Falcon Dive?" Rarity asked. "Sounded mighty like him," Applejack stated. "And was very fast like him," Fluttersy contributed. "Are you saying that I'm not fast?!" Rainbow Dash asked in an annoyed tone. "Not really," Rarity responded. "Falcon Dive? Where'd he go?" Rainboom asked, arriving at the scene. "Rainboom? Shouldn't you be inside the Castle of Friendship with the rest of your best friends? Attending some of the Heroic Ten's lessons on the Elements of Purity?" Rainbow Dash asked her daughter. "Falcon Dive was teaching me and the others when there is this commotion, and I got to see him and selflessness in action!" Rainboom exclaimed. "What?! Are you crazy?! He just dove into a burning building that can cook and roast a Wonderbolt, or any creature!" Rainbow Dash replied in a somewhat angry tone. Just as soon as Rainbow Dash's sentence was finished, Falcon Dive rushed back out with an Earth Pony mare in his claws. The crowd cheered to see that their hero had saved the day, with Rainboom being the most excited. "Way a go, Falcon Dive! You're a real superhero! Like selflessness!" Rainboom cheered. "Um, Rainboom, Facon Dive himself is selfless," Applejack pointed out. "He was saying that selflessness is a virtue, and a..." Rainboom began, but was cut off by Falcon Dive. "Sorry, Rainboom. But I don't think that what I told you and your best friends is something alright to be known by the public, I mean, there are some truths that are better off being kept as secrets! And since selflessness means caring about others more than caring about yourself, you got to put their good, needs and wants before your own! So, if you want to tell others something about some creature that they say is not something tat the public should know..." "Alright, alright, I will abandon my desires to tell every creature about what you just let me and my best friends know," Rainboom gave in. "That's actually pretty similar to an Element of Harmony!" Pinkie Pie commented. "And we all know which one she's talking about, right Rainboom?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Sure, selflessness!" Rainboom answered in a calm, confident tone, to her mother's shock. "What?! I was saying an Element of Harmony! Or...maybe it was Pinkie...anyway, which Element of Harmony were we talking about?!" Rainbow Dash asked. "I didn't hear you say any Element of Harmony names," Rainboom responded, making the Captain of the Wonderbolts even more shocked and unhappy. "What in the kingdom is this?! Your Dad and I told you about that Element of Harmony saving the day a million times as you grew up under our care!" Rainbow Dash reminded, "How can you forget it all?!" "I am so sorry, Rainbow Dash!" Falcon Dive apologised, "I will just tell her that selflessness and loyalty are still different in certain ways, and she has to value them both alongside many other virtues!" "You better!" Rainbow Dash replied in a commander's tone. After Rainbow Dash left and the creatures disperse, Falcon Dive turned to Rainboom, "Well, Rainboom, I only got a few more minutes left, but I'm sure I can..." "Falcon Dive, what happened to your wings in there?!" Rainboom suddenly gasped and asked, stopping Falcon Dive's sentences. The griffon looked at his wings and saw some cuts and slightly red patches at the tips, "Oh, those are the parts of me that got touched by bits of flame and all, nothing to worry about." "Are ou sure? You told me that being selfless means being more concerned about others than you are concerned about yourself! And I am showing concern for you! Right now!" Rainboom informed. "Thanks, Rainboom, you're a quick selflessness learner, but I'm pretty sure I'm fine, besides Volcano and Nature Bloom know Biology says that cells can quickly multiply and repair damaged tissues, so it will just heal all by itself!" Falcon Dive assured. "But didn't science says it needs time, and it won't heal fastest if you don't rest?" Rainboom asked. "Rest because I'm injured? No way, Rainboom! I have fought pain and injuries all my life! No reason I should be out of action because of one, when there can be plenty of other creatures who can need help any moment! A whole town full of them, that is!" the griffon declared. "Alright..." Rainboom replied, "Since abandoning my own wishes for the sake of the wishes of others, makes me selfless, I can just give up opposing you..." "Rainboom! Falcon Dive!" Lil'Cheese called, rushing over with the rest of the Lil'Heroic Ten. "Are you alright?" Screwball asked in a concerned tone. "I am, but Falcon Dive sure isn't. He got hurt when he was in that building on fire!" Rainboom explained. "It's just minor burns and cuts, nothing to worry about when you're some creature who usually dives in to rescue others at the cost of your own good," Falcon Dive assured, "I mean, I do that a whole lot of times before I became a famous hero alongside the rest of the Heroic Ten." "So you keep on getting yourself injured?" Big Sugar asked. "And don't rest?!" Sweet Caramel Apple added. "For years?!" Precious Treasure contributed. "Well, I can't stand not doing anything about those poor creatures I see that are in trouble," Flon Dive replied, "But don't worry about it, because getting hurt to save others is a major part of selflessness!" "But what would morality say about it?" Bulk Junior asked. "You mean, what would some creature moral say, Bulk." Muffin Whooves corrected. "Sunshine Rays will understand if it was really for some creature else's good! Plus, it's not like I'm giving in to some creature's immoral wishes!" Falcon Dive confidently declared. "There you all are!" Yellow Bright could be heard saying, as he arrived. "Yellow Bright! How did you know we were here?" Muffin Whooves asked. "Well, seeing smoke in the sky gives me one clear guess that Falcon Dive raced out to save the day, abandoning his lecture," the yellow-coated Earth Pony stated, while looking at his griffon Best Friend. "Well, you can totally take over teaching them from this moment, plus I got to go back to doing my lookout job!" Falcon Dive told his earth pony Best Friend. "But what about your cuts and burns?" Rainboom asked with concern. "Burns?! Falcon Dive, you should totally stay away from the sunlight right now, I mean, you learnt in Physics that heat from the sun is transferred..." Yellow Bright began, before the griffon cut him off. "Through radiation as the light waves do not need a medium! I know, Yellow Bright!" "But do you know that you got to ret to get better?" Screwball asked. "This griffon never lets his guard down," Falcon Dive began, before suddenly saying, "Especially when some creature is about to get hurt by a falling pot!" Yellow Bright and the Lil'Heroic Ten watched Falcon Dive dash to an unseen creature's rescue, and the sound of the pot hitting the ground could be heard... That evening, every creature gathered for dinner at the Dining Table as usual, but when Falcon Dive entered, things quickly became very different from usual days. "Falcon Dive! Why do you have all sorts of cuts and burns on you?! Where were you all day?!" Sunshine Rays asked. "Well, there was a house burning, a pony inside it needs sting..." Falcon Dive explained, before being cut off by Krona. "Ponyville has fire extinguishers and fire fighting force! Falcon Dive should let hem put out the fire!" "Not to mention rescue the pony," Buffer added. "Then, he saw some creature about to get hurt, dashing off to the rescue and hurting himself as he did," Yellow Bright reported. "What?! Falcon Dive, what were you thinking? You were already her from that fire, and you go on getting yourself hurt even more?!" Sunshine Rays asked. "I was saving some creature else's life!" Falcon Dive responded in a tone that expressed opposition towards Sunshine Rays' words. "But...what about your injury?" Nature Bloom asked in her usual, soft-spoken like Fluttershy, tone. "I care the least about my conditions! Because I'm very..." Falcon Dive began, before being cut of by Luster Dawn. "Selfless? We know that you're always like that, Falcon Dive, but you got to..." "Be more thoughtful towards others?! Yes I know, because ever since that incident of breaking Volcano's helium particles collection, I never dove down towards the Castle at great speeds, ever again! And always tried thinking twice or thrice or more before I do something!" Falcon Dive intervened. "What I was about to say was 'more thoughtful towards yourself', " Luster corrected. The statement caused Falcon Dive to give out an immediate reaction of opposition, "WHAT?! No! I always care the most about others and the least about myself, and I'm going to keep it that way! There's no way I'm going to care that much about my safety, needs, wants, and conditions!" "But Falcon Dive! Caring about yourself like that doesn't make you selfish!" Evergreen pointed out. "Yeah, it's only when you cared more about yourself than others, that will make you selfish!" Yellow Bright explained. "I'm not taking any chances of having such a vice like selfishness!" the griffon denied. "We do like the fact that you're selfless, Falcon Dive, willing to save any creature in need or trouble, but if you're hurt, you got to sit it out!" Volcano informed. "What about my lookout protector duties?!" Falcon Dive asked in a somewhat insane tone. "I'm sure every creature will understand! I mean, you can't go out under the Sun with burns that can worsen because of radiation, and you got cuts that need time to heal..." Alkali began, before being interrupted by Falcon Dive. "There is no way I'm going to sit out even for a day! Or an hour? Or a minute?! Anyway, I am the Element of Selflessness, always selfless! Care the most about every creature and everything else's goodness and conditions!" "And care the least about yourself to the point you don't care one bit about getting yourself hurt!" Sunshine Rays sarcastically finished for her griffon Best Friend. "Exactly!" Falcon Dive responded, somewhat striking off a pose. "But Falcon Dive, what about your poor cells and tissues? I mean, they are what makes you you, building up your body! Injuring yourself means damaging and even killing some of them! And just like creatures, they are living things!" Nature Bloom pointed out. "The last thing I ever remember about cells from hearing your Biology thing is cells naturally dies quickly, so they are meant to die!" Falcon Dive responded, offending the others with what he had to say about cells. "What?! It's the Red Blood Cells that die quickly because they don't have a nucleus like typical cells! Although, other cells do die at a fast rate, but not as fast as the red blood cells, but hat still doesn't give yourself any right to keep injuring yourself and giving them a hard time to multiply and replace the damaged!" Volcano clarified. "Whoops...sorry every creature, but you know me, I can't help it when I see some creature in need of help! I'm just so.used to being selfless!" Falcon Dive told his best friends. "Can't you be selfless and...care more about your cells?" Nature Bloom asked politely. "I'm sure they're fine like usual! As for usual! I get hurt a million times before in all my life and recovered! Plus, I care more about every creature else's cells compared to my own!" Falcon Dive claimed. "There's just no way to convince him to care about himself..." Sunshine Rays sighed. The next day, sometime during the afternoon, Rainbow had her best friends to help her practise Falcon Dive's moves by building an obstacle course out of rubber tyres and haystacks from Sweet Apple Acres. "Are you sure about this, Rainboom?" Sonic asked his sister. "Of course I am sure about this! I mean, I got to practise some hero moves so I can save any creature in need like Falcon Dive does!" Rainboom confidently exclaimed as her answer. "But, aren't there any safer, better, ways to do so?" Screwball asked. "Like uniting all of your species to help fight a threat and save Equestria?!" Sparity suggested. "Just like Professors, Silverstream, Ocellus and Smolder!" Lil'Cheese listed. "And Uncle Sandbar and Aunt Yona!" Precious Treasure added. "And Captain of the Royal Guard in Canterlot, Captain Gallus!" Big Sugar contributed. "Don't forget Rasberry Dazzle and Hyper Sonic!" Bulk Junior finished. "As if something like that's going to happen so often!" Rainboom responded, not taking in much of what her best friends had to say, "I'm going to train and train and train and become the hero Falcon Dive is! And even better, like a superhero! Saving creatures from danger!" "I don't think you're at that level, Rainboom..." Sweet Caramel Apple informed. "Maybe you should wait until you are older?" Muffin Whooves suggested. "As if! This world always needs saving!" Rainboom declared, before spending into the obstacle course with her best friends watching as her audience. "Well, so far, so good..." Lil'Cheese nervously chuckled as they watched. But as soon as that sentence was finished, Rainboom tripped on a small stone and was sent rolling towards a tower of haystacks! The filly's best friends gasped in horror before a sudden strong gust of wind swooped pass them, and got Rainboom to safety. It was none other than Falcon Dive, who was still not recovered from his scars. "Falcon Dive, thank you for saving me! I really admire your heroic doings, but not the fact that you are still hurt!" Rainboom told her hero. "Hurt?! I don't care about how hurt or injured I get, because I am selfless, and fight pain! I fight every struggle and setback and help others no matter what! And that means sacrificing my own good for their good! Care the least about my safety, the most about every creature else's..." "We always hear you say all that!" Lil'Cheese complained, having gotten annoyed of hearing the same sentences over and over again from the one same creature. "Sorry, I just got too used to saying it! But the main point is, one part about selflessness is willing to hurt yourself, as that shows you care less about yourself, plus you got to save other creatures at the risk of your safety at times. And sacrificing your own life to save other creatures' lives, is no doubt, the most selfless thing!" Falcon Dive explained. "Selflessness is really unique, being a virtue that puts whoever that possess it at risk!" Sparity sarcastically commented. "It is pretty much about sacrificing! But there are some smaller, more harmless sacrifices like sacrificing your time and..." Falcon Dive began smoothly, before his tone suddenly turned into an unarm, panicked tone, "Time with loved ones when some creature is in need of help!" The griffon then dashed off once again, due to seeing some creature that could use his saving. "That's totally Falcon Dive, alright!" Big Sugar commented. "Being very selfless!" Sweet Caramel Apple added. "I just hope that Falcon Dive doesn't get hurt even more..." Screwball whimpered. That evening, during dinner time in the Castle of Friendship, things did not go any better compared to the previous day. "Falcon Dive! Look at you! You're in terrible condition! Haven't you seen your reflection in a mirror or pool of water or something?!" Sunshine Rays asked. Falcon Dive was in a condition worse than just injured, he was all messes up, covered in dirt, leaves and twigs, and even more injuries. "That's not all, your scarf is ripped!" Evergreen pointed out. "Madam Rarity might faint to see a horribly ripped scarf like that!" Krona commented. "You probably should get a replacement or just take it off with no replacement," Buffer suggested. "What?! No way! This scarf is passed down to me from my Dad! I can't just replace it!" Falcon Dive protested. "But you did ruin it really badly..." Volcano pointed out. "While I was busy saving other creatures, as for usual!" Falcon Dive stated. "Falcon Dive, I know that being selfless is the virtue that you value the most, but you must not think that caring about your conditions means being the opposite of selfless!" Nature Bloom told her griffon Best Friend. "I already told you all, every creature! That hurting myself is part of being selfless!" Falcon Dive argued, "I can't just stand by and watch other creatures get hurt! I have to help them!" "But how can you help them if you cannot even help yourself?" Evergreen asked. "You must be in good conditions to help yourself before you help others!" Luster contributed. "Help yourself before you help others?! That sounds kind of selfish to me, putting yourself before others..." Falcon Dive protested. "Listen, it is not being selfish, it's true! You need to be able to help yourself! Have the abilities to do things to serve yourself! If you can help yourself, then you can help others! Because being able to help yourself is the basic! Proving that you have the ability you need for doing more, which is helping others!" Volcano explained. "Can help myself or not, I always help others!" Falcon Dive still resumed ignoring his best friends' words. "Where is your listening spirit?" Buffer asked, trying to get Falcon Dive to snap out of his (Falcon Dive's) unwilling to listen behaviour. "There are times when others are wrong, so that means sometimes you should listen to yourself and trust yourself and your thoughts!" Falcon Dive argued, "Lee you cannot believe a theif who says that they steal powerful magical objects for safekeeping, that easily!" "In a scenario like that, you mostly should not listen, but there are still scenarios that require..." Sunshine Rays began, before being cut off by her griffon Best Friend. "See?! I don't care what you all think about my selfless ways! I am never going to care that much about myself! There's no way I'm going to risk becoming selfish!" Falcon Dive declared, before exiting the Dining Room and slamming the doors shut. "Isn't not willing to listen to others somewhat selfish?" Alkali asked. The next day, Falcon Dive flew up to the sky as usual, doing his lookout duty. This time, he had a bit of difficulty flying, feeling pain kicking into his body. "Why do I feel so much pain? I haven' gotten any extra injuries!" the griffon asked himself out loud, just before he heard an explosion and spotted the Cake Twins, Pound Cake and Pumpkin Cake in the middle of the Everfree Forest, surrounded by a huge pack of hungry Timberwolves! "Come on, sis! We can handle them!" Pound encouraged his exhausted sister. After firing another beam at the Timberwolves, Pumpkin collapsed on her hooves, weakly saying, "I'm...too...tired..." A large Timberwolf charged at the Twins, but just before it could reach them, Falcon Dive bravely swooped in and pushed the beast from the beast's left side, changing the direction it was taking, saving the unicorn and pegasus in the process. Unfortunately for the griffon, the pack splitter up with three quarter taking on the twins, and the remaining quarter after him. Falcon Dive attempted to fly high up into the skies once again, but was prevented from doing so by his conditions. "What?! No! I can't fly so well!" Falcon Dive cried, just as he was surrounded by Timberwolves. Without his flight, the griffon bravely dodged the beasts and ran to the ponies' rescue. But unfortunately for Falcon Dive, Pumpkin Cake had shot a beam at the Timberwolf in front of him, who quickly dodged it, resulting in the beam hitting the griffon instead. "Falcon Dive!" the Cake Twins gasped as they saw the famous hero got hurt. The two ponies ran towards the fallen creature, winding up getting surrounded by the whole pack of Timberwolves. "Leave our Best Friend alone!" the rest of the Heroic Ten's voices could be heard saying, as they appeared and faced the beasts in a battle. Luster teleported herself around frequently, as well as shooting beams at the Timberwolves around. Yellow Bright annoyed a few Timberwolves with tactics similar to the one Pinkie Pie used against Queen Chrysalis on the day Twilight's Coronation was supposed to happen on. "Try your luck, wolfies! Come and catch this pony, yellow like a duck!" Yellow Bright exclaimed, before popping all over the place. The Timberwolves tried to pounce and land on him, but constantly failed. "Miss! Miss too! Three times missed! Close, but no free points!" the Earth Pony kept on jumping around and having fun like he was playing a game. Sunshine Rays and Alkali worked with Krona and Buffer to take down several of theTimberwolves, the former two tend to swoop down to grab the beasts' attention, while the later two would use the chance to charge and knock the wolves down. "Hey Timberwolves, look at who's up in the sky!" Sunshine Rays called. "Two of the Heroic Ten, Sunshine Rays and Alkali!" declared Alkali, as she swooped down to fly over the Timberwolves' heads. Krona and Buffer charged at the distracted Timberwolves, shattering the beasts into sticks. "Krona smash!" Krona loudly shouted at the very last second the Timberwolves she and Buffer took down, existed. "That was kind of fun!" Buffer added, after the defeat of several of the wolves. Evergreen, as a Nirik, ran circle around the Timberwolves, trapping them in an enclosure of fire that only she could touch without harm. Volcano used his fire breath to scare most of the remaining Timberwolves away. "That's right, leave!" the dragon called to the frightened Timberwolves. Unlike every creature else, Nature Bloom had tamed one of the Timberwolves throughout the entire battle, currently telling the latter as if it was a dog, "You are such a good boy, being able to stay calm like this throughout a situation." "Nature Bloom!" Luster called, catching the changeling's attention. "Oh, right." Nature Bloom responded, before turning back to the Timberwolf, "Sorry, we both got to go follow our packs. See you around if our paths ever crossed again!" After the Timberwolf left, the Cake Twins approached the Heroic Ten. "Thank you so much for saving our lives, Heroic Ten. Even though we were the one reason there was all this trouble, coming here to look for an ingredient for a cake!" Pound Cake apologised. "And we're even more sorry about what happened to...one of your members..." Pumpkin Cake added. "And I think you all know who they're talking about..." Falcon Dive said as he walked towards his best friends, crawling like a vey weak, old creature. "Falcon Dive! What happened?!" Sunshine Rays asked. "Well, I was battling the Timberwolves to help the Cake Twins, but got even more injuries and now..I can't fly...and can't do anything much really." the griffon explained. "So does that mean that you can't help any creature?" Volcano asked. "What?! I will still help creatures!" Falcon Dive shouted. "What Volcano meant was, do you still have the ability to help creatures?" Alkali asked. "Well...in this condition, I don't think I can do well..." Falcon Dive said in pain. "Exactly, Falcon Dive! Without the ability to help yourself move around, you won't be able to help any creature else! You need to be able to help yourself, then you can help others!" Luster stated. Finally learning that what his best friends had been telling him for a while was true, Falcon Dive finally gave up on his self-hurting ways to help others when he was already injured. "You are right, every creature. I finally see that now, thanks to this incident and experience, I'm really sorry that I ignored what you all say, especially when our Element of Listening had been nearby the whole time!" "It's not that bad! Listening can be quite tricky at times! Like, you can have trouble working out who to listen to among many others, or you might find it difficult to understand something some creature says, or misunderstand it," Buffer listed some examples. "We're glad that we all came just in time!" Evergreen added. "At the sacrifice of our own time," Volcano stated, "Alkali and I should be teaching our students at Improvement Academy right now!" "Oh, right! Sorry, we got to go! Lessons can't start without the teachers!" Alkali announced, before spreading out her wings to fly to her destination alongside Volcano. "Krona and Buffer got to go, too! Go to work!" Krona declared. "Sorry we can't stay any longer!" Buffer apologised. "I got things to do, too! And they are quite important." Evergreen contributed. "So do I! Sorry, even creature!" Yellow Bright added, leaving as well. "Now that every creature mentioned that they got things to do, I remembered that I got things to do, too! I should be doing those things right now! Sorry, I have to leave and get back to work!" Nature Bloom informed, before flying off, leaving only Luster and Sunshine Rays with the injured Falcon Dive. "Well, that just leaves us to take you to the Hospital, Falcon Dive," Sunshine Rays told her griffon Best Friend, "You really need it." Time flew by and it was late afternoon. Rainbow was up to another stunt to train herself to beready for action like Falcon Dive. Dodging sharp tails and chairs this time. "I don't think that's safe, Rainboom!" Bulk Junior told her. "And didn't Mum and Dad keep telling us that safety is the most important thing?" Sonic reminded. "Falcon Dive says that being selfless means willing to sacrifice, and that includes sacrificing safety to save others!" Rainboom declared. "But, no creature's in trouble!" Muffin Whooves pointed out. "Except for you, maybe." Screwball told Rainboom. "Screwball's right, Rainboom." Sweet Caramel Apple stated. "IT's not safe!" Big Sugar added. "Even though tables and chairs are nothing compared to fire and lava..." Sparity contributed. "Sparity! It still isn't very safe!" Precious Treasure informed. "Maybe we should have cakes and pies?" Lil'Cheese asked. "No pies for me!" Sonic responded. "I was saying cakes and pies for an obstacle course! They aren't as hard as tables and chairs!" Lil'Cheese clarified. "Maybe pillows and blankets are an even better choice?" Muffin Whooves suggested. "Never mind! I need to be brave and willing to risk my safety!" Rainboom declared in a brave, confident tone. At the Hospital, Luster and Sunshine Rays were still with Falcon Dive, being beside his bed. "So, if you really want to fly super fast, how are you going to do that?" Luster asked the griffon. "Fly up really high, gain as much gravitational potential energy as possible, before flying down with an undefined gradient like in a graph where x=any one number, so I can fall quickly in eagle-dive position, with lots of my gravitational potential energy converting into kinetic energy as I fall..." Falcon Dive was saying his answer out loud before being cut off by Sunshine Rays. "Um, guys? What do you think Rainboom and her friends are up to on that hill? With plenty of tables and chairs?" Luster approached the window and saw what Sunshine Rays was seeing from far away, since the floor they were on was the third floor, they could see things that were quite far away. "Let me have a closer look," Luster said, before using a spell to summon a magic circle that worked like a magnifying glass to take a look at what the kids were doing. "Rainboom's dodging tables and chairs! And some of them are unstable, threatening to fall on her at any time!" "What?! Oh no, I got to save her!" Falcon Dive declared, but his pain prevented him from doing so. "Ow..." "No Falcon Dive, you do not have the ability to help any creature right now, so we're going to save Rainboom." Luster informed, before rushing out of the Hospital with Sunshine Rays. Rainboom was successful in avoiding most of the tables and chairs, but she was not very lucky as she accidentally bumped one of the table stacks, resulting in a domino effect of the rest of the obstacle course shaking uncontrollably, about to collapse at once. Fortunately, Luster and Sunshine Rays arrived right on time, due to Luster's teleportation spell. The unicorn used the same spell to teleport Rainboom to safety, right beside the two mares. "Thanks, Luster and Sunshine Rays! For saving my twin sister." Sonic thanked. "No problem saving her," Luster replied. "But the problem is, why would you set up such a dangerous obstacle course?!" Sunshine Rays scolded, "Didn't I tell you that real best friends do not put any creature in danger?!" "I'm sorry, Sunshine Rays. But I was practising my skills so I can be selfless like Falcon Dive! Willing to sacrifice my own safety to save others!" Rainboom apologised and explained. "WHAT?! If it was a practice, you should have used cushions, pillows, blankets, and things that are more safe and soft!" Sunshine Rays informed. "But, Falcon Dive said that the most selfless thing is sacrifice!" Rainboom told the white-coated pegasus mare. "Only when there really is some creature else in trouble!" Sunshine Rays explained, "Creating a practice that puts you in danger means causing trouble for others! See things that way!" "And you really got to be more careful with your virtues understanding in this rate..." Luster added. "Speaking of virtues understanding, Falcon Dive still hasn't fixed you on selflessness and loyalty! If he doesn't, Mum is not going to be happy..." Sonic warned. "In that case, we'll take you to the Hospital to see Falcon Dive, but my teleportation spell only works outside, being blocked off by magic-absorbing shards so that no creature can suddenly teleport in and cause a shock. So we're going to have to be careful once we walk inside," Luster told the filly. "And remember, there are plenty of other creatures there, so you better be thoughtful and think of them!" Sunshine Rays added. The scene then changed to show what happened later in the Hospital, with Lustre writing a letter that Falcon Dive wanted to send to Princess Twilight Sparkle, about the latest lesson he learnt. Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle, I always thought that selflessness means helping other creatures at any situation and condition, and only helping others when I can help myself means being selfish, but I was strongly proven wrong. You really cannot help others when you cannot help yourself. In my case, I got injured really badly, and was unable to do much, not being able to move around much! Not being able to move around much disables me from helping others as well, unable to help myself, and unable to help others! In addition, selflessness may mean sacrificing your own good to help or even save others, but it should not be taken too far with practices of risking whoever wants to be selfless! Selflessness shows itself only when the time is right, and it can be from as big as saving others' lives, to as small as just being thoughtful of them and giving them what they need. Signed, one of your faithful student's best friends, Falcon Dive. After the letter was magically sent away, Rainboom approached the injured griffon, "I'm glad that you really cleared things out now, but are you able to teach loyalty? I mean, you always have been more focused on selflessness." "Don't worry, Rainboom. Now that I know that I can only help when I have the ability to do it, I figured to ask an expert of Loyalty." was the response. The next second, the door opened, revealing Rainbow Dash's husband Soarin. "Dad!" Rainboom greeted her father. "I got a letter from Falcon Dive saying that he needs help bringing back your loyal senses, so your Mum won't be upset. And come to think of it, calling me here really is a good choice, instead of trying his best to teach without the right abilities." Soarin explained. Falcon Dive nervously chuckled, "Right..." Every creature around the griffon's bed then shared a laugh. 17. Rush AwayAuthor's Note Rush Away serves as the seventeenth episode of the series. Summary: Luster Dawn attempts to keep all the promises she made, only to cause trouble in the process. Featured Song: Got to Rush 17. Rush Away "Nothing like a great once in a while time reading," Luster told herself, as she was in the Castle of Friendship's Library early in the morning, during the final hours of Sunset Shimmer's time awake. "You're the lucky creature Luster, because I've read all these books already, they're all not interesting to me now." Sunset Shimmer sarcastically commented. "Maybe I can bring some new ones in, so you can have something interesting?" Luster asked. "That's so kind of you, Luster! I just hope it's not too much trouble..." Sunset Shimmer responded. "It sure won't, even if many places are getting magical magic-absorbing shards to protect themselves!" Luster claimed, "And don't worry, I promise that I will get you something you will like in a jiffy!" But once she was out of the Library, she quickly ran into Sunshine Rays in the hallway. "Hi, Sunshine, coming through!" Luster greeted, before Sunshine Rays stopped her. "Wait, wait, wait! Luster!" Sunshine Rays called, causing Luster to stop. "Is there something wrong, Sunshine?" Luster asked. "Not really, just came to remind you about the thing." Sunshine Rays answered. "What thing?" Luster asked, expressing confusion. "You know, the thing that you promised Falcon Dive that you will do for him today?" Sunshine Rays explained. "I...still don't get what you're talking about," Luster replied. "Falcon Dive is still injured and in the Hospital, and can't take his little sister to Gloss Semblance's neighbourhood for their playdate with our friends' younger siblings! Kestrel is still too young to go alone! Falcon is supposed to take her there, but because of his injuries recently, he can't, and you promised him that you will take his little sister there for him!" Sunshine Rays explained. "Oh! Sorry, Sunshine, I totally forgot, I will do it right away!" Luster saluted. "Wait! There's another thing that you better not forget." Sunshine Rays stopped Luster again. "What?" the unicorn asked. "Don't you remember? Kestrel needs to be there at about 11 in the morning. Late morning, not too early, not too late!" Sunshine Rays added in the details "Alright, I'll teleport myself to get her, and take her to Gloss Semblance's! Easy!" Luster exclaimed. "Wait," Sunshine Rays stopped Luster once more. "What is it this time?" Luster asked in a slightly annoyed tone. "Don't forget what you promised me today," Sunshine Rays went on. "I'm sorry Sunshine, I forgot what promise I made," Luster apologised. "You promised me that you will go to the Book Store here in Ponyville to meet me in the afternoon, so we both can check on all the recent books, to make sure none of them have something as bad as saying that it is alright to do what is wrong, or any of those nonsense! Because in reality, it is never alright to do what is wrong, especially on purpose! And you know how much trouble something like that can be as time flies by!" Sunshine went on. "Yes I know, Sunshine, we all know, terrible consequences, threatening the entire globe, regardless of innocent or not..." Luster responded. "But my main point is, you better keep your promises! Because they are promises!" Sunshine Rays pointed out, before walking away, "See you later Luster, I'm going back to my room to finish my writing!" Not long after Sunshine Rays was out of sight, Luster was approached by another one of her best friends, Yellow Bright. "Hey, Luster!" the yellow-coated Earth Pony greeted, surprising Luster. "Yellow Bright! You startled me!" Luster complained. "Sorry, just wanted to remind you of the promise you made," Yellow Bright apologised. "Promise?" Luster asked. "Don't you remember? You promised me that you will put on a magic show at Sugar Cube Corner! For Princess Flurry Heart's once in a blue moon visit there?! I would be there helping Madam Pinkie Pie, her husband, Mr.Cheese Sandwich, their son Lil'Cheese set up the party, and I assured them that you will lighten things up, because you yourself said so when I told you about the party days ago!" Yellow Bright explained. "Sorry Yellow Bright, I really forgot these promises...but now that you reminded me, I will fulfil them and perform that show!" Luster saluted. "Then be at Sugar Cube Corner at 10.45 a.m later! The performance should be around 11 am." Yellow Bright told Luster the final details before walking away. "Wait...I made promises that I forgot...and promises that collide with each other?!" Luster whimpered to herself, as she expressed anxiousness. After the series' theme song intro played, Luster was panicking and asking herself, "What do I do?! I have to perform that magic show for a princess! But I also promised one of my best friends something that means a lot to them! Both promises are important to keep!" "What is Luster doing here talking to no creature?!" Krona could be heard asking, catching Luster's attention. "Krona! Thank goodness you're here! I got a promise problem!" Luster let out a huge sigh of relief and figged her yak Best Friend. "Slow down Luster, Krona doesn't even know what a promise problem is!" Krona responded. "That is a problem with promises," Luster explained, "You see, I promised to take Falcon Dive's younger sister Kestrel to Gloss Semblance's neighbourhood for a playdate, but I also promised Yellow Bright, and most likely, the workers of Sugar Cube Corner that I will put on a magic show here on a timing that collides with the timing I needed to get Kestrel to Gloss! How do I get out of this mess?!" "First of all, why did Luster make promises that she couldn't keep?!" Krona asked. "I...I...forgot them..." Luster sadly admitted. "Luster should have written a list so she would never forget them!" Krona pointed out. "Thanks for the suggestion, Krona, but it's too late, I don't remember any other promises I made because now I'm too overwhelmed by several of them!" Luster explained, "I don't remember when I made those promises! And I don't want to let Ayn creature down by breaking them!" "Well, Luster should just tell every creature the truth that she forgot about the promises, and learnt her lesson, and will write a list of promises down so she will never forget!" Krona figured. "But what about the promises that I made? The very promises that I have to fulfil today! The activities I promised to do have timings that collide with each other! And I can't be at two places at once!" Luster panicked. "Krona knows that Luster doesn't want to break any promises, nor make any promises that she could not keep, but Krona afraid that Luster has no choice but to apologise to the creatures that she made promises that she could not fulfill with," Krona honestly suggested. "I know that the magic show I promised to perform for Princess Flurry Heart's rare visit is most likely the most important..." Luster began, before being cut off by Krona. "Then that's the promise Luster should keep and fulfil!" "But...what I promised Falcon Dive means a lot, too! It's not every day that his sister and the rest of our best friends' younger siblings have playdates!" Luster pointed out. "But it's still not as important as..." Krona started, before being cut off by Luster. "Sorry, I can't choose between them! I'm going to teleport myself all around the place to do as I promised! Keeping all the promises so I won't upset any creature!" Luster announced. "Luster! That will take too much magic!" Krona cried. "Anything better than breaking my promises and upsetting some creature!" Luster claimed, before teleporting herself out of the Castle. "Oh dear..." was all Krona could mutter after the unicorn disappeared. Once she was outside, Luster quickly ran into the Best Friend of her mother Starlight Glimmer, Trixie, the Guidance Counsellor of the School of Friendship. "Hello, Luster Dawn!" Trixie greeted in her magician tone. "Hello, Guidance Counsellor Trixie," Luster responded. "Came right on time to do as you promised me!" Trixie went on, causing Luster to gasp. "Wait, I promised you something, too?!" "Oh, Luster! Don't be such a silly performer acting like you don't know what you promised the Great and Powerful Trixie!" Trixie patted Luster's head. "Actually, Guidance Counsellor Trixie, I really..." Luster began, before getting cut off again. "Doesn't matter now, because we are going to make some powerful potions for my upcoming act! And practice makes perfect!" "But...isn't your next act a few days away?!" Luster asked. "It is, so you promised me that you will spend two hours in the morning helping me make potions!" Trixie revealed what the promise Luster made was, "Two hours in the morning, 8.45 to 10.45 a.m., to be exact." Luster gasped to hear what the promise that she made and forgotten was: Another promise that collides with the ones she already made! "It's almost time! Chop, chop! Come on, Luster, let's get the magic making started!" Trixie declared, getting behind Luster to push her off to work in the former's magician wagon. Time flew and soon, it was 10.45, the time potion making should end. "Well done, Luster! Trixie couldn't have finished the job without you, and now, how should we arrange these potions? By colour? By strength? By how useful? By how rare they are?" Trixie began, before noticing that Luster had disappeared while she was not looking. "Luster?" Luster had teleported herself to Sugar Cube Corner, where the Cake Twins, Pie Family (Pinkie Pie, Cheese Sandwich and Lil'Cheese) and Yellow Bright were. "Luster, you made it just in time!" Yellow Bright greeted his unicorn Best Friend upon noticing her. "Glad I made it!" Luster panted. "You really need to clean yourself up before Princess Flurry Heart notices," Yellow Bright advised. He was right, as Luster had a messy mane and a horrible appearance. Fortunately, she knew a spell that instantly cleaned herself up, making her look all neat and presentable. Meanwhile at the Hospital, Falcon Dive, still lying on his hospital bed, was getting worried about his sister. At that moment, he was thanking one of the unicorn hospital workers, as she sent the letter to Luster with her magic. "Thanks for sending that letter! You have no idea how much that means to me," Falcon Dive thanked. "No problem Falcon Dive, workers at the hospital have to make sure that nothing else goes wrong for the patients, especially when being injured or sick is already bad enough," the worker replied. Luster was in the middle of the magic show just when the scroll arrived, distracting her before she quickly teleported herself backstage while resuming the act, using the spell that allowed herself and any creature on her side of the wall to see through the opaque wall, but not the creatures on the other side to see her. Dear Luster, I hope that you don't have too much trouble taking my little sister Kestrel to Gloss Semblance's neighbourhood for their playdate around now, since I can't as I'm still in the Hospital. Also, please don't forget to take her back to GriffonStone before sunset, otherwise her parents can get worried. Signed Falcon Dive Luster gasped once she finished reading, causing her magic show to spill a bit out of control as the pastries she was levitating collide with each other, making a bit off a mess, and resulting in some of its cream to fly to Pinkie Pie's face. "Mmm, delicious!" Pinkie Pie responded after licking her face clean. Backstage, Luster was struggling to keep her show in line as she thought about the other promise she made. "I can't keep Kestrel waiting! But the show has to go on for the rest of the fifteen minutes! And I only went through three minutes! And Kestrel cannot wait for the twelve remaining minutes! Neither can Gloss and the others!" An idea then struck Luster's head, "I will just cast a come to life spell on the pastries, so they will perform themselves like magic! While I get Kestrel to Gloss' neighbourhood for their playdate! Then, I will come back, undo the spell, and continue! Plus, no creature except me knows how the show is supposed to go! Everything is going to be fine!" With that, Luster teleported herself to the back of the audience and casted the come to life spell that her mentor Twilight used during Winter Wrap Up ages ago. After casting the spell, Luster teleported off, leaving the pastries to act wild and out-of-control, scaring away the audience, with the exception of Pinkie Pie. "Pastry madness! What can be tastier and crazier than that?!" Pinkie Pie asked. In the meantime, Gloss was greeting his best friends as they arrived in his neighbourhood. "Thanks for making it, every creature! Except for Kestrel, I thought she would be the first creature here..." Gloss announced to the others, " especially with Luster being the creature who will bring her here." Just then, Luster appeared alongside the pre-teen griffon, announcing, "We're here!" "Thanks for bringing her here, Luster!" Nature Bloom's younger brother Terrain thanked. "Wow, you look pretty messed-up!" Alkali's younger brother Acid, commented. "Did something bad happen?" Sunshine Rays' younger brother Clear Sky, asked. "Not something so serious that you all have to know..." Luster nervously replied. "Then come on! It's time to make some chocolates! Like what we planned for this playdate!" Gloss cheerfully claimed, before turning to Luster, "Remember? You promised that you were going to help us out!" Luster froze to hear what he said, responding, "For how long?" "For as long as it takes to make a successful batch! Unless of course, the period of time our playdate lasts ends," Gloss Semblance answered. Luster nervously answered, "Right..." In Ponyville, Alkali, taking Falcon Dive's place as his replacement that weekend, was in the skies looking out for the town. She quickly noticed the wild pastries chaos and muttered, "Uh oh." The indigo hippogriff quickly burst into the castle to look for Volcano, who was in his room working on a blueprint. "Volcano! We got wild pastries on the loose! And I bet that they are enchanted!" Alkali informed. "Enchanted? Only magic can undo the spell, and that means unicorn, alicorn or potion magic can undo it!" Volcano responded. "But, I don't see Luster any where!" Alkali reported. "Then get her parents! They're great unicorns who know many spells, too! Especially her mother, Head-mare Starlight Glimmer! Although, Head-mare Starlight did have certain mess ups before, back when she was still Princess Twilight Sparkle's student! The School of Friendship's lectures say so! And..." Volcano started saying some unimportant details before he was snapped out of it by Alkali. "Volcano! Those details are not what we need right now!" "Oh, right..." Volcano sheepishly nodded, before following his hippogriff Best Friend out of his room. At Sugar Cube Corner, Pinkie Pie was bouncing around, chasing the cupcakes in a playful manner, as she exclaimed, "Come on, every creature! Chasing wild cupcakes and cakes and pastries is fun! You get to hunt for your food like a lion! Or a tiger! Or, experience how those predators catch food! Because you are the predator of these pastries!" "As if that solves the problem," Rainbow Dash and Soarin's daughter Rainbow sarcastically commented. "You got to admit the it is kind of fun," admitted Applejack and Caramel's daughter, Sweet Caramel Apple. "But not the good type of fun!" Octavia and Bulk Biceps' son Bulk Junior pointed out. "Looks like you are taking in Sunshine Rays' morality lectures," Muffin Whooves, the daughter of Derpy and Doctor Whooves, commented. "Come on, every creature! We got to help them, the right way!" Lil'Cheese pointed out. "Can't Princess Flurry Heart do something?" Fluttershy and Discord's daughter Screwball asked. "Maybe she can if the Royal Guards didn't evacuate her..." Rarity and Spike's dragon daughter Sprity sarcastically responded. "They're just trying to protect the princess!" Precious Treasure, the unicorn son of Rarity and Spike explained. "They always do that!" Sonic, the son of Rainbow Dash and Soarin added. "Don't worry, every creature! Help has arrived!" Starlight Glimmer announced, bursting into the scene. Using her magic, Starlight undid the spell her daughter casted, turning the pastries back into regular ones, calming every creature down, with the exception of Pinkie Pie. "Awww...I was having lots of fun!" "You're lucky that Sunshine Rays isn't here to hear you say that!" Alkali informed, "Because you know her, fun that isn't something good is not good!" "Anyway, how did this mess happen?" Starlight asked. "Well, Luster was putting on a magic show when she got a letter, then she must have teleported out, then after a bit of time, the show went a little wrong with the pastries colliding a little, before they went wild right after a bee hit them, and the beam looked like it came from behind the audience..." Yellow Bright explained. "I think I know what's going on," Starlight responded. "What?!" Alkali, Volcano and Yellow Bright all asked in unison. "Can you excuse us, every creature? I need a private talk with my three former students," Starlight told every creature else in the area. In Gloss Semblance's kitchen, Luster was very stressed as she tried to keep things cool. "Luster, are you sure you are alright?" Yellow Bright's younger sister Purple Blend asked. "You do seem unsteady," Krona's younger brother Krone added. "Like you went through a lot," Buffer's younger sister Cushion contributed. "She was pretty exhausted when she arrived at Griffonstone to pick me up," Kestrel pointed out. "Because I had a heavy morning! Full of things to do!" Luster answered, "But now I get to calm down, making chocolates...after a quick break to the bathroom!" Luster slipped away after making the excuse, teleporting herself to the back of Sugar Cube Corner, where she was almost noticed by her mother and best friends, before she teleported herself into the nearest tree to hide in its leaves. "So Luster has gone off somewhere else?!" Volcano asked. "I'm afraid so for some reason, but I can't help long enough, as I got some work to do today, and Sunburst can't do everything on his own," Starlight sighed. "Don't worry, we'll find out what is going on with her!" Alkali saluted. "Good luck then," Starlight responded, before teleporting herself away. "I hope that she doesn't make anymore mess-pus! Especially when it broke the promise she made!" Yellow Bright commented, "I mean, she promised to put on a fifteen minutes show, but ran off on the first one fifth of it!" "That doesn't sound very good of her!" Volcano replied, causing Luster to feel guilty as she ducked into the leaves of the tree. "I messed up the promise?! Oh no, that's one promise ruined, I better make sure I keep the others!" Luster worriedly cried to herself, before teleporting herself back to Gloss Semblance's kitchen. "There you are," Evergreen's younger brother Jack Pine responded. "Why did you teleport? The bathroom isn't even ten metres away!" Gloss Semblance asked. "Sorry...just got used to it!" Luster responded in a nervous tone. "And what took you so long?" Purple Blend asked. "I had a bad stomach ache!" Luster cooked up a story. "You don't sound nor look like you did!" Cushion figured. "Anyway, let's just get going!" Kestrel announced. "Right..." Luster responded in a normal tone, before changing to a dramatic tone, "Let's get going!" as she rushed through the kitchen, pushing all ten pre-teens into business as fast as she could. Everything went extremely fast, the cooking, the mixing, the pouring, the heating in the oven, all done in a flash by Luster using her magic. Unfortunately, majority was not pleased with the quickly completed work. "Luster! We aren't making chocolates out of wanting them to be completed! We wanted to make chocolates for fun! Learn to make them!" Gloss Semblance explained. "Whoops, every creature...I just went through a lot this morning..." Luster replied in a sheepish manner. "It is noon right now," Clear Sky pointed out, pointing at the clock on the wall, which showed the time: 12.50 p.m. "Noon?!" Luster shrieked, as she knew that she promised Sunshine Rays something to be done at noon. "Are you alright?" Terrain asked the panicked unicorn. "Sure I am! Let's just carry on making chocolates! Your way!" Luster tried to play it cool. "That is, if we had enough ingredients, you used a lot of it during your rush," Volcano's younger sister Lava pointed out. "Don't worry, I promise that I will get all the ingredients in a jiffy!" Luster saluted, just before she froze as she remembered what she promised Sunset earlier. "And don't worry, I promise that I will get you something you will like in a jiffy!" "Here's the list!" Gloss Semblance said, giving Luster a small piece of paper. "Thanks!" Luster quickly grabbed the paper with her magic and teleported away, leaving the ten pre-teens to cough in the presence of her magic sparkles. Luster teleported herself into Ponyville Book Store, where Sunshine Rays was. "There you are Luster, just in time!" the pegasus greeted. Luster force smiled to hide the signs of her true emotions at that moment, replying, "Totally on time! Why would I b late to read books?!" "it's check?" Sunshine ays corrected. "That's right! Check on books! And find something interesting!" Luster tried to play it cool. "I know I asked for help, but I think it is better if we split up..." Sunshine Rays began, before being cut off by a somewhat insane Luster. "So we can go through more! Divide the work! So both sides have lesser to do and save more time! Totally something we should do!" "Right..." Sunshine Rays agreed, before asking, "So, who should go where?" "I'll take left, you take right! Because you love doing the right thing!" Luster figured. "Alright...but remember, tell me about the things you find on your side at the end of the check! Because I have more experience in..." Sunshine Rays began, before being cut off once again by Luster. "Knowing if something is really alright or not!" Once she was out of Sunshine Rays' sight, Luster teleported herself back to Gloss Semblance's town neighbourhood, to do some shopping as she sung about how stressed she was, while she teleported from place to place. "I'm really stressed from these errands, that I've got to run! Trying my very best to get everything done! Promised here, promised there, promised everywhere! Now the only thing I would want, is for this situation to vanish into thin air!" Luster then teleported herself out of the the market, leaving her things there, as she went back into the Book Store in Ponyville, to check on the books. "Got to rush! Take a look! In every book!" Luster then teleported herself back to the market after looking at a few books. "Got to rush! Check everything on the list! Without a miss!" Luster then rushed to the cashier, before making an illusion of herself right next to her basket, as the real her teleported back into the Book Store to check on the books. "Time is flying, as I keep on trying, to keep the promises that I made, and not another mistake!" Luster teleported back into the queue, quickly giving the cashier a gem to pay for the ingredients and dashing off when it was her turn, as she sang the last lines of her song. "Got to rush! Keep up the progress! Try to get out of the mess! Got to rush! Got to rush! Got to rush..." Soon, Luster got back into the Castle of Friendship's Library with three books from the Book Store. "Miss Sunset Shimmer! Sorry I took so long..I just have got to read what's in these books before choosing them for you!" Luster called, before realising that Sunset was asleep, snoring loudly. "So should have not done this, when I made a lot of other promises..." Luster whimpered, just before Nature Bloom ran into her. "Luster! There you are! Ready to do some gardening?" the changeling asked. "Gardening?!" Luster asked. "Of course! You promised me that you will help me with the gardening around the Castle! This late afternoon! And it is late afternoon this moment," Nature Bloom reminded. "Alright..." Luster tried to play things cool, like she had been all day. "So far so good..." Sunshine Rays said to herself, checking on another book as she placed it on the stack beside her, before telling herself, "I better go see how Luster is doing, even if she has nothing to report so far..." The moment Sunshine Rays reached the column, Luster teleported in, exhausted. "Luster?! Did you just teleport here?!" Sunshine Rays asked in a tone that demanded for answers. "Well, yeah...teleported here from the bathroom...I went for a bathroom break!" Luster cooked up a story. "You look urgent, are you sure you went for a bathroom break?" Sunshine Rays asked. "Well, this happens sometimes..." Luster answered. "I hope that you remember what you promised Evergreen that you will do after helping me check on books," Sunshine Rays went on, causing Luster to feel even more uncomfortable, "I passed by her on the way here, and she told me that you will be doing a water ballet with her, or something like that...late afternoon." "So...I should be helping her...now?!" Luster asked. "Sure, besides, I think I should take over your stack, since you got things to do," Sunshine Rays responded, before noticing Luster rush off out of the Book Store. "Thanks, Sunshine!" Luster called. In Gloss Semblance's kitchen, the preteens were startled by Luster teleporting herself all over the place. "Hey, watch it!" Lava cried. "You can really startle some creature!" Jack Pine added. "Sorry!" Luster cried, as she raced through the place to get things done. "You're mixing too fast!" Acid shouted. "Isn't faster better?!" Luster asked in a crazy manner. "Not when you're making chocolates..." Terrain stated. "Yeah, the book says that the chocolate should be mixed gently," Gloss Semblance began. "And not roughly!" Cushion contributed. "Then mix it yourselves!" Luster used her magic to place the bowl of chocolate right in front of Gloss Semblance, while she rushed off. "Setting the temperature too..." Krone began, before Luster insanely knocked him aside to set the temperature up. "The highest temperature it can go so it will heat up very quickly!" "What?! Luster, that is not the way!" Purple Blend shrieked. "There! Back to what it should be!" Kestrel exclaimed, after she flew to the oven to quickly turn the temperature down. "Luster, what were you thinking?!" Clear Sky asked. "You should have known better that you're going to burn the chocolates by setting the temperatures up so high!" Gloss Semblance continued. "Sorry...I just wanted to get our work finished faster...and not slower..." Luster answered in a nervous tone. "Faster isn't doing any good in this rate," Kestrel plainly stated. At the pool of water in Ponvyville's nearby natural park, Evergreen was doing a calm spiral ballet move as her magic levitated some water, making it into the shape of a rope. Luster then teleported back there, quickly using her magic to clean herself up before her Kirin Best Friend open her (Evergreen's) eyes to see her (Luster) being messed up. "So Luster, how do you feel? All calm and cool from the ballet?" Evergreen asked. "Sure! Evergreen...so what's next?!" Luster asked while nervous laughing. "You don't seem very calm nor cool," Evergreen commented, "Perhaps you need more moves and ballet." "What?! Evergreen! You're dreaming!" Luster claimed. "Luster, I can really identify that you're not calm, and not cool, you're just trying to play things cool. You need to do some water ballet like I do," Evergreen placed her front left hoof on Luster's chest. Meanwhile, Yellow Bright was still walking throughout Ponyville, looking for Luster, just before he noticed a signal made by Volcano's fire breath. At the Bookstore, Volcano had learnt some very useful information from Sunshine Rays. "Yellow Bright! You made it faster than I expected!" Volcano commented upon seeing the yellow coated Earth Pony arrive. "Sure! But, why would you say faster than you expected?! What did you expect?" Yellow Bright asked. "That doesn't matter much right now," Sunshine Rays plainly stated. "Sunshine told me that Luster had to take Kestrel to Gloss Semblance's neighbourhood for their playdate!" Volcano began, before Alkali cut him off. "You mean the playdate that our siblings have?!" "Of course, Alkali!" Sunshine Rays answered. "Anyway, with Falcon Dive injured, Luster promised to take Kestrel there for him, and the time she is supposed to get Kestrel there, collides with the time Luster's magic show at Sugar Cube Corner this late morning!" Volcano explained. "So you're saying..." Yellow Bright gasped. "Luster must have left the show to get Kestrel there!" Sunshine Rays claimed. "But why didn't Luster come back after the show?!" Alkali asked. "And teleported all over the place?" Sunshine Rays continued. "Wait, teleport all over the place?!" Volcano, Alkali and Yellow Bright asked in unison. "Yeah, I caught her most likely using a teleportation spell at the Book Store a while before she left!" Sunshine Rays explained, "Luster had promised Evergreen to do some water ballet or whatever they call it!" "So you think Luster went off in a run to do...ballet?" Yellow Bright asked. "Most likely," Sunshine Rays figured. "Should I fly up to see if I can spot Luster?" Alkali asked. "Go for it!" Sunshine Rays instructed. Once she was high in the skies, Alkali tried to find Luster like Falcon Dive could whenever he was where she (Alkali) was. "Alright, Luster where are you?" Alkali asked, gliding all over the place. "Need some help?" Volcano asked, just as he and Sunshine Rays flew up to join Alkali. "Sure! The more the better!" Alkali responded. "And this would divide the time!" Sunshine Rays declared, before flyin off in one direction. "Splitting up, the common tactic to find something!" Volcano explained "While Ill just...stay down here and see if I can find them on ground!" Yellow Bright called from below. "You meant 'on the ground'! As in, find them on the ground!" Volcano corrected. "That is not quite important Volcano, it is just a sentence mistake!" Alkali told her dragon Best Friend. "Just a sentence mistake?! I thought you know me better, as my teaching assistant, that I care about these little sentences, all the time!" Volcano argued, before Sunshine Rays broke the argument up. "Guys! Can we just focus on finding Luster?! Before she causes more trouble?!" the pegasus asked. "Oh, right..." both Alkali and Volcano sheepishly replied. In the mean time, Nature Bloom was still gardening outside of the Castle of Friendship, just before Luster teleported from behind, and cleaned herself (Luster) up before she (Nature Bloom) could notice. "Luster, can you please give me the pH sensor? We got to check if the pH is alright for the plant, because you know, organisms need the pH to be..." "Just right! I know!" an exhausted Luster cried, before using her magic to levitate the pH sensor in the gardening crate over, inserting the plugger into the soil. "Oh no, too acidic! We're going to need some lime! You know what I'm talking about, don't you?" Nature Bloom asked. "Sure! Lime coming up!" Luster levitated a bottle of lime and poured the solution into the soil, alkalising the soil too much. "Luster! Stop! It's too alkaline right now! We need vinegar to neutralise it!" Nature Bloom cried. "Sure, vinegar on its way!" Luster exclaimed, levitating the bottle of vinegar from the crate and pouring it onto the soil, making it far too acidic this time. "Luster, please stop!" Nature Bloom cried, "Perhaps you should take a break, I will handle the gardening from here." "Sure...take a break...you do the gardening...I will just take a break..." Luster teleported herself away again, just like she did all day. After Luster disappeared, Alkali approached Natre Bloom, "Nature! Have you seen Luster?!" "I just told her to take a break and let me do all the gardening after she messed up so badly a while ago," Nature Bloom answered. "Wait, why would Luster be here doing gardening when she promised Evergreen that she will do water ballet with her?" Alkali asked. "Wait, she did?" Nature Bloom asked. "I got to tell the others about this," Alkali went on, before spreading her wings, "So long, Nature! Thanks for your help!" Meanwhile, Volcano spotted Buffer rushing somewhere, as he glided through the skies. "Buffer in a rush? Quite unusual, and something to take seriously, or...not extremely seriously, obviously," Volcano told himself, before flying down to approach his buffalo Best Friend, "Buffer!" "Volcano! You'll never believe what Falcon Dive told me!" Buffer responded. "Wait, what did he tell you?!" Volcano asked. "That Luster has promised to take Kestrel to Gloss Semblance's..." Buffer began, before being cut off by Volcano. "I already know that, Buffer! So does Alkali, Yellow Bright, Sunshine Rays, our younger siblings, alongside Krona's, brother, Nature Bloom's other, Evergreen's brother... or should I say..." Volcano was then cut off by Buffer, who had to stop the former from going too far with unnecessary additional information. "Volcano, sorry to interrupt, but those information are clearly not the important kind that we need right now!" "Sorry, I am just very used to saying all those!" Volcano apologised. "Now, what I'm saying is, Falcon Dive said that Luster promised to take his little sister Kestrel to Gloss Semblance's playdate and back to Griffonstone before the sunsets! Otherwise, Falcon Dive and Kestrel's parents would worry!" Buffer explained. "Thanks for the information, Buffer! I believe we all know where to look for Luster in this case," Volcano replied. "She made all those promises?!" Evergreen asked Yellow Bright in shock. "Probably all day!" Yellow Bright nodded. "No wonder she wasn't so cool and calm when I saw her earlier, even after the water ballet, I should have kept an eye on her..." Evergreen started. "Don't worry, I'm sure we'll solve the problem! Somehow..." Yellow Bright assured, before noticing Volcano's signal again. "Volcano's signal!" Evergreen and Yellow Bright exclaimed in unison. In the Castle of Friendship, Krona was cribbing the hallway when she noticed the same signal her best friends saw, through the transparent windows in the hallways. "Oh dear..." Krona mumbled to herself. Alkali, Buffer, Evergreen, Nature Bloom, Sunshine Rays, Volcano and Yellow Bright were gathered near the Ponyville Hospital, in a grassy field near the building. "Every creature, I think we found out what Luster is going through today," Volcano began. "Luster has decided to keep all the promises she made," Krona honestly informed every creature, "Despite Krona telling Luster that when promises collide, some should be fulfilled, while the others should be sacrificed, but Luster surely did not listen!" "Then why didn't yo ell any of us?!" Sunshine Rays angrily asked. "Because none of Krona's friends were nearby! And Sunshine was too busy writing her morality book as usual!" Krona plainly responded, causing Sunshine Rays to give out a nervous chuckle. "Right..." "Anyway, Luster promised to do water ballet with me this late afternoon," Evergreen stated. "And she promised me to help me with the gardening this late afternoon!" Nature Bloom went on. "And promised that she would put on a fifteen minutes magic show at Sugar Cube Corner for Princess Flurry Heart's rare visits!" Yellow Bright contributed. "In the late morning, colliding its timing with the time she was supposed to send Kestrel to Gloss Semblance's neighbourhood for their playdate today?" Sunshine Rays plainly continued. "And she also promised to take Kestrel back to Griffonstone before the sunset!" Buffer ended. "Then the last places we should look for Luster is Griffonstone and Gloss Semblance's neighbourhood!" Volcano declared. "But, we have to take the train!" Nature Bloom pointed out. "Not if you're friends with some other unicorns!" Volcano figured. "But, Head-mare Starlight and Vice Head-stallion Sunburst are unavailable right now," Evergreen stated. "Or you can say, very busy!" Yellow Bright commented. "Those sentences have pretty similar meanings!" Sunshine Rays plainly commented about the recent sentences her best friends said. "I wasn't talking about them..." Volcano went on. The scene changed to show Trixie in front of her magician wagon, having a conversation with the eight creatures. "Why of course Trixie shall take you to your destination, after all, she is also a Travelling Magician, and travelling means she goes from place to place, and therefore she is a mistress at travelling and getting to places! And she has magic..." as Trixie went on and on, she was interrupted by an impatient Sunshine Rays. "Can we please just get going?! We don't have all day!" "Of course we can! With Trixie's latest magic tricks, that she has up on her sleeves..." Trixie carried on saying like a magician, annoying he eight creatures. "I may be patient, but I can identify that something like this is not acceptable..." Evergreen whispered to her best friends. "But Guidance Counsellor Trixie can and will still take us there, right?!" Yellow Bright asked out loud. "Trixie already says that she will take you creatures to your destination...with magic! Now, what grand entrance shall we make?! Smoke Bombs? Fireworks? Teleportation?" Trixie asked. "Teleportation! We need teleportation, really urgently!" Alkali chose. "Please?" Nature Bloom asked in her usual polite manner. "Alright! Teleportation it is!" Trixie declared, "Now, where do you creatures want to go again?" "Gloss Semblance's neighbourhood!" the eight creatures called in unison. "Here's the map and X marks the spot!" Buffer explained, giving Trixie a map of Equestrian. "Don't you worry, creatures, because the Great and Powerful Trixie can handle any trick! With magic, with illusions..." Trixie began, annoying the creatures once again. "Here we all go again," Volcano groaned. "No offence really, but Krona can't believe that Volcano thought of getting unicorn to take us there," Krona whispered to her best friends. "Miss Sunset Shimmer works at night, the Heads of the School are busy, and that leaves Guidance Counsellor Trixie available!" Volcano pointed out. "But she's taking forever!" Alkali complained. "Or maybe not..." Sunshine Rays smirked, before putting a plan into action as she said out loud, "I don't know what you creatures think, but what I think is Guidance Counsellor Trixie is better at speaking than doing something!" "What?! The Great and Powerful Trixie is always good at doing something than just speak! She knows and does magic!" Trixie confronted Sunshine Rays. "Oh really? Then why don't you just teleport us to our destination right away instead of just going on and on about magic tricks, actions, all those...everything except for getting us where we need to be like you said you would?" Sunshine Rays asked the blue coated unicorn. "If that's what it takes to convince you, to Gloss Semblance's neighbourhood it is!" Trixie announced. "Finally...the chocolates we're hoping for...after all this time today..." Gloss Semblance told his best friends, as they all turned their attention to the pony Gloss was glaring at that moment. "Sorry every creature...I'm just tired and went through a lot today..." Luster apologised, before familiar voices could be heard. "Luster!" "Krona? Buffer? Sunshine? Volcano? Nature? Alkali? Evergreen? Yellow Bright?! What are you all doing here?!" a shocked and surprised Luster asked. "We believe the better question is what are you, Luster, doing here?!" Volcano corrected. "Well...I promised Gloss that I'd help him and all of your siblings make the chocolates bring their playdate today...until the work is done?" Luster nervously replied as her voice became higher in pitch as she got closer to finishing her reply. "And teleported all over the place to keep that promise, and all the other promises that you made!" Sunshine Rays scolded. "Wait, what?!" Krona's younger brother Krone asked in shock. "Promises?!" Lava asked. "Luster promised that she will perform a fifteen minutes magic show performance at Sugar Cube Corner for Princess Flurry Heart's rare visit this late morning, but she ran off after the first three minutes, causing chaos!" Yellow Bright started. "The magic show happens at the timing that Luster promised to get Kestrel here from Griffonstone!" Krona continued. "No wonder I waited so long!" Kesel complained. "And, Luster promised me that she'd be checking books in the Ponyville Bookstore with me this afternoon," Sunshine Rays went on. "That's when she promised us that she will get all the ingredients we need in a jiffy!" Gloss Semblance exclaimed. "What?! You made even more promises when you already got a lot of them overwhelming you on the exact same day?!" Buffer could not help but ask Luster in a shrieking tone. "And don't forget the promises she made for the late afternoon!" Volcano pointed out. "Gardening with Nature Bloom, and water ballet with Evergreen in different places, at the same time!" Alkali named the said promises. "And promised to take me hime before the sunsets!" Kestrel contributed, causing Luster to gasp as the sun was starting o set at that moment. "Don't worry about the rest of us," Cushion assured. "Our families have arranged that one member will pick us up and take us home!" Acid stated. "And those family members, are old enough for the job!" Purple Blend added. "but I got to take Kestrel home like I promised! Plus, this promise doesn't collide with any promise else so I totally got this covered..." Luster figured, but she spoke too soon. She used too much teleportation that day, her horn was tired out from doing so. "I think your horn and magic needs a break," Nature Bloom told her unicorn Best Friend. "She has a point, you used teleportation all day!" Evergreen stated. "It's kind of like working all day to do its work! And yup, I'm talking about your horn, Luster !" Yellow Bright commented. "Stop trying to teleport Luster, your horn giving out those sparks of failure is because it needs to rest!" Sunshine Rays informed. "But, I must fulfil my promise and get Kestrel to Griffonstone!" Luster complained. "Luster, remember what Krona said this morning about promises?" Krona asked. "Just apologise to creatures when you can't fulfil them..." Luster sighed. "And since you can't fulfil them..." Sunshine Rays began, before Luster completed the sentence. "Don't try to fulfil them, as not having the ability to do so means that you will have no way to do so!" "Something pretty similar to what Falcon Dive leant recently about helping!" Evergreen commented. "Right...only this time...it's something as serious as promises..." Luster stated. "Don't worry, we know how we can send Kestrel back to Griffonstone in time," Alkali assured. "Really? But how?" Luster asked. "I have it under control! With some help from Guidance Counsellor Trixie, of course!" Sunshine Rays explained, "It was the Guidance Counsellor who teleported us here after all!" "Thanks, Sunshine, and every creature..." Luster smiled. "And we believe that some creature has learnt something valuable to report to some creature..." Buffer said. Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle, I know that keeping promises and fulfilling them is something important, like what the School of Friendship taught us, but I recently just learnt that if you made a promise that you do not have the ability to fulfil, you must apologise instead of try to keep the promise and get into trouble. I also learnt to be more careful whenever I make promises, and write them down somewhere so I will never forget them, and never make a huge risk of making so many promises that collide with each other. Signed, your faithful student, Luster Dawn Once every creature returned to the Castle of Friendship, Luster started one last conversation before dinner. "I'm glad that all that trouble is finally over..." "Us too, it was quite a day..." Volcano replied. "And Krona, I respect your decision to not bother me so much whenever I am writing, but next time, you should still tell me what's going on," Sunshine Rays told her yak Best Friend. "Sure thing, Sunshine! That's what best friends do!" Krona responded. "And another thing best friends do...is lighten each other up!" Yellow Bright exclaimed, "Who's up for a race to the Dining Room?!" "A careful one?!" Sunshine Rays asked. "Alright, a careful race there? That means no going too fast... any creature up for it?" Yellow Bright asked. "You're on!" the rest of the seven playfully replied, stating to dash off to their destination. 18. Mature MadnessAuthor's Note Mature Madness serves as the eighteenth episode of the series. Summary: Some of the Lil'Heroic Ten's mature older relatives come to Ponyville to visit them, ruining all the fun. Featured Song: Say No To Featured Characters: Twiggy Boulder, the daughter of Maud Pie and Mudbrair, and the maternal older cousin of Lil'Cheese. Destiny, the first-born child of Fluttershy and Discord, Screwball's older sister. She is adapted from Velveagic Sentry's video on Youtube Shuttle Dash, Soarin and Rainbow Dash's first born child who is older than the twins, being born on a different year. 18. Mature Madness "Finally, clear skies, wind, clouds, environment, I'm finally back!" Falcon Dive exclaimed, as he flew loop-de-loops in the air outside of Ponyville Hospital as the sun was setting. "Be careful, Falcon Dive, you just recovered!" Sunshine Rays called. "Recovered from your recent injuries, that is!" Yellow Bright added. "You know, when you went into that building on fire, saved countless creatures..." Alkali began a list. "But the main point is, you must try your best to not get hurt!" Sunshine Rays pointed out. "She's right, you know! Every injury costs treatment, and more things for doctors and nurses to do!" Volcano explained. "Alright, I will take my practices easy, but I have to ensure that I'm ready for whenever some creature needs me!" Falcon Dive told his best friends. "Did Falcon mean, need the Heroic Ten?!" Krona asked. "Oh, right..." Falcon Dive somewhat sheepishly replied as he flew down towards his friends. "Anyway, ever since that horrible incident, I believe that it is time we write some safety rules!" Sunshine Rays announced. "What?! Sunshine, you're not even the leader Luster is!" Falcon Dive reminded. "Actually, I have to agree with Sunshine," Luster responded, "Safety is very important, as they say 'safety is the top priority'. And there is nothing that is more important than it. So...rules to keep us safe is something we need." "Told you I know what I'm doing!" Sunshine Rays claimed. "Since when did you say so?" Yellow Bright asked. "Never mind that, let's just get thinking of some rules," Evergreen figured. "And ensure that all those rules are followed! Not a single one broken! Unless there's an acceptable exception, that is." Sunshine Rays declared. After the series theme song intro was played, the Lil'Heroic Ten were shown outside the Castle of Friendship the next morning, with Lil'Cheese knocking on the Castle's doors. "Knock, knock!" the son of Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich cried. "Who's there?" Muffin Whooves asked. "Do you think that they forgot that they had arranged some virtue lectures for us today?" Rainbow asked. "That can't be it, Volcano had everything recorded in his schedule," Sparity stated. The Castle doors then opened, revealing a tired Evergreen, who greeted the kids, "Good morning, kids..." "Evergreen! Why are you so tired?!" Precious Treasure asked. "Did you have a nightmare? They make creatures very sleepy and tired sometimes," Screwball asked before explaining. "No nightmares, but..." Evergreen yawned, "A team talk about safety rules..." "I thought Sunshine Rays always come up with the rules by herself!" Bulk Junior could not help but say. "She has to ensure every creature knows the rules...you can't follow the rules if you don't know what they are..." Evergreen answered. "That makes logical sense," Sonic commented. "And you know Sunshine, she can take extreme measures to ensure he rules are followed...like that time when she caught Volcano and Alkali breaking a rule in the Relaxing Room..." Evergreen stated. In a flashback... "Nothing like relaxing in the Relaxing Room while reading a nice, science fiction novel..." Volcano said to himself, as he read a book while sitting in a comfortable chair made of the same material as a sofa. "Hey Volcano!" Alkali suddenly called as she entered, "Come look at this! I'm lying down, but keeping a bouncy ball on my head!" "What?! Alkali, Sunshine made a rule saying no playing balls in here! Especially bouncy balls! And we all agreed that it is a good rule, because the Relaxing Room is for relaxing, not playing games!" Volcano reminded. "I'm sure everything will be fine if I'm careful, especially when I'm not hitting the ball too hard like this!" Alkali replied, but she demonstrated the opposite of what she said, as she hit the ball too hard and sent it bouncing all over the place. "Look what you've done!" Volcano scolded. "Sorry!" Alkali cried. The ball's bouncing eventually created lots of noise, that it caught a passing by Sunshine Rays' attention. "We've got to stop!" Volcano announced. "On a count to five!" Alkali declared. "One, two, three, four, five!" both creatures cornered the bouncy ball to a wall, just a second before Sunshine Rays entered. "Volcano, Alkali, you two aren't playing with a ball here, are you?" Sunshine Rays asked. "No..." the two creatures turned around and lied, but they freed the ball which bounced Sunshine Rays' way, hitting her face. "Sorry..." Volcano and Alkali apologised in unison. The next thing they knew, they had to clean the Relaxing Room as punishment for breaking one of the rules. "Wow, I didn't know the two of the Heroic Ten break rules!" Sparity exclaimed. "Are you sure it's two?" Rainboom asked. "Yeah, because Alkali was the creature who started it," Sonic continued. "But Volcano lied alongside her!" Bulk Junior pointed out. "Which is not very good for the while team..." Sweet Caramel Apple stated. "Yeah, the Heroic Ten are heroes, and heroes must be good characters for others to look up to and idolise," Evergreen explained. "Spoken like Sunshine Rays!" Big Sugar commented. "That's because that is what Sunshine Rays used to remind us, she's really an expert when it comes to morality..." Evergreen stated. "And also the expert at protecting her stuff with scary traps..." Screwball whimpered. "You're telling me, she booby-trapped her room to protect her books and performance items from any creature who would want to sabotage or stop her performances respectively..." Evergreen stated. In a flashback, Snips and Snails were sneaking around in the castle hallway to get to Sunshine Rays' room. "Are you sure about this, Snips?" Snails asked his Best Friend since childhood. "Of course I'm sure! The best way to make sure Sunshine Rays' performance isn't scary, is to sabotage it!" Snips replied. "But we already made her so mad when we ate too many wild fruits and upset the animals that live there! She told us that she will catch us to take us to see her..." Snails gulped before shivering, "Moonshade Fright performance..." "But, without her costume and keyboard, there's no way she can be scary enough to scare us!" Snips claimed, as he used his unicorn magic to open the door, only to get startled by a picture inspired by a scene from the scariest part of a horror play. The frightened male unicorns screamed in unison as Snips jumped onto Snails. After calming down, the two resumed their attempt to sabotage Sunshine Rays' items. But once they got into the room, the door automatically slammed itself shut, startling them again. "Snails, is it just me, or did the door closed...all by itself?!" Snips asked. "It's not just you, Snips. Neither of s closed it, so it closed all by itself!" Snails whimpered. "Just open it a little...so no creature will notice..." Snips instructed. Snails tried to do as told with his magic, but when it did not work, he walked to the door knob and tried to turn it with his front right hoof, to no avail. "We're locked in?!" Snips asked in horror. "Where's the switch to turn the lights on?!" panicked Snails. "We are just going to use our magic to light up our way!" Snips reminded. "Right!" Snails responded, as they both used their horns to light things up, but the switch to the room was still no where to be seen, and worse, they triggered one of Sunshine Rays' other booby-traps, resulting in a pile of trash to fall right on top of them, covering them up. "Wow, didn't see that coming." Snails said out loud. "We're almost to her costume and performance things! Don't give up now!" Snips barked, as the two of hem continued, they triggered more traps involving nets designed to look and feel like spider webs, sudden very loud piano notes, a scream of fright being heard, organ music, sharp nails shot in all kinds of directions, closer than ever to hitting the boys. All the commotion was quickly heard by Sunshine Rays, who walked towards her door to open it, letting a frightened Snips and Snails out. "I knew it! You two never wanted to see my scary performance to scare you into never doing such thing as eat that many wild fruits , so you tried to break into my room and sabotage what I need for my performance!" Sunshine Rays scolded, "But I figured that there is no need, now that you already got a real scare..." The two unicorns dashed out of the castle as fast as they could, screamingly in unison, "We won't break into your room, nor the castle anymore! We promise!" "Wow, Sunshine Rays is really the mistress of scaring for some creature moral!" Sweet Caramel Apple could not help but say. "She just scare them into doing what is right, or never doing what is wrong ever again!" Rainboom reminded. "Anyway, she decided that she would be telling you all the safety rules the team had came up with so far..." Evergreen informed the kids. "Will she be very strict with them?" Screwball asked. "That's...an absurd question. Sunshine Rays is always strict, she never accepts anything that is not good!" Bulk Junior reminded. "And she takes things to extreme measures!" Sonic added. "And the only game she is a number one fan of is the strict 'Follow the Rules' game!" Lil'Cheese concluded. "The one game with the main purpose of following the rules!" Muffin Whooves stated. "Break any one of the rules, and you're out!" Sparity stated the main thing about the game. "The player who doesn't break any of the rules until the time is up wins for the basic level," Precious Treasure explained. "And the player who can follow all the rules until all other players are out ,wins for the hard level," Big Sugar resumed. "That is totally what Sunshine Rays likes, following the rules!" Bulk Junior finished. That evening, Lil'Cheese returned to Sugar Cube Corner. Skipping his way in like usual as he announced, "I'm back!" "Lil'Cheese! Guess what, sweetie?!" Pinkie Pie excitedly dashed to the front of her son, "Tomorrow, is a once in a blue moon event!" "Huh?" Lil'Cheese asked. Pinkie Pie immediately fell into dramatic depression to see that her son forgot the occasion, as she put on a dramatically sad face as tears flowed out of both of her eyes, "You forgot?" "Really, I don't remember after all those virtue lectures I went though today..." Li'Cheese admitted. "Your cousin Twiggy Boulder is going to have a playdate with you and your friends! And the twins' older brother, Shuttle Dash, and Screwball's big sister Destiny! They are going to be teenagers next year, so they are so mature, they take care of their grandparents! Making them so bus that the only time they can come to play is when some creature else in their families can take care of their grandparents, and Twiggy Boulder is going to visit...at the price of your Mum taking care of your grandparents! Her parents!" Pinkie Pie explained. "But that means you will miss the playdate!" Lil'Cheese pointed out. "I'm not actually going to take part in it, neither are Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, nor their husbands Soarin and Discord!" Pinkie Pie explained. "Then, you mean that..." Lil'Cheese began, before being cut off by his mother. "Your cousin, and the going-to-be-teenagers are going to take care of you and your friends throughout your playdate tomorrow! Because we grown-ps all agreed that they can handle you kids!" "But we don't need that much taking care of!" Lil'Cheese protested. "Uh, uh, uh! Don't you remember what happened the day when your Dad and I had a huge misunderstanding with Volcano and Alkali?" Pinkie Pie asked after arguing. In a flashback... Pinkie Pie was busy making a cake in Sugar Cube Corner, mixing cake batter in a bowl like she was a whisking machine as Lil'Cheese approached her. "Hey, Mum. Volcano and Alkali are wondering if you will allow me to be their...test subject...for a little science experiment..." "Sure, Lil'Cheesy! Those two can be trusted!" Pinkie Pie answered, not quite aware of what she was told due to how busy and focused in work she was. Some time later, Cheese Sandwich entered the kitchen and asked his wife, "Hey, Pinkie, have you seen our one and only Lil'Cheese?" "Sure, I saw him." Pinkie Pie answered, while still being more focused on her work than everything else. "Then, do you know where he is right now?" Cheese Sandwich asked, looking around as he turn his head as far as it can go. "He's being the test subject for Volcano and Alkali's science experiment," Pinkie Pie replied. "Oh, I'm sure he will be a perfect..." Cheese Sandwich started, before realising what they were saying, and panicking, "Science experiment?! Test subject?!" "It's test subject for a science experiment." Pinkie Pie corrected, before her panicked husband jumped right into her, ending up right in front of her, face-to-face. "Pinkie, this is no party pony's joke, but Lil'Cheese, being a test subject for a science experiment?! They're risking his life to test if something is safe or not!" Cheese Sandwich panicked and shook Pinkie with his front hooves as he shouted out the last part of his sentence. "WHAT?! We got to rescue him, Cheesy!" Pinkie exclaimed, dashing off like Rainbow Dash. The party pony couple burst into the Castle of Friendship, demanding, "We want our son, Lil'Cheese to be completely fine in one piece, with nothing wrong!" Volcano, Alkali, and Lil'Cheese all expressed shocked faces to see Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich coming in all of a sudden in a very unusual way that they had never seen before, before Lil'Cheese exclaimed, "Mum, Dad!" "Lil'Cheese!" the party pony couple exclaimed in unison, as they hugged their son tightly. "You had us worried sick!" Cheese Sandwich said out loud. "Why would you be?" Lil'Cheese asked. "Yeah, the science experiment is very harmless!" Volcano added. "It's just an experiment to see if showing kids like Lil'Cheese our fun ways of teaching the advanced math and science effective or not!" Alkali explained. "What she meant is, we are carrying out an experiment to see whether Lil'Cheese taking in our lectures improves his intelligence!" Volcano clarified, "As the experiment is to test and see if kids get smarter under such influences!" "We do want kids to be able to help and do things that those older than them can! Like open fruit stands or a small food selling business! Or just help out and be helpful! Something like that!" Alkali added. "So...there's no dangerous experiment?" Cheese Sandwich asked. "Why do you think we would have something like that?!" Volcano asked. "Well...that's a good question! But...I'm afraid it doesn't have any good answers..." Pinkie Pie retreated. "Oh...right..." Lil'Cheese nervously chuckled as the events of that day returned to his mind. "Anyway, your cousin and your best friends' older siblings are surely going o take good care of you, I mean, they barely accept having a break, as they always ensure who they have to take care of is always right by their sides! So they are going to play with, and take care of you! Both playmates and babysitters!" Pinkie Pie concluded. "Still don't like the babysitter part," Lil'Cheese grumbled. "Oh com on, Lil'Cheese, they're older than you, they have more...mature...I mean, they are more mature, and can be trusted!" Pinkie Pie informed. "But I'm even older than when Luster was sent here by Princess Twilight! I'm older! And so are my best friends!" Lil'Cheese protested. "Sorry Lil'Cheese. The plan was planned a long time ago, and it better go as planned." Pinkie Pie dramatically replied. The next day, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie took the kids to Ponyville Train Station, where they would be meeting some of their cousins. "Lil'Cheese." Twiggy Boulder greeted, upon coming out of the train cart and seeing her cousin. Like her parents, Maud Pie and Mudbrair, Twiggy Boulder barely expressed emotions, as she usually speak in very plain, monotone. "Hey, cousin! I miss you so much! And if you must know, these are all my best friends, and newest best friends! Muffin Whooves, and Bulk Junior! They are children of friends of our parents!" Lil'Cheese introduced. "Nice to see all of you," Twiggy Boulder greeted, although she still sounded like her, lain, emotionless self, barely sounding excited nor grateful. "Make way, every creature! Shuttle Dash coming through!" the oldest child of Rainbow Dash and Soarin flew out of the train like his mother would. "Hey, Shuttle. You're double as awesome as the last time I saw you!" Rainbow Dash chuckled, as she hi-hooved her son. "Destiny, long time no see!" Fluttershy greeted her older child. "Long time no see, Mum. I just can't wait to see Dad before going back to taking care of Grandma and Grandpa." Destiny replied. "Destiny, big sister, it's really a long time since we last touched." Screwball approached her older sister. "Aw, you girls are just so adorable!" Fluttershy cooed. "While we, children of the Commanders of the Wonderbolts are better than cute! We're awesome and epic!" Shuttle Dash exclaimed. "That's something Falcon Dive would say! Did you have lectures from him, too?" Rainboom asked her oldest sibling. "Of course not! But I heard so much about him! And still, stay loyal to family and friends like Mum would!" Shuttle Dash replied. "That's something I would like to know and see from you, Shuttle. I just can't thank you enough for looking after my Mum and Dad for me," Rainbow Dash thanked her son. "That's what I'd do for you, Mum!" Shuttle Dash responded. "Alright! Since Twiggy Boulder is here, that means that it's...time for Pinkie Pie to get on board this train, and ride all the way to the Rock Farm...to see her parents, and leave Ponyville and the kids..." Pinkie Pie dramatically declared. "Don't worry. The kids are in good hooves." Twiggy Boulder assured in her usual, plain monotone. "Whatever!" Sparity responded, a second before the train was off. "Msake sure that your younger siblings are in good Wnderbolt shape, Shuttle!" Rainbow Dash instructed her son. "Don't worry, Mum! I will!" Shuttle Dash assured, as he watched his mother take off into the skies. "It's time I went to Cloudsdale to see my parents," Fluttershy told Destiny, "So, while I'm up there, you have to look after things down here, can you handle it?" "Sure Mum, I take care of grandma and grandpa for ages now, I'm sure handling 10 kids with 2 other going-to-be teens is something fine! Plus, it's just taking care of 3 kids plus 1 each!" Destiny assured. "Then, I am trusting you to keep everything under control. And that means nothing really bad happening!" Fluttershy reminded. "Don't worry Mum, I know what keep things under control mean!" Destiny called. "So do we." Twiggy Boulder added in her usual plain tone. "It's so simple, I don't think that any creature will not know what such a phrase means!" Shuttle Dash claimed. "So...now that we're all here, what's should we do?" Precious Treasure asked. "I know! Maybe we can have an apple harvesting contest at the farm! That way, we would be helping my Mum and Dad, and having fun at the sam time!" Sweet Caramel Apple suggested as she raised her hoof. "That will be killing two birds with one stone! Which means accomplish two goals with one action, or...get two beneficial outcomes from just one action..." Big Sugar added. "That sounds just right!" Lil'Cheese commented. "That sounds too exciting." Twiggy Boulder protested in her usual plain tone. "What?! Why?!" Sonic asked. "At the Rock Farm, we usually don't do exciting activities, we just gather, harvest, and break rocks." Twiggy Boulder explained, "So far, we only have exciting activities once a year during Hearth's Warming. Otherwise, no exciting activities." "Oh come on, cousin! I thought you and the Pies accept the way my immediate family is! Fun, party-loving, funny..." Lil'Cheese began, before Twiggy Boulder cut him off. "I know cousin, it's just...I don't do excitement." Twiggy Boulder plainly informed. "That's not a big deal, you can just watch us!" Muffin Whooves suggested. "Fine by me, but I never cheer." Twiggy Boulder told the kids. "Thanks for deciding to help, sugar cube," Applejack thanked her daughter, "And your best friends too! I mean, we can always need a lot of help here on the farm, harvesting, feeding, watering, cutting the crops, cleaning...but most importantly is, a lot of hooves, claws, wings and more creatures should get the job done in fast!" "I know that there's still a lot to do here, but if you kids are having an apple harvesting competition, that will have the apple harvesting sorted out, and the rest of the Apples will have lesser to do!" Applejack's husband Caramel added. "Glad that we can help!" Sweet Caramel Apple replied. "So, who's got a timer?" Screwball asked. "We can just use the clock! Now it's 10, let's see who can harvest the most when it reaches 10:15!" suggested Big Sugar. "That sounds alright and fun!" Sonic commented. "Then let's get harvesting!" Lil'Cheese cheered. "I'm just watching." Twiggy Boulder said in her usual plain tone. "The time and competition starts...now!" Applejack announced right at the moment she could see the second hand on the clock striking 12, and covering the minute hand. As the kids automatically get into the contest, Twiggy Boulder plainly said out loud, "I don't see anything fun about it." "Then why did you sit out?" Caramel asked the dull pony. "Because that's why my family do..." Twiggy Boulder answered. During the game, Big Sugar tripped on a stone and fell, an incident that quickly got noticed by every creature else, leading to the end of the competition before the actual timing. "Time out! Some creature needs checking!" Applejack called. "Are you alright, cousin?" Sweet Caramel Apple asked Big Sugar, reaching her hoof out towards his. "Thanks for your care, every creature, but it's just a little trip..." Big Sugar assured. "Bruise!" Sparity suddenly called. "Bruise?!" the others asked in unison and confusion. "You know a bruise? My Mum told me and my brother that bruises are like cuts, they cut through the skin of whoever has them, and can take time to heal like regular injuries, but those with bruises must be careful and do everything they can t prevent the area around the bruise from getting cut, otherwise things can't worse!" Sparity explained. Destiny gasped upon hearing Sparity's completed sentences about bruises, and automatically reacted, "We can't let you kids get hurt!" "Well, we know that you don't want us hurt, but..." Rainboom began, only to be interrupted as the two older ponies quickly pushed every creature out of the field. "There you go, Big Sugar! One tough and soft cast to prevent your bruise from getting worse!" Destiny told the colt. "Thanks Destiny, but here at the Farm, a regular bandage is enough, no need for very thick ones!" Big Sugar told the soon-to-be teenager. "Come on Big Sugar, we going-to-be-teens have been taking care of much older ponies for a long time now! think about what our parents and their friends, your parents, are going to think of us if they see you get hurt under our care?!" Shuttle Dash asked. "But...my uncle and aunt, who are Sweet Caramel Apple's parents were there to witness that the incident that got me a bruise was completely an accident with no creature with the exception of myself to blame..." Big Sugar pointed out. "True, but hurt is still hurt!" Shuttle Dash protested as he flew down and landed right in front of Big Sugar, "And we don't want any creature hurt! So, we are going to go through some safety rules that we use on our grandparents!" "More like, use to take care of our grandparents..." Destiny corrected. Meanwhile, outside the Barn, Twiggy Boulder got the rest of the kids to play a game of stone stacking, with the only loser being whoever causes the tower to collapse. "This isn't very fun!" Rainboom complained, as she gently stacked a stone on top of her and her twin brother's stack, only for it to collapse. "Whoops, tower collapsed. And we both know what this means..." Sonic stated in a dull tone. "Yeah I know. I lost." Rainboom sighed. "Twiggy, are you sure about this? I mean, stacking stones is a Pie Family Tradition Game, as one of the few games we play usually, but don't it get a little...tiring?" Lil'Cheese asked. "That's the secret to putting the family to sleep." Twiggy Boulder answered. "Wait, what?! It's a put players to sleep game?!" Bulk Junior asked. "No wonder we're all starting to yawn..." Muffin Whooves added. "Why should we sleep? IT's still late morning!" Screwball asked and pointed out. "And every creature knows when nap time is..." Precious Treasure began, before all of the nine kids said in unison, "The end of the day, at night when the moon is up!" "Alright kids, come on and get inside! We have some important things to talk about!" Shuttle Dash instructed. "There goes our brother...like the captain of the Wonderbolts...or...in this case, the captain of the kids!" Rainboom sarcastically remarked for her twin to hear. "He's just being responsible as the eldest..." Sonic reminded. "And ys I am, being as responsible as I can as the first born of the Commanders of the Wonderbolts!" Shuttle Dash told his younger siblings right in front of their faces, surprising them before they all went in. "So Big Sugar, my cousin, how's your bruise?" Sweet Caramel Apple asked. "Well...it does feel kind of...stuffy..." Big Sugar nervously answered. "re you sure that's what you describe it?" Twiggy Boulder asked in her usual tone, plain and emotionless. "Well...it doesn't feel like much air is going into it..." Big Sugar responded. "That's because we don't want much air to go through it! There'a a lot of other gases than just the oxygen we breathe in! And most of those other gases are nothing good! And not juts air, bacteria, virus! And those horrible micro-organisms will like your bruise for their bad reasons! So that's every reason toot want so much air near your bruise!" Destiny explained. "Wow, you really do know a lot more than I do, sis!" Screwball could not help but say to her older sister. The sisters' talk was interrupted by Shuttle Dash suddenly plowing a coach's whistle to gain every creature's attention. "Back to the main point every creature, since we don't want any more injuries, I suggest that we are going to need and make some safety rules!" Shuttle Dash declared after pacing horizontally in front of the kids as he spoke, and before he finished his declaration. "That is what Sunshine Rays did!" Bulk Junior could not help but comment, "I mean, something like what Sunshine Rays did recently, make up a whole new set of safety rules!" "Really? If she did make up safe rules, we better know them all." Shuttle Dash figured. "Any why?" Sparity asked. "Because Sunshine Rays is the most moral creature we know, and she's always concerned for right and wrong, best and worst. She knows what is best and goes for what is best, which is why she never accepts anything that is not good, and crews lots of rules that are for the better!" Shuttle Dash explained. "Are you sure that she didn't teach you, too?" Sweet Caramel Apple asked. "I'm jus following rules that my parents taught me," Shuttle Dash said in a polite, mature tone before going back to business, "Anyway, let' start with the rules I know that Mum and Dad teach." "Um, Sonic? Please say you remember all the rules..." Rainboom whispered to her twin brother. "Sorry, with so much that we've been through, I don't think I can identify the difference between Mum and Dad's rules, and Sunshine Rays' rules..." Sonic whispered back. "Rule number one, ensure that you don't go too close to other creatures, especially don't go too close to many creatures, because doing so can risk getting a lot of creatures infected with a disease that can start off with coming from just one creature, but spread so quickly because of all the contact making!" Shuttle Dash declared. "Wow, he has a point." Precious Treasure commented, while looking at his best friends. "Just focus on the speech!" Sonic advised. "Rule number two, always keep all senses open, as you must be alert for changes in the surroundings like a bird coming your way, loud annoying noises, horrible smells..." Shuttle Dash went on and on, before noticing that his audience were not being the best audience there ever could be, looking uninterested and getting bored so soon. "Hello! I'm talking about safety rules, here!" Shuttle Dash called out loud. "Sorry, they can be bait...not so interesting..." Lil'Cheese apologised, making the twins gasp. "Fine! If it's interestingness you want, then interestingness is what. You. Get!" Shuttle Dash declared. "Sure thing." Twiggy Boulder plainly contributed. Soon, afternoon passed by and the kids were far from excited and satisfied. A matter-of-fact, they were upset that some of their older relatives came. "Uh! I can't believe that our older brother can be like that!" Rainboom groaned. "Yeah...those rules are so strict, I don't thin we can do anything!" Sonic replied. "Anything except for walk unless it's an emergency..." Sparity mumbled. "At least he acknowledged that there are times when there's a need of change in rules..." Muffin Whooves pointed out. "But they're taking away all of the fun!" Lil'Cheese complained, "I mean, no balloons because they give out a loud, scary pop sound when they burst?! Do balloons always burst in the first place?!" "Well, according to Volcano, most of them do..." Sparity recalled. "He's a science expert, of course he'd say something like that!" Precious Treasure told his sister. Suddenly, Destiny came over to the kids, "Kids, it's lunchtime! Swee Caramel Apple's parents, and Big Sugar's parents, basically their family, has lunch ready for every creature!" "Thanks for telling us, Destiny. Missing lunch is really something we wouldn't want." Screwball thanked her sister like Fluttershy would. "Alright, maybe I kind of...take what I said about never wanting to miss lunch back." Screwball whispered to her best friends, as they saw Shuttle Dash placing thermometers around the food. "What are you doing?!" Sweet Caramel Apple asked the oldest pegasus around. "Making sure that your lunch is just the right temperature, so none of you get stomach aches from eating not-warm food, nor burn your tongues from eating boiling hot diet!" Shuttle Dash replied. "What?! Are you sure you're not being negative?" Muffin Whooves asked. "I'm doing what I should be doing! Checking to keep every creature safe!" Shuttle Dash declared. "That's so something Sunshine Rays would say." Bulk Junior commented, knowing the white pegasus mare very well. "And if that's what some creature moral would say and do, you have to go with it. Strict rules to keep every creature safe!" Shuttle Dash declared. "But drains are made to handle the heat!" Sparity complained, only to earn a glare from Shuttle Dsh, causing her to back down and sit on a chair without a second sentence. Time flew by and soon lunch was over, and the kids were even more miserable than before. "Lunch was nothing like usual..." big Sugar sadly stated. "I can't believe that our older siblings are doing all this!" Lil'Cheese declared. "It's some of our older relatives?" Sweet Caramel Apple corrected. "Yeah, Twiggy Boulder is your cousin, Destiny is Screwball's older sister, and Shuttle is..." Sonic began explaining, only to be cut off before he could finish by an annoyed Lil'Cheese. "I know who is who's relative! But one thing for sure of, I don't like how they are doing things, one bit!" "You'll like it once you are like us." Twiggy Boulder suddenly came out of nowhere, startling the kids. "Twiggy Boulder, try not to give any creature a heart attack by showing up so unexpectedly!" Destiny reminded the Earth Pony. "Sorry every creature, but what I meant to say is, you don't see these rules as the good rules they are because you're not like us We are mature, but you're not, that's why we view these rules as the good rules they truly are." Twiggy Boulder explained. "That does make sense..." Srwball commented. "But they drive so mad!" Sparity complained. "And they're taking a lot of our freedom!" Lil'Cheese complained. "But at least they're not as bad as no to everything!" Muffin Whooves pointed out. "True, but they still have a lot to say no to!" Shuttle Dash announced, landing right in front of the ten kids. "Like what?" Big Sugar asked, before the next thing the kids knew, some of their older relatives began explaining through song. Shuttle Dash sang, "There are many things in this big, wide world. Many things to do... But just because you have the ability to do them, doesn't mean you should! Destiny sang, "There's more than a few, and some, things that are really not so good!" Twiggy Boulder sang in her dull tone to the point that one could barely even tell that she was singing, "So you must stick with the rules..." All three older creatures sang, "And make sure those around you do so, too!" "You got to say no! Say no to cheating, say no to greedy, picky eating, say no to hurting others, physically, mentally, and emotionally!" "But you..." Precious Treasure tried to say something, but was quickly prevented from doing so by the three older creatures' song. "So get used to the facts, that you have to say no to lots of this and that! Say yes to good and no to bad, that's how to keep things in check!" Shuttle Dash sang, "If some stranger tells you that your parents sent them to fetch you..." Twiggy Boulder sang in her usual way, so monotone that it was impossible to tell that she was singing, "You should have known that it is a trick, as what they say cannot be true." Destiny sang, "You should have known that parents or guardians will never let some creature whom you don't know..." Shuttle Dash sang, "To take responsibility of looking after you, so you have to tell them, no!" "We know those basics!" Sparity protested in a spoken tone. Destiny sang, "Say no to mud, as it makes indoors dirty..." Twiggy Boulder sang in her usual plain tone, "Say no to not bathing as the number one thing once you're home!" Shuttle Dash sang as he faced Lil'Cheese, "Say no to whatever you want, when the wishes don't lie where moral standards roam!" "So get used to the facts, that you have to say no to lots of this and that! Say yes to good and no to bad, that's how to keep things in check!" "Keep things in check! Say yes to good and no to bad! And keep things in check!" "Oh wow..." Bulk Junior said out loud, as he reacted to the older creatures' performance. "Now do you get why there are so many rules?" Shuttle Dash asked the ten kids. "Yes, they are for...keeping things in check!" Sparity answered in a somewhat nervous tone. "And to ensure we don't do anything wrong nor bad!" Precious Treasure aded. "Spoken like Sunshine Rays or some creature who learnt morality from her!" Rainboom sarcastically remarked. "We kept mentioning that all day, Rainboom." Sonic whispered into his twin sister's ear. "Anyway, back to the main point, we have to ensure things stay in check, and we're going to have rules for everything!" Shuttle Dash announced. "And I'm afraid that they are going to be very strict..." Destiny aded. The kids gasp to hear Destiny say something like what she just said. "But Destiny, you always..." Screwball began, as her sister landed in front of her. "Have been so kind? I know, but there are still some things that I have to ensure you don't do, and therefore, I have to say no to..." Destiny explained. The clock struck three, and the Lil'Heroic Ten were obviously, certainly not any better than before. "This is really no playdate! No parties because they can take away some creature else's peace and quiet, no loud games because of the same reason..." Lil'Cheese complained. "No races because you might get some creature hurt!" Rinboom went on. "No taking non-flyers for a flight because there's a chance of dropping them and getting them badly injured!" Sonic continued. "No kicking and strength practices?!" Sweet Caramel Apple dramatically shouted. "No apple harvesting?" Big Sugar asked. "No reading a book without approval from some creature moral?" Bulk Junior added. "These rules are far too strict! We don't have any freedom on our playdate! And it's so rare!" Lil'Cheese announced. "Then what are we going to do?" Screwball asked like her mother would. "Here's what are we going to do..." Lil'Cheese responded, as a grin grew on his face. "Oh dear..." Bulk Junior whimpered. Shuttle Dash was in the skies, watching over the ten kids from above, and spotted them splitting into the numbers that made ten a triangular number, one plus two plus three plus four. "What?!" the pegasus asked himself, before dashing off to Lil'Cheese, asking the younger Earth Pony, "What are you doing?" "Splitting up with the others so you can't keep bossing all of us around!" Lil'Cheese answered, leaving Shuttle Dash in shock. "WHAT?!" the pegasus asked as he looked at the other creatures, no longer in groups, but in ones! Overwhelmed, Shuttle Dash completely forgot about Lil'Cheese as he dashed off to the others, calling out, "What's the big idea here?! I just made some very strict rules and here you are, breaking them! Better yet, where are the two Pegasi who are taught by their parents, the Commanders of the Wonderbolts?!" Sonic and Rainboom had hidden from their older brother since Shuttle was distracted by Lil'Cheese. The other kids with the exception of Bulk Junior, raced around Shuttle, infusing the pegasus. "Stop this! Playtime is over!" Shuttle Dash roared, but a mischievous Lil'Cheese then appeared in front of him, smirking with a party cannon, "Playtime is just beginning." With that, the party cannon shot confetti out of its mouth, covering Shuttle Dash with streamers, wrapper, and party stuff. Once he got them all off of him, he quickly realised that all ten kids were gone. "I can't believe we got away from him!" Rainboom exclaimed. "But I can't believe we ddi all that, I mea...it wasn't really nice..." Screwball stated. "Come on, we didn't. hurt him too much!" Lil'Cheese assured. "Hey! Where's Bulk?" Muffin Whooves asked, noticing her best friend's disappearance. "I'll fly up and take a look!" Rainboom suggested. "No! Your big brother will see you!" Lil'Cheese informed, pulling Rainboom down by her back hooves. "Then what are we going to do?" Sparity asked. "Go on an adventure to find him! And avoid our relatives..." Lil'Cheese declared, before being interrupted by the other eight kids saying in unison, "Some of our older relatives!" "Whatever! Just remember to doge them!" Lil'Cheese reminded. In her room, Sunshine Rays was busy making some decisions in her book of rules that she was working on for publishing. "Maybe this rule goes before this one, since it's more important, but then again, this one is very important, and I am working on a most to least important section of rules here..." the white pegasus mare said to herself, before she got a knock on the door. "Coming!" Sunshine Rays flew over and opened the door, finding Bulk Junior on the other side. "Bulk! What are you doing here? Now is far from lecture time with me!" Sunshine Rays asked. "It's a long story! And we can really use your help! And other members of the Heroic Ten!" Bulk Junior replied. In the mean time, Volcano was working on a presentation about why students must never try their luck with Multiple Choice Questions, and had Alkali to serve as his only audience. "There are 4 options and only 1 of them is correct! The other 3 out of 4 are wrong! So you got 1 out of 4 chances to get the answer right by guess, and 3 out of 4 chances of getting it wrong! And we all know that 3 out of 4 is more than 1 out of 4 by thrice the number! So you have 3 times more chances of getting it wrong than right! And so...guessing is a..." Before Volcano could finish his whole speech, Sunshine Rays knocked on the doors so loudly that the noise interfered the presentation. "I know that means your performance is interrupted, Volcano, but I still will give you a ten out of ten! I mean, som creature knocking on the door at the last part? That's so beyond your control!" Alkali told her dragon best friend. "It doesn't matter what you give me! Let's just see who's knocking..." Volcano replied as he marched towards the door, finding Sunshine Rays and Bulk Junior. "Volcano, Alkali! Emergency! We got some kids to find!" Sunshine Rays informed. Falcon Dive was flying through the air with Evergreen and Yellow Bright looking out for him from the ground. "Everything is so good so far..." Evergreen stated. "Something good for all of us, even tough it can be getting even more uninteresting with each...passing second..." Yellow Bright yawned and was about to fall asleep, but was snapped out of it by Volcano. "Sorry sleepyhead, no time for naps right now!" the dragon declared, appearing right by the Earth Pony's side. "Smash like tTHIS!" Krona demonstrated how to smash logs like yaks would to Luster Dawn and Buffer, who were trying to learn how yaks do so. "Alright..." Luster gulped, "At least if I ever lost My Magic, I'll still have a skill to..." "Luster? We got company!" Buffer informed. "We got nine kids on the loose, and they are all unfortunately, some kids that we teach virtues to!" Sunshine Rays told the unicorn. "And three going-to-be teens looking for them!" Nature Bloom added. "Don't worry, we'll find them!" Luster assured. Meanwhile, the rest of the Lil'Heroic Ten were still looking for Bulk Junior, with no luck. "I don't get it! Where would Bulk go without saying nor telling any creature?" Muffin Whooves asked. "And we still have to hide in these bushes and branches to avoid getting caught by one of the 'you-know-who's " Rainboom added, as she and her twin brother ducked in a bush. "All this finding's making my hooves squeal to get a stretch!" Sweet Caramel Apple could not hep but say. "Your hooves don't squeal," Screwball informed the Earth Pony. "That was personification, so what I meant was, my hooves really needs to be stretched!" Sweet Caramel Apple clarified, as she accidentally kicked a nearby stone with her back hooves into the direction of a beehive, breaking the hive and releasing a swarm of obviously angry bees! "RUN!" Lil'Cheese soured, as he and his best friends screamed. Like a superhero, Falcon Dive swooped in and saved the twins, while Sunshine Rays rescued Precious Treasure and Sparity. "Come on, Volcano!" Alkali cheered, as she and her dragon best friend part ways. "You'll see me when the smoke clears, Alkali!" Volcano called, before he flew off to blow more t the bees, holding them off. "Come on, Lil'Heroic Ten! It's your heroes, the real Heroic Ten! Ready to help and do their heroic deeds!" Yellow Bright called around. "You'll be safe here, we can handle those bees, but please, don't bother them ever again!" Nature Bloom instructed the kids that the others had found and gathered behind Krona and Buffer. "More deliveries!" Alkali announced, landing right beside with Sweet Caramel Apple, Big Sugar and Screwball on her back. "Great! So how many of the kids are let to be saved?" Nature Bloom asked. "Make that even lesser! I found Muffin!" Sunshine Rays answered, "And not to mention that Bulk was with us the whole time!" "And I got Lil'Cheese! So we have ten out of ten!" Falcon Dive declared. "And Evergreen calmed the bees down!" Krona informed, as what she was saying was true, Evergreen was playing her harp's soothing music that could calm almost any creature down. "And there! The beehive is fixed!" Luster announced after levitating a fixed-with-magic beehive up to its branch, to put it back where it belonged. "So, why did all of you creatures devise such a horrible plan to get away from some of your older relatives?! And the rules they set up?!" Sunshine Rays asked the kids. "Because they are so...mature and..." Lil'Cheese nervously gulped. "Mature?! Those rules are set up for kids! And not just kids, every creature! To keep them safe!" Volcano explained. "Are you sure that all of them are like that, Volcano?" Alkali asked. "Well, now that you mentioned it..." volcano stammered. "Maybe we should take a look at what's on the list..." Luster declared. Soon, Sunshine Rays had a complete look at Shuttle, Destiny and Twiggy Boulder's set of rules. "God news and bad news." Sunshine Rays declared, "Good news is, these rules do prevent whoever follows them from doing bad or wrong deeds, but the bad news is, there are somethings that are really way too strict!" "But I thought you liked things being strict! Saying the more rules you obey, the better!" Shuttle Dash opined. "True that I love to see creatures being obedient and following rules, but there's a line, there are some rules that are for the better, and some that aren't! Like you can't have 'don't eat anything at all' as a rule! It's against needs!" Sunshine Rays explained, "And when you get some creature to go against their needs all because you want to test their resistance, it's nothing good, because that is something you don't even need to do!" "We're just glad that you're here, Sunshine." Bulk Junior admitted, "The real morality expert." "And I can't believe we went too far with those measures!" Destiny added. "Come on, Destiny, we Kow that you just want to keep every creature healthy, safe and alright!" Nature Bloom assured. "Me too." Twiggy Boulder plainly stated. "So you're saying that somethings can be allowed?" Shuttle Dash asked Sunshine Rays. "There's a limit between too strict and alright, but I'm sure I can handle it, and help you understand it, and become a better caregiver!" Sunshine Rays replied, "But first, I believe that nine creatures have something to report to Princess Twilight Sparkle, followed by writing a lesson ten times!" Lil'Cheese and the others sadly responded to what Sunshine Rays had to say, just before Luster assured them, "It's alright, I will write the letter for you! So, what would you like to tell the princess?" "Luster, that escape plan is my idea, so I should tell you the whole thing to write to her!" Lil'Cheese admitted. "But we went with you! So we got some things to say, too!" Rainboom claimed. "Actually, those strict rules that drove you Gus mad came from me, so I should be the creature who reports the lesson." Shuttle Dash announced, landing right beside Luster. Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle, Today, I believe that the children of the Council of Friendship, or more likely, their going-to-be-teenagers older relatives, Twiggy Boulder, Destiny, and Shuttle Dash, all have learnt some valuable lessons. They learnt that rules do keep things in check, but not all rules are like that, some of them can be too strict, and therefore, not good! There is a line between rules that are too strict, and not necessary, and alright, and rules are meant to set just the right limits, not completely ban something to prevent too much of it, such as playing music and having races! Mature or immature, every creature still have a lot of values and lessons to learn about everything! This is what the kids warned to report to you. Signed, your faithful student, Luster Dawn After Luster sent the letter with her magic, she and her best friends watched the rest of the Lil'Heroic Ten's playdate, which was much better than before, due to the new set of rules there was. Soon, the day was over, and Fluttershy's husband Discord arrived through his magic portals, calling, "Playdate over! IT's time Uncle Discord brought big kids...I mean, going-to-be-teens home!" "This is goodbye." Twiggy Boulder told her cousin. "Oh, Twiggy! Please come back so soon!" Lil'Cheese cried as he hugged his cousin. "Don't worry, I will. And I can't wait for our next playdate." Twiggy Boulder responded. Lil'Cheese and the others were shocked to hear what Twiggy Boulder just said, as Lil'Cheese himself responded, "But...you said the you don't take part in fun!" "Only some kinds of fun, not all." Twiggy Boulder explained, "Anyway, I'm sure our next playdate, is going to rock way more than this one." "Oh, Twiggy!" Lil'Cheese hugged his cousin again, before letting her leave. "See our and grandma and grandpa, someday, Shuttle!" Rainboom waved her older brother goodbye. "We'll miss you!" Sonic added, waving goodbye to Shuttle like Rainboom was doing. "I'll miss you, too! And don't worry, next playdate is going to way cooler!" Shuttle promised, before taking off. "And my dear Destiny, how's the playdate?" Discord asked his older child. "Well Dad, it was a little...chaotic before the Heroic Ten came, but, now...things are all just fine! And next playdate should be way better!" Destiny replied. "In that case..." Discord made his sunglasses disappear, "Things are fine by me, and your family, Destiny." "Wow, I never saw Discord say that with my own eyes!" Falcon Dive commented. "Believe it or not, Heroic Ten, until we meet again, and thanks for the interesting day!" Discord responded, before walking through the portal with Destiny, a second before the portal disappeared. "He knew what happened?" a confused Krona asked. "That's Discord for you..." Volcano remarked. 19. Wars of ScareAuthor's Note Wars of Scare serves as the nineteenth episode of the series. Summary: While Nature Bloom and Falcon Dive stay at the Castle of Friendship to give out treats during Nightmare Night, the rest of the Heroic Ten had to find a way to stop a fight between two trios of teenaged ponies. Featured Characters: Charla, a teenaged pegasus mare who was skilled at lightning and weather control despite her age. Her name derives from the word, charlatan. Tricks, a teenaged female earth pony Ivory, a teenaged female unicorn Tyke, a teenaged male Earth Pony. Chartreux, a teenaged male pegasus named after his father's favourite breed of cat. Illumine, a teenaged male unicorn. 19. Wars of Scare Outside the Castle of Friendship, bats flew and wolves howled, setting things up for the spookiest night of the year: Nightmare Night. Inside the castle, Evergeen and Yellow Bright were comparing their costumes. "Evergreen! What do you think of my headless horse costume?" "Very classic. It's basically stuffing yourself in a pony body costume bigger than you, so you can hide your head in the neck part of the costume, plus see where you are going without any creature seeing your eyes." Evergreen answered. "There's actually more to it than that..." Yellow Bright stated, holding up the head of the horse, which was separated from its body. "Your costume has a head?" Evergreen asked. "Actually, the body is separated from the head, so it would make every creature who don't understand the magic behind the looks, think that the head fell off! And is moving on its own without the body!" Yellow Bright explained. "That is a wickedly amazing idea! And yes, the only reason I said that sentence, which is a sentence I normally will not say, is because, I am a witch this Nightmare Night." Evergreen said in a cunning tone. "A witch?! That's nothing compared to a Dracula!" Falcon Dive claimed, flying down towards his non-flyer friends. "I thought you were going to be a vampire tonight," Yellow Bright told the griffon. "Vampire, Dracula, whatever!" Falcon Dive sarcastically replied. Organ music suddenly started playing, as Sunshine Rays' alter-ego made her appearance down the castle's staircase. "I'm Moonshade Fright, and I am here to spread chills tonight," the pegasus said in a somewhat villainous tone. "Sunshine. You dressed up as your alter-ego many times outside of Nightmare Night! Are you sure you don't want to try something else? Like, the ghost of the future?!" Falcon Dive asked. "What's wrong with being Moonshade Fright? In case some creature does something wrong, I will never have to change my costume," Moonshade Fright pointed out. "Every creature, you need to do something! Alkali has gone mad!" Nature Bloom, dressed as a black cat, panicked. "Actually, I never gone mad. I was just practising an act as Alkaline, my self-created alter-ego inspired by that fanfic about Acid becoming Acidic. I figured that if Acid's and my places were switched, I would become Alkaline, my corrupted alter-ego," Alkali explained. "So, should we call you...Alkaline for the whole of tonight?" Evergreen asked. "Well, I'm alright with eater way!" Alkali cheerfully answered, a second before Volcano came out of the room, dressed as a mad scientist. "Hey every creature, what do you think of my costume this year?" the dragon asked. "Totally mad!" Falcon Dive made a pun. "That's a pun because you know what I'm dressed as, am I right?" Volcano asked. "Indeed it's a pun." Falcon Dive quickly answered. "Make way for an ogre!" Krona roared, as she smashed like a yak, making her entrance. "Wow! That is what you call an entrance on Nightmare Night!" Yellow Bright commented. "Thanks. This is actually Krona's sixth time of dressing as an ogre on Nightmare Night." Krona admitted. "She dressed as an ogre on her fist Nightmare Night, when she was three, then an ogre again on..." Buffer began listing, before Krona cut him off. "Buffer doesn't need to tell every creature all that." "Sorry...I thought that they would ask!" Buffer replied. "Anyway, your costume looks epic, Buffer! Even though it's a pumpkin! Something that should be easy to make." Alkali commented. "And, since you're a scary ogre tonight, how about we scare immoral creatures together? If they were unwilling to stop their immoral acts after we tried talking with them, that is." Moonshade Fright asked Krona. "Krona and Sunshine...Krona meant, Moonshade Fright...scare together? Krona not sure..." Krona stumbled, a second before Luster arrived at the scene. "Hey every creature, what do you think of my costume this Nightmare Night?" Luster asked, seeing her best friends' shocked expressions. "Luster...I can..." Evergreen started, before being cut off by Yellow Bright. "Barely recognise you!" "That's because I'm dressed as my mentor when she was still a unicorn, a long time ago." Luster figured. "About that...are you sure it's alright to dress as her?" Nature Bloom asked. "I asked her for permission the last time I saw her before tonight, and she agreed that it is alright for me to dress as her when she was about my biological age." Luster explained, "She figured it will be like...'like mentor, like student', something she holds dear." "Trick or treat!" chanted creatures outside of the Castle of Friendship. "Oh great, one of us has to stay behind to give out candy?!" Falcon Dive sarcastically asked. "So, who should it be?" Krona asked. "Well, I most likely wouldn't be too scary, so maybe I should...stay..." Nature Bloom whimpered. "Looks like you can use some company..." Luster figured, seeing her changeling Best Friend whimper. "Fine! As some creature selfless, I abandon my desires to go trick-or-treating tonight to keep Nature Bloom company here, giving out candy to those kids!" Falcon Dive declared. "Thanks, Falcon Dive." Moonshade Fright thanked. "Now what are we waiting for, every creature? This year's Nightmare Night awaits!" Yellow Bright announced. "Wow, Nightmare Night is really hot outside the School of Friendship! I mean, look at every creature who participates in it!" Luster could not help but say her thoughts out loud as she strolled throughout Ponyville. "It's not getting so warm..." Krona responded. "What Luster meant is Nightmare Night is popular!" Volcano clarified. "Intersting costumes, Heroic Ten!" Rarity commented, as she bumped into the heroes. "Thanks, Madam Rarity...what are you dressed as this year?" Alkali thanked before asking, noticing that Rarity was currently in he usual clothes and not anything else. "It's a surprise!" Rarity answered in a singing tone. "Surprises, Falcon Dive will love to see something like those!" Moonshade Fright commented. Back at the Castle of Friendship, Falcon Dive was doing loop-de-loops as he waited for quick visitors alongside Nature Bloom. "I'm bored...got anything we can do while waiting?" the griffon asked the changeling. "Well, we can play boardgames, as long as they don't get us too distracted..." Nature Bloom figured. "Anything better than wait for ages for the next creature to come and..." Falcon Dive began, before his incomplete sentence was interrupted by creatures outside calling, "Trick or treat!" "Finally!" Falcon Dive cried in happiness, as he raced to open the Castle entrance. To the griffon's shock, a monster was on the other side of the gate, and one look at it made him scream and faint, "MONSTER! AAAH!" "Sorry, that was just my first self-made costume." the Earth Pony dressed up as the monster took off his mask and revealed his true face appearance. "Right...I knew that..." Falcon Dive nervously chuckled. Meanwhile, Luster was getting briefings from her best friends about Nightmare Night as they strolled throughout the streets like earlier. "Now Luster, I know that Nightmare Night is known for the trick and treating, but there is way more to it than just that!" Volcano explained. "Yeah! It's a social tradition!" Alkali added. "And the dressing up!" Krona added. "All for fun and getting together with friends!" Buffer resumed. "Just like most of the other festivals and celebrations in Equestria..." Evergreen went on, before being interrupted by the sound of screams. "Only, Nightmare Night is way scarier than all the other festivals and celebrations there are!" Yellow Bright commented. "Scary is my thing whenever I scare some creature into doing the right thing, so I'm not surprised to hear or see others scared or terrified!" Moonshade Fright declared. "Lucky you..." Volcano responded. "Whooooo's ready for some ghostly white Nightmare Night booze?" Pinkie Pie asked, dressed as a witch selling some Nightmare Night themed pastries and meals outside of Sugar Cube Corner. "As if I was scared!" Buffer responded to hearing what Pinkie said. "I think those pastries and limited meals are quite fit for the night!" Evergreen commented. "And since they are limited..." Yellow Bright remarked. "We should get them before we have to wait for next year..." Luster decided. "Great! So, who's got the bits?" Krona asked excitedly. No creature responded to the yak's question, causing them to realise something unpleasant. "We did not bring any, did we?" Volcano sarcastically asked. "It was Krona's idea to get snacks, so Krona should go back and get our bits!" Krona figured. "But what would the rest of us do while you make your trip back and forth?" Luster asked. "Sit here and block other creatures' way? Obviously not!" Alkali declared. Before one of the other Heroic Ten members could respond, lightning struck and thunder flashed right above the eight creatures, startling them. "Gotha!" a teenager pegasus mare dressed as a raven laughed. "For the first time ever since I was Moonshade Fright, I was scared!" Moonshade Fright could not help but say out loud. "That was too easy practice!" the teenaged mare burst out laughing, "Wait till those losers hear that I scared not one, but eight adults!" "We're young adults!" Yellow Bright corrected. "Most of us are chronologically young adults, that is..." Luster corrected. "Anyway, we are not just any young adults, we are the newest heroes and protectors of Equestria, who saved every creature from the latest threat!" Volcano stated. "Who cares? Scaring you is what I had to do to get better!" the teenaged pegasus flew off, leaving the heroes as fast as she could. "Is she out of her mind?!" Alkali asked. "And what do you think she meant by 'scaring us is what she had to do to get better?' " Evergreen asked. "I don't know, but one thing I can infer, is that is nothing good!" Moonshade Fright declared. "Our Nightmare Night snacks are going to have to wait!" Luster announced. The teenaged pegasus flew back to where she came from, unaware that she was being spied on and followed by the eight creatures whom she scared earlier. "Looking around from all directions, seems like she is suspecting company..." Moonshade Fright figured. "And we are that company!" Evergreen added. "Because she scared us earlier?" Volcano asked. "Shh! Keep quiet or she'll hear us!" Alkali reminded, causing all of them to stay low in the bushes where they were hiding. "This way," Luster instructed, after ensuring that the pegasus whom the heroes were chasing, could not see them from where they were. "Hey Charla, how's your scaring practice?" a teenaged female Earth Pony dressed in spy gear, asked the teenaged pegasus who scared the Heroic Ten earlier. "Great, Tricks! I scared eight times more than one!" Charla answered. "That's what we need here!" Tricks grinned. "Is it just me, or is this really happening?" Luster whispered to her best friends. "I don't think that it's just you..." Evergreen answered. "Those teenagers surely don't seem to have any good intentions tonight..." Moonshade Fright claimed. "But it's Nightmare Night!" Krona reminded. "And?" Buffer asked. "Whenever it is Nightmare Night, scaring others is the number one thing they do!" Krona remarked. "But who do you think they want to scare so badly?" Yellow Bright asked. "It better not be any elderly, otherwise they might risk becoming murderers as they would risk literally causing a heart attack!" Moonshade Fright stated. "You're...lucky that Nature Bloom isn't around to hear what you just said!" Evergreen informed Moonshade Fright. Back at the Castle of Friendship, Nature Bloom was preparing a fresh batch of treats for the creatures who visit the Castle's door just for trick and treating. "I know that Nightmare Night may be all about the fun of scaring, but it has the fun of giving as we give out these treats!" the changeling said her thoughts out loud, as she took another batch of cookies out of the oven. "I wonder what the others are going through, hopefully nothing too adventurous that will make me upset for missing out!" Falcon Dive replied to what Nature Bloom said, as he flew over to get the new batch of treats. "Those boys are so going to scream and run home to their mommies when they see what we can do!" Tricks laughed, causing her friend Charla to laugh alongside. "Boys?" Buffer asked, while staying low alongside his best friends in the bushes. "Hey girls, so how are things going on your side?" a teenaged female unicorn dressed up as Nightmare Moon approached the two female ponies. "Even better so far!" Charla answered. "They're going terrifyingly well, Irony!" Tricks replied while making a pun. "I'm doing just as good too, and I can't wait to see those faces when they happen!" Irony grinned. "What do you think that they're up to?" Yellow Bright could not help but ask his best friends out loud while still whispering to prevent them from being spotted. "I don't know..." Evergreen answered. "But I still don't think it's something good!" Moonshade Fright added. "Just keep up the process, maybe we'll learn what we need to know!" Volcano suggested. "What process?" Alkali asked while whispering. "The process of observing them." Volcano plainly answered. "Not bad kids!" a familiar voice could be heard saying, catching every creature's attention towards its owner. "Madam Rainbow Dash! She's judging for the Nightmare Night scary decoration haunted houses this year?" Luster asked. "You meant one of the judges. There are a few of them..." Buffer corrected. "Falcon Dive would love to judge as well, but too bad, he and Nature are back at the Castle, and we surely don't have the time to decorate it, so we are obviously not participating in the decoration competition!" Evergreen stated. "Something for him to complain about!" Moonshade Fright remarked. The conversation halted as the eight creatures focused their attention on Rainbow Dash and the teenaged female ponies. "Wow! Your haunted house is so totally awesome and terrifyingly surprising!" Rainbow Dash complemented, "And I thought that the guys' house was the scariest!" "We thought so, too, but they will never think that boys are always better than girls once they see the final results!" Chala confidently claimed. "I don't know about that, because I've heard that they aren't finish with their house." Rainbow Dash informed. "Neither are we," Tricks declared. "Then get it finished before midnight, when the contest is over and the judges make the final decision." Rainbow Dash informed, before flying off, "This pony's still got lots of other houses to judge!" After Rainbow Dash was out of sight, Ivory approached her best friends, "Well, those boys sure won't be winning once they...AAAAAH!" Her scream startled the other two teenagers, causing them to turn around to face what she was looking at: A huge inflatable mummy that towered over them! As the girls screamed, laughing could be heard before the mummy shrank down and revealed its owner, a teenaged male Earth Pony dressed as a skeleton. "Tyke, we should have known!" Tricks growled. "You girls so should have had a mirror to see your faces in back there! I can't believe that you kept having such a 'girl power' motto!" Tyke laughed. "I believe it!" Alkali responded to hearing the conversation, earning a shush from the others. "Oh yeah, the Council of Friendship who rules Equestria are all girls! And they saved the kingdom a million times!" Ivory reminded. "Don't forget that Royal Advisor Spike is not a girl, and he saved the Crystal Empire twice!" Tyke remarked. "Some creatures really learnt their history!" Volcano commented. "As if saving the Crystal Empire twice was more than all of Equestria!" Charla argued. "She has a good point!" Yellow Bright could not help but comment, causing Luster to pull every creature down. "Let's just don't say anything until we don't have to spy anymore." "Back to the main point, just because it is girls who saved the kingdom all those times, doesn't always mean that girls are best at everything!" Tyke confronted, "Wait till you scream like girls to see how scary me and the guys' house is!" "You'll never be as good as ours!" Tricks growled. "Then how do you expect yours to be scarier, when you are already scared of one of the newest things in mine?" Tyke asked. "ENOUGH!" Krona yelled, stepping out of the bushes. "AAAH! An ogre!" the teenaged ponies screamed. "Not really an ogre," Buffer corrected. "That's just Krona dressed as one for this Nightmare Night." Evergreen explained. "And I assume that you teens know who we are," Moonshade Fright plainly said. "The Heroic Ten! Newest heroes and protector of Equestria and Beyond!" Yellow Bright answered to Moonshade Fright's latest line. "That line was for them to answer?" Moonshade Fright informed her Earth Pony Best Friend. "Sorry, can't help it!" Yellow Bright sheepishly replied. "Anyway, we heard what you were saying, something about making your houses scarier..." Luster approached the teenagers. "To scare the girls!" Tyke harshly stated at the same time the girls claimed, "To scare the boys!" "Oh boy..." Alkali groaned. "Rivalry between the opposite genders...I'm not surprised, it's pretty common for all ages if you must know." Volcano commented. "My boys and I are going to make a way better haunted house than these girly girls are!" Tyke claimed. "As if!" Tricks retaliated, "You haven't even seen half of it!" "Why are you so focused on being better than the other? The contest is just a friendly game if you ask me!" Luster asked. "Because the contest is a friendly game! Made into a contest to raise the spirits!" Krona explained. "And since it's a friendly game, shouldn't we care less about who wins or loses?" Evergreen asked. "I don't think so!" all the four teenagers in the area protested. "Wow, being famous heroes sure don't have any impact sometimes!" Yellow Bright could not help but say after seeing how strong the teenagers' protests were. "It happens to my mentor and her friends, too!" Luster informed. "Anyway, you teens shouldn't be so competitive! You're acting like little kids in this rate!" Moonshade Fright informed. "Says the one creature who uses scaring to make others do what is right! And find it amusing!" Ivory protested. "Only because there' no other effective way to get them to never do bad things again!" Moonshade Fright barked. "Then, there's no other effective way to show these girls that girls are not always the best by scaring them!" Tyke figured, before using a smoke bomb to disappear, releasing a swarm of bats that flew into the mares' faces. "Wait and see, Tyke!" Charla angrily shouted. "We're going to scare your heart out of your body!" Tricks declared in anger. "What?! Are you sure?!" Buffer asked. "Well, it's Nightmare Night...the event of scaring others while dressing up and trick-or-treating, so...scaring each other is a real deal..." Volcano explained. "Something Nature Bloom probably will never like..." Evergreen commented. "I'll look for where that Tyke has gone, let him know that he's gone a little too far with that bomb!" Moonshade Fright declared, before flying up into the night sky. "I'll fly up there too, I substituted for Falcon Dive's lookup job when he was injured!" Alkali announced, "I probably will get a hang of it by now!" "Go for it!" Luster instructed. "Finding that one pony in a crowd that can have a few creatures dressed as the same thing he is dressed as?! Should have known that this is not going to be easy!" Moonshade Fright complained. "Maybe we should find where his haunted house is! If you can't find who you're looking for, finding where they most likely will be is good enough!" Luster called. "We already know where it is!" Charla grinned. "Then can you take us to it? We hav got to have.a talk with them!" Evergreen asked. "If you help us beat them..." Ivory stated. "WHAT?! No way!" Krona protested. "She's right, we are not here to be on either team's side, we're here to set things right!" Volcano explained. "Then you're not going to see that haunted house!" Tricks scoffed as she turned her back away from the heroes. "Still go to that house, Charla, we got to know what the boys are up to..." Ivory whispered to her friends' ears. "No good, too difficult to find!" Alkali called. "Say, where's Ivory going? And by the way she's walking, I think she's up to something..." Moonshade Fright asked Alkali. "I'll continue looking for the boys," Alkali figured. "While I'll ask Luster whether I should follow you-know-who or not," Moonshade Fright responded. "Do you have to say it like that?" Alkali asked, gaining a glare from Moonshade Fright as a result. "Or...whatever..." Alkali sheepishly smiled. "So, did you find them?" Luster asked Sunshine Rays, as the pegasus flew down. Sunshine Rays went close to Luster, in order to whisper something into the unicorn's ear. Luster then whispered back into Moonshade Fright' s ear, and the two nodded to each other, a second before the pegasus took off. "What are the rest of the Heroic Ten going to do?" Krona asked. "Get back to their original Nightmare Night plans?" Yellow Bright asked like Pinkie Pie would. "Sorry, but I'm afraid this Nightmare Night, we're going to have to change plans..." Luster apologised. "Well, at least we're still together!" Evergreen pointed out. "We are," Luster confirmed, "Together to make sure that this competition does not go out of control!" Meanwhile, Moonshade Fright had followed Ivory to a small shed that was decorated with many evil-looking pumpkins, skeletons, zombie faces, cobwebs and sharp, pointy twigs. "I can't believe every creature is always scared of my performances!" Moonshade Fright could not help but say when she saw how terrifying the haunted house made out of the decorated shed was. "Good news, boys. This inflatable mummy balloon scared those annoying girls out of their dreams!" Tyke told his friends, as he approached them. "All of them are boys...and they do not seem to like those girls,...so they must be the boys the girls were talking about!" Moonshade Fright whispered to herself, as she hid on the rooftops. "Oh Tyke, you're just making me wish that I was there to see their faces!" the teenaged pegasus dressed as a goblin responded. "Chartreux, that doesn't matter! Just wait till we make them see how scary our haunted house is!" the teenaged unicorn dressed as a mummy, told his friend, revealing the later's name to the spying Moonshade Fright. "Illumine, have you done enough practicing while reserving enough for the show?" Tyke asked., revealing the teenaged unicorn's name. "Totally! And I can't wait to do the finishing touches!" Illumine answered. Moonshade Fright remained quiet as she watched from the roof tops, and found Charla sneaking into the shed, causing the former to ask herself, "What is she up to?" "Those girls are so going to regret claiming that they will beat us!" Chartreux claimed, a second before Charla's loud screams of fright could be heard, as she herself came running out of the shed. The teenaged boys could not help but laugh at the terrified female pegasus, as Tyke mocked, "Told you girly girls that you don't underestimate the power of boys!" "Power? The is so children's stuff!" Moonshade Fright told herself as she watched the events unfold. "Ha! As if you boys thought I was the only creature now to have a scare..." Charla smirked, as she revealed that she had stolen several of the boys' decorations with her sack, including some eyeballs, teeth, bones and cobwebs. "Give those back!" the three teenaged boys angrily commanded in unison after gasping. "No way!" Charla responded, flying off into the sky. Monshade Fright managed to hide from the teenaged ponies' sight by ducking down. She then chased then from far behind to avoid getting spotted. In the mean time, Volcano and Buffer were looking at the other haunted houses like tourists, stopping by to observe every one. "Look Buffer, this one really makes use of science, using lights and shadows!" Volcano called. "You always love that trick!" Buffer could not help but say. "Couldn't help it, especially when you're an inventor and scientist, and.a science teacher..." Volcano answered. "Anyway, no crazy competition so far, I mean, no creature seems to be very determined to outdo some creature else here, unlike those teens..." Buffer informed. "That's good news, and we can even take a longer look and see the science behind their work!" Volcano exclaimed. "Volcano! We're not here to be fans of anything!" Buffer reminded, "We are here to check on things!" "Oh, right. Sorry, I just can't help myself..." Volcano apologised. "Come back here, you pest!" Chartreux's voice could be heard shouting, catching Volcano and Buffer's attention. The teenaged boys wee sill chasing Charla throughout the streets, and they ran right pass the two heroes seconds before Moonshade Fright caught up to her best friends. "Volcano, Buffer, I saw Charla sneak into the boys' haunted house...I mean shed...I mean, their shed decorated to be made into a Haunted House for Nightmare Night!" the pegasus informed. "A shed? Made into a haunted house?! That won't be much work within one little space!" Volcano commented. "But the main point is, she stole things that don't belong to her! And stealing is something obviously not right!" Moonshade Fright reminded. "And it never is!" Buffer added. "Actually, there are certain exceptions when heroes have to steal keys from villains to free innocent prisoners whom the villains imprisoned, but in this case...it's not right to steal some creature else's decor!" Moonshade Fright stated, before the three of them raced off. Back at the boys' shed, Ivory checked the surroundings before proceeding to her part of her team's plan. In a nearby trash bin, Evergreen was spying on the teenaged unicorn and witnessed the latter going into the shed and coming back out with a sack that was empty before the entering. "That sack was empty before going in, and most likely full after coming out, can this mean..." the Kirin gasped after she told herself her thoughts out loud. After Ivory was gone, Evergreen used her Kirin magic to open the shed's door and took a peek inside, finding the shed completely empty. "Uh oh..." Luster was still at the teenaged girls' haunted house, trying to reason with Tricks, "Come on, it's just a game, nothing much!" "Those boys just always go too far!" Tricks argued. "Only because you think that much!" Luster figured, "Plus, Nightmare Night is a social festival! Not meant to be a contest!" "Come back here and return those decor!" the teenaged boys' voices could be heard shouting. "Luster, they stole the decor!" Volcano shouted as he flew towards the unicorn while chasing behind the teenagers. "And this kind of stealing is wrong!" Buffer added. "And you know I don't like it when the wrong thing is being done on purpose!" Moonshade Fright ended. "What?! Teens, this is getting out of hoof! Stealing is cheating in a contest! Return the stolen stuff to its rightful owners right away!" Luster scolded the teenaged girls. "Don't worry, we are going to give the stuff right back! We didn't actually want these any way..." Charla smirked. "Then why else would you..." Volcano began, before figuring it out as he thought, "Uh oh, I think I know why the stuff is stolen!" "What?" Buffer asked. Charla led the boys right into the girls' haunted house, while the heroes remained outside to watch things from a far and presume that the boys got a huge fright from seeing what was inside he girls' haunted house, coming running out of the small shelter within seconds, screaming at the top of their lungs, and sounding somewhat like girls as they screamed. "My guess that Charla stole the decor from the boys' haunted house is to lure them to where she wanted them, and that guess is correct." Volcano explained. "Why didn't I think of that?" Buffer asked himself. "You boys are hilarious!" Tricks laughed, "Who's the scary-rats now?!" "And here's your stuff back. Thanks but no thanks!" Charla sarcastically added as she dropped the box of stolen decor onto the boys with the intentions to do so. "hey! That's stealing, frightening, and hurting all on purpose! And all together they cross the line!" Moonshade Fright scolded. "Ha! Way a go girls, now you got yourselves scolded by the queen of scares!" Tyke sarcastically complemented. "I am not the queen of scares!" Moonshade Fright roared, "I just use scaring to scare those unwilling to stop their wrongdoings into stopping their wrongdoings!" "Calm down now, Moonshade." Luster approached, before turning to the teenagers, "Now teens, what she meant is your taking your competition too far by doing all this! You have to stop!" "She's right you know, there are many history stories saying that a competition led to war and deaths and destruction and total chaos that wouldn't even happen if it weren't for the competition in the first place! Like the 3 millenniums ago before the foundation of Equestria story about..." Volcano began, before being interrupted by Buffer. "Volcano, we don't need all that extra information." "Whatever." Volcano plainly replied. "So you have got to stop the competition and sop scaring and playing tricks on each other like this and everything you did all night!" Moonshade Fright told the teenagers. "No way!" both boys and girls protested in unison and parted ways. "Luster! Moonshade!" Alkali called as she landed right beside the two mares. "What is it, Alkali?" Luster asked. "Evergreen told me that she witnessed Ivory stealing everything in the boys' haunted house, leaving it empty!" Alkali informed out loud, to the point that the teenaged boys could hear. "What?! You girls are worse than girls, you're robbers!" Illumine angrily lashed out at his rivals. "Actually, the correct word is 'thieves', because thieves steal things without their victims' knowledge, while robbers threaten their victims into giving them things. Some other words that usually got confused with thieves are pick-pocketers, burglars..." Volcano explained, before he was cut off from his explanation. "Volcano! Those are unnecessary extra information!" Alkali informed. "Whoever." Volcano plainly replied once again. "Stealing crosses the line! You all must stop your competition at once!" Moonshade Fright announced. "You can't get us to do that! You aren't even one of the judges!" Chartreux argued. "I can just tell the judges everything that you teens did, taking the competition too far! I'm sure they will understand!" Moonshade Fright confronted. "As if, queen of scare!" Illumine responded, before dropping a smoke bomb that left the grown-up pegasus coughing. "Moonshade! Are you alright?!" Luster asked, running up to her Best Friend. "My health is, but not the whole of me..." Moonshade Fright answered. "Then, what parts of you are wrong?" Buffer asked. "I need to get something back at the Castle. " Moonshade Fright informed, preparing to take off. "What is it?" Alkali asked. "A little something to scare them into stopping!" moon shade Fright answered. "What?! Are you sure using scare works this time?" Luster asked. "What do you mean 'this time'? Scaring is always the effective tactic that works!" Moonshade Fright claimed. "But those teens were scared by each other, and they didn't give up." Buffer reminded. "And they are still not giving up..." Volcano added. "So I'm going to have to be extremely scary! Scary enough to get them to change their ways!" Moonshade Fright announced. "But are you sure fighting scare with scare works?" Luster asked. "She has a point you know, just like 2 wrongs do not make a right, and fighting fire with fire...doesn't always go well." Volcano explained. "But we tried reasoning with them, got 0 effects! It's time to bring up the fright and do something that will bring effects!" Moonshade Fright declared. "What do you think, Luster?" Buffer asked. "Well...since no creature else have effective ideas...maybe we should try..." Luster decided. The clock soon struck eleven, the hour before midnight. In the Castle of Friendship, Nature Bloom whimpered at the thought of the clock striking 12. "I'm glad that I'm staying here in the Castle, and not outside, but what kind of exciting scary tricks are out there?" the changeling asked. "When will these trick and treaters get their bags full, anyways?! It's been hours and we're still giving out cookies!" Falcon Dive complained. "I'll just go get some more cookies to give out..." Nature Bloom figured. In the night skies, Luster rode on Alkali's back as they searched for the last of the teenaged ponies that they were confronting that night. "Can you find her?" Alkali asked. "Trying my best....this scanning spell is actually tricky..." Luster answered while struggling to keep her horn lit up as she scanned the surroundings. "Come on, Luster! You've learnt a hundred of different scan spells! You can do it!" Alkali cheered. "Found Ivory! By those houses!" Luster reported. "Then that's our next stop tonight!" Alkali announced, automatically diving down to the streets to give chase to Ivory. "I'm warning you creatures, what I'm doing is none of your business!" Ivory called in an annoyed tone. "You are unwilling to stop what you were doing! And we won't stop until you do!" Luster declared, teleporting herself to the exit spot that was right in front of Ivory, before teleporting them both to where Moonshade Fright had a performance for them. "Got the last of them!" Luster exclaimed, as she brought Ivory to the back of the Castle of Friendship. "Good thing Luster back, teens are hard to keep under control!" Krona claimed. "I even had to try every thing Madam Pinkie Pie and her hiusband Cheese Sandwich ever taught me as their helper!" Yellow Bright added. "And now that all the guests are here, the performance can start." Evergreen calmly said. "I am Moonshade Fright," the pegasus said as she made a dramatic entrance walking through artificial fog made by Volcano's latest invention. "And I am here to show you the consequences of scaring each other constantly, all for a competition!" she went on. "We're lucky that Nature Bloom isn't here..." Evergreen commented. "Number one bad thing: You are scaring each other out of wanting to! There's actually no need to scare each other for competition! A competition isn't even one of the most important things in the world!" Moonshade Fright explained, "Bad thing number two: Scaring can actually cause heart attacks, literally! Although it's rare, the chances are not 0! " Time flew and soon, it was 11.20, when Moonshade Fright finished her performance, "So you better change your ways! And not scare each other for fun, nor competition!" "So you're saying that scaring is something bad?" Ivory asked in a somewhat scared manner. "Exactly!" Moonshade Fright answered. "Then, why do you always use scare to make creatures do the right thing?!" Illumine asked, putting Moonshade in negative light as the six teenagers started to express dislike for her. "I kept telling you, I had no other choice! Reasoning with them doesn't work, so I had to use scare!" Moonshade Fright replied. "I don't think so, if some creature moral like you do it, there's no reason we shouldn't!" Tricks declared, and the six teenagers raced away. "Well that worked..." Volcano sarcastically commented. "Uh, you know it didn't work, right Volcano?" Alkali asked in a concerned tone. "Of course I know it didn't work! I was being sarcastic when I said 'well, that worked'." Volcano explained. "I don't understand, scaring always worked on those who are unwilling to change, why didn't it work this time?" Moonshade Fright asked as she paced around. "Maybe it's because you were fighting fire with fire," Evergreen figured. "Um, Evergreen, I don't see any uses of fire around." Yellow Bright responded. "Fighting fire with fire doesn't literally mean using fire against fire." Krona pointed out. "Krona's right. It's not the literally meaning when we say it, so fighting fire with fire means fighting an opponent with what they use against you." Luster explained. "Since the six teens have been using scaring all nigh, scaring them will be using the same strategy, or in this case, the same action, against them." Buffer figured. "I can't believe I made them think that it's alright to scare others just because I use scaring!" Moonshade Fright cried. "Sunshine...I mean, Moonshade...or whatever..." Luster shook her head before resuming, "We all know that you scare others for a good reason, to sop them from doing more wrongdoings, so your scaring is actually not as bad as scaring others for fun." "We all know that!" Alkali chimed in. "But this time, scaring is not the answer, as its fighting fire with fire," Luster explained. "And there's a wise saying that fighting fire with fire is not always the best idea." Evergreen contributed. "Which in this case, it's pretty true." Volcano commented. "Moonshade tried scaring the six teens into stopping, but that motivated them to be even scarier!" Krona declared. "So scaring them into stopping is out of the question and off the list!" Yellow Bright announced. "But what else can I do?" Moonshade Fright asked. "We tell the judges, because at the end of the day, whoever wins the competition will be decided by them!" Luster figured. "In case you hadn't noticed, it's night!" Yellow Bright reminded. "At the end of the day is how they usually say it, Yellow Bright." Evergreen informed. "I knew that!" Yellow Bright quickly responded. "If Yellow Bright knew that, why would he say 'in case you hadn't noticed, it's night'?" Krona asked and quoted what her earth pony Best Friend said. "Guys, we don't have time! We got six competition-addicted teens to stop!" Luster snapped every creature out of the distraction conversation, leading them back to town. Meanwhile, the six teens' might against each other had worsened; both teams were scaring each other, and stealing each other's things, resulting in chaos. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but this is total chaos going on here." Buffer commented as he watched the teenagers fight. "Without Discord to complete the dessert." Volcano added, "And what I said was an idiom, so the meaning is different from the literal meaning." "We know that idioms are like that." Buffer quickly replied. "This competition really got them carried away!" Evergreen stated. "Not for long!" Moonshade Fright announced, as she led Rainbow Dash to the scene to witness the events. "You...are...not...kidding..." Rainbow Dash uttered, unable to believe what she was seeing. "I cannot believe it at all!" Rarity, dressed as a vampire, said out loud. "So that's what you're dressed as that is meant to be a surprise?!" Volcano sarcastically asked upon seeing Rarity in her costume. "They got carried away, wanting their haunted houses to be scarier than the others!" Alkali claimed. "Which turned into scaring each other!" Krona contributed. "And even worse, stealing from each other!" Yellow Bright added. "And in this case, stealing is very wrong..." Moonshade Fright stated. "That gets them disqualified!" Rainbow Dash claimed. "Absolutely!" Rarity added. "Sorry, teenagers Charla, Tricks, Ivory, Chartreux, Tyke, and Illumine! But you've gone too far, and did many wrongdoings!" Rainbow Dash shouted. "And because of all that, both of your team are disqualified from this year's competition!" Rarity declared. "WHAT?!" all six teenaged ponies asked in unison. "Sorry, but you've gone too far, and therefore, you're disqualified." Rainbow Dash plainly informed. "And scaring each other for the fun of it?! That is absolutely horrid!" Rarity remarked. "And you got no creatures to blame except for yourselves!" Rainbow Dash went on. "Because you yourselves did all the actions that led to this happening!" Rarity continued. "And every creature is equally to blame." Moonshade Fright finished, approaching the scene herself, with her Best Friends behind her. "Moonshade right! You got the judges to disqualify us?!" Tyke angrily asked. "We all did." Luster corrected, as she and the rest of her best friends leapt closer to Moonshade Fright behind the latter. "Because fighting fire with fire doesn't solve the problem. So I can't...I mean, we can't use scaring to get you to stop, because your desire to scare each other is what caused the competition to get you carried away, so we got the judges to see your wrongdoings themselves, in order to get you to stop." Moonshade Fright explained, "Because getting you to stop fighting and scaring each other is what has to be accomplished." "And make you realise that fighting fire with fire usually doesn't end well!" Evergreen contributed. "Look at how much damage it caused!" Krona went on. "You went on in a continuous fight!" Buffer added. "And stole and scare and could have gotten some creature hurt if it goes to an even higher level!" Luster added. "Maybe you all should go to the School of Friendship to settle down?" Volcano suggested. "What?! NO! We love our school!" the six teenagers protested. "Then all six of you should get along with each other, and stop being rivals." Luster declared as she stood perpendicular to the middle of the two opposing teams. "And look at it this way, once ou put aside your differences, you'll have new friends!" Alkali cheerfully told the teenagers. "And lesser enemies!" Yellow Bright concluded. "Well, when you put it that way...we might want to stop being rivals..." Illumine spoke up. "And we might like a team of six friends, so we can experience something like the friendship between the Council of Friendship..." Ivory stated. "And we might like to get to be part of a big group of friends like you, Heroic Ten!" Tricks went on. "We wouldn't say big, we mostly will say large." Volcano corrected. "Anyways, if you want to try getting along, we'd like to help you with that." Luster added. The scene changed to show the six teenagers getting along with the Heroic Ten members nearby, as Luster narrated her letter for Princess Twilight Sparkle. Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle, This Nightmare Night, my best friends and I came across six teenaged ponies who would like to tell you what they have learnt on this year's Nightmare Night. Fighting fire with fire does not usually end with good results, which is quite true as their constant scaring and stealing and trying to beat each other efforts just kept n worsening things and taking their competition war level up higher and higher until we got the judges to see how carried away they got, and disqualify them to stop their competition. My Best Friend Sunshine Rays, as her alter-ego Moonshade Fright, learnt the same lesson that fighting with fire usually does not solve the problem when she tried to scare the six teenaged ponies into stopping, since scaring is what the six teenagers were doing that is wrong, scaring them cannot be the solution. Although there might be a few cases where fighting fire with fire works, we cannot let that make us think that it is the solution to our problems. Signed, your faithful student, Luster Dawn Soon, the eight creatures returned to the Castle of Friendship, while commenting on what they knew from their recent escapade. "It was great to see that those two trios made peace with each other!" Moonshade Fright commented. "And share a little trivia about themselves..." Alkali went on. "And who knew that Chartreux was named after his dad's favourite breed of cats?!" Krona added. "And we did another heroic deed, as we did what was right!" Luster ended, as she opened the castle doors with her magic. "You're back!" Nature Bloom greeted. "Yes we are." Evergreen replied. "And we can really take a nap." Yellow Bright yawned. "So, hw was Nightmare Night for you guys? Nothing too exciting nor out-of-the-ordinary for a common Nightmare Night every year?" Falcon Dive asked, causing the eight creatures to gulp. "Well, it can be very different from last years..." Buffer answered. "But maybe we can get Head-mare Starlight and Vice Head-stallion Sunburst to be in charge of giving out goodies next year! So you and Nature Bloom can join us, and we'll have all ten out of ten of us having fun!" Volcano suggested. "That will be epic, but I'm still wondering what I've missed..." Falcon Dive replied. "Should we tell him?" Luster asked the others. "Well, if we didn't, there's still some other creatures who could, so..." Krona plainly said before the scene changed to show the outside of the castle of Friendship a little while later... "WHAT?! I MISSED AN ESCAPADE DEALING WITH FIGHTING TEENAGERS?! AND ALL THE ACTION, ROUNDING UP, LOOKING OUT FROM THE SKIES, AND SNEAKING AROUND?! HOW CAN..." Falcon Dive complained loudly. 20. Return of the MolesAuthor's Note Return of the Moles serves as the twentieth episode of the series. Summary: When Spike got trapped in a deep underground cavern, Princess Twilight Sparkle instructed the Heroic Ten to find a colony of moles to help rescue him. Featured Characters: Echo, a big brown bat who uses echolocation and relies on hearing more than sight like big brown bats in real life. Falcon Dive was separated from him for many years until they reunited shortly after the Heroic Ten's graduation in How the Magic of Friendship Grows, Part Two. King of the Moles, the current ruler of the moles' underground kingdom, and descendant of Princess Celestia's old friend, a previous leader of the moles. At first, he was portrayed to be stern and strict and very unwilling to go adobe ground, due to the mistake his colony made during Celstia's reign which led them to their hiding. But after hearing what Sunshine Rays and Luster Dawn said, he changed and became warmer to others, and willing to help others above the ground. 20. Return of the Moles In the throne room at Canterlot Castle, Princess Twilight Sparkle was pacing around, waiting for something. "Oh, where are they?!" the alicorn asked out loud, just before the door opened. "Your highness, your guests are here, and they've been checked, and none of them are imposters." Gallus informed. "Thank goodness they are! Hurry, let them in." Princess Twilight Sparkle instructed. "Of course, your Majesty." Gallus replied, allowing the Heroic Ten to enter. "Your Majesty." the ten creature bowed before Twilight. "Luster, you and your best friends are doing the right thing to be so respectful towards royalty like me, but right now, I'm afraid there is no time for bowing." Twilight informed. "Wait, there isn't?!" Luster asked in a shocked time. "Next time, she I summon you all for an emergency, we can skip the usual, formal greetings." Princess Twilight Sparkle told the Heroic Ten. "Then why didn't you say so when you sent that letter?" Evergreen asked out of curiosity. "I...was too overwhelmed by my motions to think of that." Princess Twilight Sparkle sheepishly admitted. "That's alright, that could happen to any creature!" Alkali remarked. "It's better late than never, and the correct word is 'can', as in 'that can happen to any creature', because it still can happen." Volcano corrected. "Back to the main point, the reason I summoned you all is..." Princess Twilight Sparkle began, before announcing after a short halt, "My Royal Advisor and Friendship Ambassador Spike, is missing!" All ten creatures gasped in unison to hear the news, before the series' theme song intro played. "Royal Advisor Spike missing?!" Krona asked. "How can that be?!" Buffer added. "I don't know, but one thing I do know, is there is no way to get contact from him, as I can send him letters, but he can't send any to me." Princess Twilight Sparkle explained. "Why won't he be able to contact you?" Yellow Bright asked. "He might have lost his quit and have no way to write," Princess Twilight Sparkle figured, "And something else I do know, is Spike is supposed to come back to Canterlot from Klugetown last night, but he didn't." "Then why didn't you send your guards out to find him?" Sunshine Rays asked. "I did send my guards out, but they found no clues of here Spike could be." Princess Twilight Sparkle explained, resulting in another gasp being heard as the Heroic Ten gasped in unison. "How can there be...no clues at all?" Nature Bloom asked. "Are they sure that there are 0 clues?!" Falcon Dive asked. "They found nothing that can lead to Spike, nor a theory to what could have happened." Princess Twilight Sparkle responded. "Maybe the guards aren't good enough!" Krona could not help but say, making the other Heroic Ten members express shock. "Don't say that, Krona!" Buffer told her at once. "We are horribly sorry to every creature that statement Krona just said can insult..." Nature Bloom apologised. "That's alright, I mean, at least you were honest and let us know what you were thinking. And by the way, that is not the most insulting as saying that some creature is bad!" Princess Twilight pointed out. "Next time Krona, just say that the guards, or whoever you are talking about, needs to be even better!" Nature Bloom informed. "Got it, and sorry about the insult!" Krona sheepishly apologised. "Back to the main point, Royal Advisor Spike went missing, and there aren't any clues to where he could have gone?!" Volcano asked. "That's what we've been saying for a while." Princess Twilight nodded. "Should we hire a detective?" Luster suggested. "Rarity is out of the question because she's currently too busy, and might get too worried about Spike. I got a lot of duties to do today, so I'm off the list, too. And even if I did hire detectives, Spike might know nothing about them to know that they aren't imposters. So that leaves all ten of you to be suitable candidates for the mission." Princess Twilight Sparkle explained. "But, what can Spike know about us to know that we aren't imposters?!" Sunshine Rays asked out loud. "You can tell him what you all gave him as birthday presents for his last birthday, although you gave it to him late, a few days after the day you graduated?" Princess Twilight Sparkle reminded. "Right..." Luster chuckled in embarrassment as she remembered the late presents-giving. "I remember I gave him a Power Ponies comic set, because he is a fan of Power Ponies, according to his wife Rarity." Falcon Dive declared. "I gave him a notebook to write things down so he won't forget them." Sunshine Rays added. "I gave him a very soft, smooth blanket because I figured that a busy creature like him can use good sleep, so...why not give him a blanket that is very comfortable?" Nature Bloom contributed. "I gave him a stop watch to time things, because I thought it would be helpful." Evergreen contributed. "I gave him a Treasure Chest I made from a fallen tree, a skill I learnt at one of the School of Friendship field trips. Back to the main point, I made him a Treasure Chest because I know that he loves to eat gems, and since gems are valuable treasures, a Treasure Chest will be the perfect container to contain them!" Alkali recalled. "Krona remember that she gave Royal Advisor Spike a dumb-bell to practice being strong!" Krona declared. "I gave Like some earmuffs to protect his ears from loud noises, or to keep them warm in cold temperatures." Buffer explained. "I gave Spike a supply of scrolls, quits and ink bottles because I know that since he's the Royal Advisor and Friendship Ambassador, he will need to write a lot of letters!" Volcano stated. "I gave Spike a crystal that I learnt to make at my old school during a science experiment, because crystals shine, and I thought they can get him to look on the bright side!" Yellow Bright claimed. "I gave him a set of notes that tell him what makes him a hero before he became your Royal Advisor those years when he lived in Ponyville with you." Luster informed, "Like, the time when he stood up for King Thorax at the risk of his own reputation in the Crystal Empire, or the time he..." "I know that he's a great dragon friend, Luster." Twilight interrupted, "And we cannot give up on making sure that he is alright. If you ten find him, you can tell him what you gave him fr his last birthday, and he most likely will be convinced that you are the real you." "Because no creature except him and us know what we gave him for his last birthday!" Yellow Bright said. Princess Twilight Sparkle cleared her throat, causing Yellow Bright to correct his latest sentence, "And Princess Twilight Sparkle, the Ruler of Equestria who succeeded Princess Celestia, and was around to hear what the Heroic Ten said that they gave Royal Advisor Spike on his previous birthday..." Princess Twilight Sparkle giggled, "No need to put things that way, Yellow Bright. But let's not get off-topic once again, you need to find Spike, and make sure he's alright! And bring him back to Canterlot!" "I believe I have an old friend who can help, your Majesty." Falcon Dive claimed. "That is wonderful Falcon Dive, if whoever that friend is isn't busy at the moment." Princess Twilight Sparkle replied. "But that friend has got to be willing to help!" Sunshine Rays remarked. "Don't worry, I'm talking about Echo." Falcon Dive replied. "You mean Echo the big brown bat?" Evergreen asked. "Yup, my childhood friend and classmate, who...got separated from me when his family moved. He reunited with me after we graduated that day, by approaching me not long after our moment of fame was over." Falcon Dive nodded. "He sure was happy to see you again after all those years of separation!" Alkali commented. "And we never lost touch again!" Falcon Dive added. "And I remember you said that Echo uses echolocation, like common bats." Volcano recalled. "He totally does! And by the way, whenever you ask him if he had seen something, you should ask him if he had heard something, because he relies on listening more than seeing!" Falcon Dive informed. "And since he uses listening..." Buffer began. "In this case, echolocation, he does not need things to be in the line of sight to find them! So even if Spike is hidden among opaque objects, Echo can still locate him!" Luster finished. "Unless there's vacuums, because vacuums prevent sound from going through! Sound needs a medium to travel, as the sound energy is transferred from the one end to another by the particles of the medium colliding with each other!" Volcano explained. "Are the chances of having vacuums in the place, really that much?" Yellow Bright asked. "Anyway, I think Echo will be more than helpful enough to help you find Spike. So please, get Echo, and all the help you can get! And contact me about what yo find out!" Princess Twilight Sparkle instructed. "We're on it, your Majesty!" Luster saluted. The scene changed to show the Heroic Ten and Echo arriving in Klugetown. "We're here every creature, Klugetown, where Royal Advisor Spike was last seen and known to be in." Luster declared. "Can you locate him, Echo?" Alkali asked. "I will try my best, but I don't think it's easy with all the extra noise!" Echo answered. "I see...I mean, I hear...what you mean..." Nature Bloom responded. "No kidding, it's as noisy as a marketplace!" Sunshine Rays commented. "That's because this is a marketplace! Klugetown is both a town for creatures to live in, and a huge town for shopping!" Volcano explained. "Do you think we should ask the creatures here if they saw Royal Advisor Spike recently?" Yellow Bright asked. "Are you kidding, Princess Twilight Sparkle said that there are no clues at all to finding where the royal advisor had gone to! Asking is so off the list!" Falcon Dive responded to Yellow Bright's question. "But it never hurts to ask!" Krona pointed out. "I have to agree with Krona, plus, not asking might cost us a clue." Buffer added. "Alright, before we really go into the search for the royal advisor ourselves, we're going to ask around for help, as in, ask the creatures we run into whether they saw the Royal Advisor these 2 days or not. We'll split up, and regroup here at the Train Station by 1 afternoon." Luster instructed. "Excuse me, have you seen Royal Advisor Spike these 2 days?" Evergreen asked an Earth Pony, while levitating a photo of Spike for him to see. The Earth Pony shook his head, which meant that his answer was 'no, he had not seen Spike'. "Well, thanks for answering anyway!" Evergreen quickly responded, before turning towards an elderly female Klugetown resident that resembled a pig, "Excuse me, have you seen Royal Advisor Spike these 2 days?" "Royal Advisor Spike?! Why would he be here in Klugetown if he lives in Canterlot, far away?!" the Klugetown resident asked. "Anyway, thanks for your answer." Evergreen quickly took off, before noticing Echo above her, asking the Klugetown residents who live in the upper floors of th ebuildings. "Excuse me, but did you see Royal Advisor Spike these 2 days?" Echo asked, while flapping his wings and holding the photo of Spike with his right foot. The Klungetown resident shook his head, leading to Echo's response, "Thanks, anyway!" "Echo knows what they do without seeing?!" Evergreen asked herself, softly. "Of course I know what they do, without even seeing it!" Echo flew down and landed right in front of Evergreen. "Echo, you heard me?!" the Kirin asked. "Of course I did, bats can hear sounds a lot softer than what most common animals and creatures can!" Echo replied. "But what about knowing what others are doing when you're not even seeing?" Evergreen asked "Bats use echolocation to identify where things and living creatures are, so even when the living creature is running, the bat will know where the former's going, and what the former's doing!" Echo explained, "So bats can also detect movements!" "That's really interesting!" Evergreen commented, before asking, "But, can you detect what time the clock is showing?!" "Unless there's a vacuum sealing up the clock's face, yes, I can." Echo answered. "Echo, Evergreen, you two better continue asking, because so far, no creature gave me a helpful answer." Falcon Dive told them, as he flew down. "Wait, you got zero clues so far, too?" Evergreen asked. Falcon Dive nodded, "Every creature I asked gave an answer of 'no', or 'why would he be out here?', not what were looking for." Falcon Dive explained. "Don't like to say this but, if we don't get anywhere close to finding Spike, we're going to let Princess Twilight Sparkle down." Evergreen sadly said. "WHAT?! No, we cannot let the princess down! She trusted us! We have got to find Royal Advisor Spike! We must!" Falcon Dive declared. Soon, the Heroic Ten and Echo regrouped at the Train Station, at the exact time 1 o'clock in the afternoon. "So, did any creature find something useful?" Luster asked. "Krona didn't find anything!" Krona reported. "Well, I did find out that some creatures last saw Spike on his way to the Train Station here..." Buffer stated. "And, is that all?" Sunshine Rays asked. "No, there's more, some creature else said that he saw Spike flying away from the Train Station, around 15 minutes before the train arrived." Buffer added. "Why would the royal advisor fly away from the Train Station, when he was going to take the train home, anyways?" Krona asked. "Are you sure that's him?" Yellow Bright asked. "Well, some creature said that Royal Advisor Spike himself decided to fly up to see if he can spot the train, because he is getting tired of waiting and not knowing when the train is going to arrive'. So that's why the royal advisor flew away from the Train Station." Buffer explained. "Anything else?" Volcano asked. "They say that the royal advisor was seen flying away, but not coming back to the Train Station." Buffer answered. "That is strange." Luster said. "And I doubt that Royal Advisor Spike will want to fly all the way from Klungetown to Canterlot under the hot sun!" Sunshine Rays added. "Who'd be crazy enough to do something like that?!" Falcon Dive asked. "Anyway, if Spike flew away from the Train Station and did not come back, maybe something happened to him after he flew away!" Evergreen figured out. "And that something...unfortunately, isn't something very good..." Yellow Bright added. "Alright, we know that Spike flew away from the Train Station to see if he can spot the train coming, and did not come back, but which way did he go?" Luster asked. "The opposite direction of the train from Klungetown to Canterlot is heading." Buffer answered. "Then that's the direction we should go in!" Luster declared. "I can't believe the Royal Guards said that they did not find a single clue! I mean, we found some very effective clues!" Alkali remarked. "The clues we found are useful, Alkali. But maybe they aren't useful enough..." Volcano figured. "What do Volcano mean, clues aren't useful enough?! They're getting Krona and friends somewhere!" Krona asked. "We only know that Spike flew away in this direction and disappeared! He might have changed his direction or even landed somewhere..." Volcano explained. "And this area is huge!" Nature Bloom commented. "Finding the royal advisor will be finding a needle in a haystack!" Falcon Dive commented. "And that is indeed, an idiom." Volcano responded, "Finding a needle in a haystack means extremely difficult to find." "Stand back, every creature. Let me try to hear if I can find Spike or not." Echo announced, before producing some sound waves. "Interesting, Echo's using echolocation! I never got to see an expert echolocation user using the said process until now!" Volcano exclaimed. "Volcao, you better keep quiet so Echo can focus!" Falcon Dive hushed. "Oh, right. Sorry...just can't help myself..." Volcano apologised. "I hear something." Echo said, before sending out some sound waves into the ground, "I hear...the royal advisor breathing! And not just any breathing, he's breathing in a way that I can tell that he's scared! Scared that he will never get out!" "Out? From where?!" Alkali asked. "The underground caverns, he's trapped somewhere down there!" Echo answered. "But, how did the royal advisor get down there in the first place?" Krona asked. "Don't know, but he's somewhere deep. Very deep underground! And he's injured!" Echo informed. "Take us to the sight that is perpendicular to where he is, Echo! If you can." Luster pleaded. "Sure thing. I always wanted to help out like you ten!" Echo replied, before flapping his wings to lift himself off the ground and fly towards the location. "Royal Advisor Spike is...down there?" Nature Bloom asked, as the creatures gathered around a hole in the ground. "Indeed, about 500 meters down, as accurate as I can get." Echo nodded. "What are we waiting for?! Let's go rescue him!" Falcon Dive asked, preparing to swoop in. "Falcon, wait!" Echo quickly called, stopping the griffon. "The tunnel down can get narrower and narrower, you can get stuck like the royal advisor is right now!" Echo warned. "And it is already bad enough to have one creature trapped down there!" Buffer added. "Two creatures getting trapped?! I don't even think that you want to think about that!" Volcano contributed. "But the holes look wide enough for me to fit through!" Falcon Dive commented. "Looks can be deceiving!" Sunshine Rays warned. "Sunshine's right, you know. There are many times when looks can be deceiving, like for example, what may appear to look like a larger piece of land, can actually not be larger?" Evergreen stated an example. "So what appears to be a hole you can fit through, might not be a hole that you can fit through for real!" Yellow Bright concluded. "Maybe if we made the hole bigger, we can all fit though!" Luster figured. "Don't look at me! I may have eaten gems before, and cleared up a boulder with my jaws, but there is no way I'm crazy enough to taste dried soil!" Volcano protested. "Don't worry about that Volcano, I'm not even going to ask you to use your jaws like the time you cleared that boulder! Besides, you took a long time to clear that boulder, there is no telling how long you will take to clear 500 meters times an area, amount of soil!" Luster assured. "You might take weeks to clear that much!" Alkali exclaimed. "That is way too long." Evergreen commented. "Princess Twilight isn't going to be alright waiting for weeks!" Krona commented. "And I don't even think Royal Advisor Spike can survive that long without for and water! Sorry if I was too negative, thinking about something like that!" Buffer apologised. "That's alright Buffer, even I know that there is no way positively thinking that he can survive without living thing needs for weeks will work! Reality is still reality! What you think is still what you think!" Yellow Bright assured. "What if we all try digging down 500 meters?" Nature Bloom asked. "And because there is 11 of us, we can get the work done in 1 out of 11 times the time compared to when just 1 of us works!" Luster added. "Let me calculate..." Volcano began, "Let's say 1 of us takes 110 hours to dig down 500 meters. If all 11 of us do it, we will get it done in 10 hours, which is 1 out of 11 times the number!" "Let's see how long it takes for al 11 of us to dig down 1 meter. We can use that time to assume how long it will take for us to dig down 500 meters!" Luster suggested. The scene changed to show what happened once the 11 creatures reached 1 meter down. "We took...25 minutes to dig down to 1 meter!" Luser gasped. "So, we can use 25 minutes per meter to see how long it takes for us to reach 500 meters!" Alkali figured. "25 times 500...12500 minutes! That's...12500 over 60 hours...208 and 1 over 30 hours. That's 8 and 2 over 3 days." Volcano calculated. "But that is still too long." Evergreen commented. "And Krona does not think that any creature can survive without food and water for that long!" Krona exclaimed. "And what is even worse is, there is no way we can work that long without sleeping and eating! We have got to rest and eat and take breaks so we won't suffer from the effects of having a lack of them! And if we did take some breaks, we're going to take even longer to reach 500! And that can mean double the time! Or even triple, or quadruple!" Volcano informed. "Well, we don't have days to get Royal Advisor Spike out! We got to do it today!" Luster declared. "But you heard Volcano, at the rate we're going, we'll never make it!" Sunshine Rays told the unicorn. "Maybe Princess Twilight Sparkle can think of something, or know some creature who can help us!" Luster said, taking out a scroll and a quill. Back in Canterlot, the royal guards opened the doors for an exhausted Princess Twilight Sparkle, who trotted to the dining table after morning's work. "I can't believe that Still got afternoon to take care of, even when I've been doing lots of work since ages!" the alicorn said to herself, just a second before Luster Dawn's letter arrived. "A letter from Luster!" Princess Twilight Sparkle said, before using her magic to unfold the letter and silently read what it said. Back with the creatures... "The princess is busy! Are you sure she has time to read and write a reply?" Sunshine Rays asked Luster. A second after the sentence was finished, the reply letter magically came to Luster, who asked, "You were saying?" "Just forget and get over that..." Sunshine Rays plainly answered. Luster used her magic to unfold the letter and read out, "Dear Luster, you and your best friends have done well in locating Spike is, even though you can't get to him at the moment." "She's got a point, knowing where the royal advisor is but not being able to get to him, is better than not knowing where the royal advisor is, and not being able to get to him!" Yellow Bright commented, before Luster continued. "I am glad that you informed me about the situation rather than try to dig your way to him yourselves, knowing that you will not make it in time." "Of course we will not make it in time! There is no way any creature can dig down 500 meters in less than half day!" Volcano stated before Luster was given time to carry on reading. "I believe that I know some creatures who can help him, only if they can be found." "If they can be found? What does that mean?" Nature Bloom could not help but ask. "Most likely it means that we have to find them?" Sunshine Rays answered. "These creatures are called the moles," Luster read, before being interrupted again. "Moles?! Heard that those little mammals are blind!" Krona could not help but exclaim. "Krona!" Nature Bloom hushed. "Sorry, just honestly saying Krona's thoughts out loud!" Krona apologised while whispering. "They have the special ability of digging up huge volumes of dirt in a single second." Luster read. "Wow! And I thought sea ponies are the most amazing creatures there are as the best swimmers Equestria knows that they can talk to and have!" Alkali commented. "Can we just let Luster read the rest of the letter, uninterrupted?" Buffer asked. "Whoops! Sorry, just can't help but say our thoughts out loud!" Alkali apologised. "They are the best at digging and making underground tunnels, and that makes them the best creatures for the job. Long ago, during Celestia's reign, and centuries before the return of Nightmare Moon, the moles were helpful allies of Equestria, helping to build tunnels throughout the kingdom, and their leader was great friends with Princess Celestia. But, the moles disappeared after the attack of Conquer, an evil sorcerer who wanted to conquer every place he knows! Princess Celestia had never seen the moles ever again since then, and gave up the search. I found this information this morning when I was cleaning up the restricted section of the Canterlot Library, and you will never believe how well-hidden it is! Back to the main point, the moles are known to reside in Moles' Mountain before their disappearance. That must be where you should start your search." Luster read. "Moles' Mountain?" Evergreen asked. "How do we find that place?" Sunshine Rays added. "And what's that at the other side of the scroll?" Yellow Bright asked, causing Luster to flip he letter and look at what was on the back. "It's a map to Moles' Mountain!" she cried. "It looks very...old." Volcano commented after taking a look. "Must be because the moles disappeared centuries ago!" Nature Bloom reminded. "In that case, will visiting their centuries-abandoned home be a good idea?" Sunshine Rays asked, "I mean, what clues can we find there?!" "I believe that the site is still a good place to start the search despite the fact it was abandoned for hundreds of years, because that's the only site known to have last traces of the moles! I mean, if the moles left that place, they must have packed up their things and left! So that must be the last place they were before they disappeared!" Volcano explained. "The dragon's right, every creature." Echo told the others, "We start our searches at the place with the last traces." The scene changed to show what the eleven creatures see when they arrived at Moles' Mountain; nothing except a natural, trees and plants growing all over the place habitat for birds, reptiles and small mammals. "This isn't so bad, full of plans and animals, everything better than the ghost town Mount Aris was when Princess Twilight Sparkle and the Council of Friendship first visited there when they journeyed beyond Equestrian to save it from the Storm King!" Nature Bloom commented, "No offence to those who take Mount Aris very seriously." "None taken! I'm not even offended! Though, I do take Mount Aris seriously as I lived there for longer than I have not been living there!" Alkali responded. "It's also your birthplace?" Volcano reminded. Suddenly, Evergreen tripped on something hard, catching every creature else's attention as she fell onto the ground. "Evergreen! Are you alright?!" Yellow Bright asked in a concerned tone as he rushed to help his Kirin Best Friend up. "Hey, that's one of the few times I've ever heard your tone being a concerned one instead of a joke." Sunshine Rays commented. "As if that's important." Krona plainly responded to the comment made by Sunshine. "I'm alright besides getting dirt on my knees." Evergreen assured, "But I tripped on something hard." Alkali dug up the dirt, revealing a stone in the shape of a cooking pot. "A cooking stone pot!" the hippogriff exclaimed, pulling the object out of the soil. "Don't you mean a stone cooking pot? A cooking pot made of stone, and not a cooking stone pot, a pot for cooking stone?" Volcano asked. "I doubt that all these animals will use stone cooking pots, and most likely, they will not even make stone cooking pots! Because they do not need to cook their food! They can just eat it!" Nature Bloom stated. "Then, who could have made the stone cooking pot?" Buffer asked. Luster thought for a while, before gasping, "The Moles!" "Of course! Like us creatures, the Moles lived in a village!" Falcon Dive exclaimed, "Or a town...or a...settlement?!" "Or maybe you should use the word 'colony' and avoid having to make a hard decision." Volcano figured. "This cooking pot is a sign that says the Moles used to be here, alright." Luster declared, levitating the pot. "But not a sign of which way they could have gone!" Sunshine Rays responded. "Echo, can you find any other clues left behind by the Moles around the area?" Luster asked. "I will try my best." Echo nodded, before he began using his echolocation. "I hope that the clues aren't destroyed from the many changes." Volcano told his best friends. "What do you mean by destroyed by the many changes? There's just many more animals and plants all around here! How can a change like that destroy the clues?!" Falcon Dive asked. "Other than plants and animals, there might have been climate change, bringing in some natural disasters like storms or forest fire caused by lightning." Volcano explained, "Any natural disaster might destroy a clue, especially when the clue is left centuries ago, unlike dinosaur fossils that are a lot deeper underground and secured from most natural disasters, because they were left behind millions of years ago, way longer than centuries!" Volcano explained. "So you're saying that there are a lot of chances that most of the clues are...destroyed?" Nature Bloom asked. "Something like that." Volcano nodded. "But we need those clues to find the Moles!" Evergreen cried. "So they can dig Royal Advisor Spike out!" Krona ended. "Every creature! I found a tunnel! An underground tunnel!" Echo called, causing the Heroic Ten to rush over to where he was, looking at a hole in the ground. "How come this hole didn't get covered up in several centuries' time?" Volcano asked. "Maybe not all clues get destroyed?" Buffer suggested. "The tunnel goes down very deep, and there is a long tunnel that goes horizontally at the bottom!" Echo informed. "How does Echo know that?!" Krona asked. "Echolocation. Helps me know where things are, how they move, and even map a cave." Echo explained. "It's pretty cool to use listening after all!" Falcon Dive commented. "Can't believe it took a long time for us all to believe that." Sunshine Rays plainly replied. "If this tunnel goes a long way down and a long way away from the mountain, it most likely is the tunnel that the moles took when they left!" Luster figured. "But are we sure that this really is the tunnel? I mean, what if it's a decoy? Or..." Nature Bloom asked. "Decoy! Who do you think will want to make a decoy?!" Yellow Bright asked. "Maybe we should still go down this tunnel." Nature Bloom changed her mind. "But, not every creature can fit!" Krona pointed out. "Echo, can you tell which direction the horizontal tunnel leads to?" Luster asked. "Sure I can! Echolocation, remember?" Echo asked. "Right...echolocation." Alkali responded. "We better hurry, because the day will be ending in less than one eighth of a day!" Volcano alerted. "That's 3 hours!" Evergreen figured. "Can you just tell us directly and not leave a math puzzle for us to solve to find out what you mean?" an annoyed Sunshine Rays asked Volcano. "What?! Is it so wrong to get your brains all thinking?" Volcano asked, before they moved on, following behind Echo, who was flying the rest of the way. One and a half hours passed by and the 11 creatures finally reached the end of the line in an isolated-looking land full of plants and soil. "My echolocation tells me that there is a lot of caverns and tunnels underground here. Matter-of-fact, an entire kingdom down there!" Echo reported. "That must be the moles' kingdom!" Luster gasped, before happily explaining, "We found them!" "But we need to convince them to help us fast! Because we took 90 minutes to get here!" Falcon Dive informed. "Can you tell us in hours and minutes?" Volcano asked. "Are you trying to test my Math?" Falcon Dive asked the dragon. "Better not be unable to answer such a simple question like how many hours and minutes there are in 90 minutes!" Volcano responded. "Fine! The answer is 1 hour and 30 minutes!" Falcon Dive plainly answered. "We had les then 3 hours before!" Nature Bloom recalled. "If we took 1 hour and 30 minutes to get here..." Evergreen stated. "And took the same time to get back..." Krona added. "The day will probably be over!" Buffer concluded. "The sun will set, and it will be too dark to see!" Sunshine Rays cried. "Couldn't Luster just do the basic light-the-way spell?" Yellow Bright asked. "I can, but I doubt that it will be strong enough and last long enough to get the work done!" Luster replied. "Then we got to get to the moles, fast!" Falcon Dive declared. "Good news, speaking of moles, I'm picking up some of them very close to us! Right underneath those short plants!" Echo pointed his wing to the area of soil and said plants. "Wait a second, those plants in the soil look familiar..." Krona commented. "That's because they are familiar! They are root vegetables! Plants that grow underground! Several examples are carrots, turnip, radishes, yam, potatoes..." Nature Bloom listed before Luster cut her off. "Thanks for the information, Nature Bloom. But we don't really need it right now!" "And I thought I was the only creature to keep on telling you all some very interesting information!" Volcano commented. "At the times when they are not really needed!" Falcon Dive sarcastically remarked. "Sounds like the moles are pulling the root vegetables down towards them, as their way of harvest!" Echo informed. "But we harvest vegetables by pulling them up!" Yellow Bright reminded. "Looks like the moles don't want to come up above the ground!" Evergreen commented. "Are you sure 'looks' is the right word? I mean, they are underground, we can't even look at them!" Yellow Bright responded. "I wonder what it's like underground instead of underwater." Alkali remarked, "Maybe we should go down and take a look!" "But the soil is solid! While water is liquid! They may both be states of matter, but they are very different!" Volcano warned. "Right...solids have fixed volumes and fixed shape, while liquids have fixed volumes, but no fixed shape." Alkali stated. "Because?" Volcano asked. "Solid particles are held together by very strong forces of attraction, the particles are packed close together, in a regular, orderly manner, and the particles cannot move freely, so the solid has a fixed volume and fixed shape. Liquid particles have strong forces of attrition, weaker than hose in a solid, and the particles are close but are packed in an irregular manner unlike those in a solid, plus the particles can move freely unlike those in a solid, so liquids have definite volumes but not definite shapes." Alkali explained. "Good to see that you've remembered the entire thing!" Volcano commented. "This is not the time for these additional info that is not so useful nor needed! We got to get to the moles right now!" Luster declared. "Looks like there is no other way except dig." Sunshine Rays commented. "Then digging down it is!" Falcon Dive exclaimed, and was about to drill his way down into the soil, but was stopped by Luster who used her magic to pull onto his tail. "Sorry Falcon, it's just that. We have to get to them, but without destroying their properties! Like their tunnels and caverns!" Luster informed. "Yeah, destroying others' stuff is not best!" Krona declared. "And it mostly will never be the best!" Buffer added. "Then how else are we going to get down there?" Nature Bloom asked. "I believe I can help with that." Luster replied, before teleporting all 11 creatures down into the tunnel. In the underground tunnels, a few moles were loading up the root vegetables into some wooden wagons, a second before the 11 creatures appeared right before them, surprising them, causing them to scream, "aah! Intruders! Intruders!" "Intruders?" Nature Bloom whimpered. "They mean us." Sunshine Rays plainly informed. "And the meaning of intruders is some creature who intrudes, which means enter a place without permission." Volcano defined. "That's right! No creature except us moles are allowed in here!" a guard mole told the 11 intruder, pointing a stone sword at them. "A sword made of stone?! That's..." Falcon Dive was about to comment, but was prevented by Sunshine Rays. "Not very important to us!" "Nor good!" Krona cried. "Listen, we mean no harm. We were sent to find you to get your help!" Luster cried to the guards. "And who did send you here?" another guard asked. "The Ruler of Equestria..." Luster replied half way, as she was cut off by the guard who asked. "Princess Celestia?!" "Actually, Princess Celestia retired ages ago. Her graduated star student Princess Twilight Sparkle rules Equestria now and is the creature...or should I say, alicorn, who sent us here." Luster informed. "Because her royal advisor and friendship ambassador, who are the one same creature, Spike, is trapped deep underground!" Yellow Bright added. "We located him, but cannot reach!" Echo contributed. "We need some creature who can go very deep underground!" Buffer went on. "And Princess Twilight Sparkle believes that you moles are the creatures for the job!" Evergreen told the moles. "That's why she told us to find you to get our help!" Nature Bloom ended. The guard moles looked at each other, before turning back to look at the 11 outsiders, telling them, "In that case, you have to meet the King of the Moles. And tell him about it." "Just talk to him?!" Falcon Dive asked. "Talking can actually be a lot harder in this case, when you are trying to get the results you hope to get." Volcano informed. "We already came this far!" Nature Bloom cried. "Just 1 good conversation and everything will be over, Nature!" Evergreen assured. "Come on! How hard can talking to royalty be when we already did that lots of times with Princess Twilight Sparkle, the Ruler of our homeland, Equestria?" Yellow Bright asked. The scene then showed the King of the Moles, with the expression of some creature strict and stern, loudly saying, "NO!" to the 11 creatures' request. "No?!" Sunshine Rays asked. "But, why?!" Luster asked. "The moles can never show their faces to the outside world, nor any creature out there, ever again!" the king shouted. "There is actually no need to shout like that, your majesty." Buffer responded. "Because we all can hear you loud and clear!" Echo added. "Back to the main point..." Krona started. "Why won't you want to help save Royal Advisor Spike, your majesty?" Nature Bloom asked. "Princess Twilight Sparkle believes that you and your subjects are the right creatures to help!" Evergreen added. "Out of all the creatures she knows!" Falcon Dive contributed. "I already told you creatures, that the moles will never let themselves into the outside world, nor help any creature ever again!" the king declared. "Alright, now I'm starting to get waxy!" Sunshine Rays growled. "You are nothing like wax." Yellow Bright commented. "Actually, the word 'waxy' has more meanings than one. But I do not think that I will like to define what Sunshine meant in this kind of scenario!" Volcano cried. "That's 1 of the few times you are unwilling to define words! And matter-of-fact, it's the first time I ever see you not willing to define words!" Alkali remarked. "Enough with the small talk! You creatures should be going right away." the king ordered. "Before we go, your majesty. Can we please know why you and your subjects are so unwilling to show your faces outside your underground kingdom? I mean, according to history, your subjects loved helping Princess Celestia and her kingdom!" Luster asked. "That was a long time ago, and we're no longer the same kingdom we were back then." the king replied. "What if we promised not to tell any creature else why you and your subjects stay in your kingdom and never leaves it? Not even our closest friends, families, nor most trusted allies. Not even Princess Twilight Sparkle." Luster asked. "You all better keep that promise..." the king warned, sending shivers down the visitors' spines. "We promise." Echo answered, before the king explained through a story. "Long ago, the moles lived in Moles Mountain, which is just about a kilometre away from Equestria. Princess Celestia and my ancestor, the King of the Moles of that time were great friends, giving each other tips or even just chat as friends. As a result, they allowed their subjects to work together, or mostly, help each other, until one fateful day, the King and his subjects were digging a large underground storm shelter for the ponies like Princess Celstia asked for, when they heard some creature calling for help underneath them. They dug the creature out, but the creature turned out to have very evil intentions, as he was none other than the evil sorcerer, Conquer! Conquer was defeated by Princess Celestia and her ponies, but the moles could not help but feel extremely guilty for releasing Conquer in the first place,, causing all the trouble. Unable to show his face, the King decided that he and his subjects should move far away, and hid themselves underground, so no creature will see them ever again." "So that's why the moles disappeared after the attack of Conquer!" Krona exclaimed. "I cannot believe this!" Sunshine Rays marched up, "All because of that mistake, the King of the Moles of that time, thought that he and his subjects should hide forever?!" "Sunshine?" Falcon Dive asked. "It was more than a mistake! It was a disaster!" the king argued. "Just because your intentions of helping others caused trouble just that once, doesn't mean you should never help others again!" Sunshine Rays announced. "We don't want to make that mistake ever again! It made us feel so guilty!" the king cried. "You know what? I made lots of mistakes, too. Even after I became a famous heroine of Equestria and Beyond." Sunshine Rays admitted, "Once, I was too busy being moral to remember being nice, patient, diligent and all kinds of other virtues! I winded up being rude and scary to the public, and became some creature detestable!" "That time when she was trying to stop creatures from smoking!" Buffer informed. "But I fixed everything with the help of my best friends, and made up for that mistake. Don't you see? Hiding from your mistakes and hiding your faces after making a mistake that every creature knows, do nothing, and can even make it worse than before. But showing your face to to fix the damage and make amends is even better! Plus, think of how much better you will feel once every creature sees you and your subjects helping others again? Like real heroes would?" Sunshine Rays asked. "But what if we wind up releasing a criminal again? Or make another big, terrible mistake?" the king asked. "Then try to help every creature stop that criminal! Fixing the mistake is what counts!" Sunshine Rays replied. "But the moles can do nothing about Conquer right now." the king commented. "I know. But you can save Royal Advisor Spike like real heroes! And help others again to make amends! Big or small, your help is appreciated, and when you make mistakes...you should try to fix them and not hide from public because of it!" Sunshine Rays finished. "Wow, what a speech." Yellow Bright commented. "May not use much of examples, but I still believe that a speech like that can get an A grade!" Volcano remarked. "And one more thing. If you ever felt uncomfortable from making a mistake, you can trust the Heroic Ten to be there for you! To help!" Luster announced. "Now will you please help save the Ruler of Equestria's royal advisor?" Nature Bloom politely asked. "And friendship ambassador?" Krona added. "They are the one same creature." Evergreen informed. The king was silent for a while, before making his decision, "The moles will be happy to help Equestrian, once again." The sun was about to set as Luster teleported every creature right above Spike's position. "He's down there, about 500 meters deep." Echo confirmed after using his echolocation to check. "Alright, moles! Let's get digging!" the king ordered his subjects, causing them to dig down into the ground like a machine. "I'm going down there, too!" Luster announced, before leaping into the tunnel. "So the royal advisor will know that the moles are friends." Evergreen filled in for Luster. "Wow! They are the best diggers around!" Alkali exclaimed as she watched the moles drill a tunnel deep underground. "They are moles, after all." Volcano commented. "They're like a natural digging machine at this speed!" Yellow Bright exclaimed. "Talk about speed, I may be fast, but not at digging!" Falcon Dive added. "And not at learning how to follow the rules even when some creature is in need." Sunshine Rays stated. "They've gone pretty deep. Do you think they got the royal advisor, and are on their way back up?" Buffer asked, looking down into the tunnel. The next second, the ground shook as the moles appeared with Luster and Spike, coming out of the ground from a new hole they made nearby. "They made it!" Krona exclaimed. "Thanks for going through everything you went through to save me, Heroic Ten. You all really earn your team title." Spike complimented. "But...it was the moles who dug you out! Not us!" Nature Bloom reminded. "But if it weren't for you creatures to come and find us, and reason with us, we will never have done that in the first place!" the king pointed out. "I bet Princess Twilight Sparkle will be happy to see you all helping other creatures once again." Luser informed. "Indeed she will, and to learn the valuable lesson that we learnt from you heroes." the king replied. "What lesson?" Sunshine Rays asked. "That we should try to fix and make amends when we make mistakes that the public knows, not try to hide forever after making such mistakes. And we must never let such mistakes make us think that we should never help others ever again." the king stated. "I believe I can get that to Princess Twilight Sparkle. Once I get home..." Spike responded. "Don't worry, we'll get both the royal advisor and the message to the princess." Luster assured. "On the train!" Sunshine Rays added. "What?! More waiting?!" Falcon Dive complained. "Falcon?" Evergreen glared. "Alright...if every creature insists..." Falcon Dive replied, as they all started their walk to the Train Station. 22. Double ThinkAuthor's Note Double Think serves as the twenty-second episode of the series. Most of its events happens at the same time as the events of the previous episode, Neurotic Situation. Summary: Falcon Dive, Alkali, Volcano, Buffer and Krona travel to Appleloosa, where they work together with the Council of Friendship, after learning that the town is facing a water shortage problem. Featured Characters: Sheriff Bronze Rod, an Earth Pony who succeeded Sheriff Silverstar as the sheriff of Appleloosa. Acknowledgements: Information about melanin Wikipedia Melanin 22. Double Think Morning at Sweet Apple Acres was like the morning of every other day for the Apple Family; the sun was rising from the east side, shining light on all their crops, like usual sunny days. "Ah, another day at Sweet Apple Acres working with my family, what can be better?" Applejack asked, walking out of the Barn. "Earning for your family?" Caramel asked, walking up to his wife. "Sure thing, Caramel. Working and earning for working, I know hardworking always pays off." Applejack chuckled, just before Featherweight, the newspaper delivery pony landed right beside her. "Newspaper for the Apple Family of Sweet Apple Acres," the pegasus announced. "Thanks Featherweight," Caramel replied, before dropping bits to pay for the newspaper in Featherweight's empty hoof. "Have a nice day, Apples!" Featherweight responded, before taking off. "WHAT?! There's a water shortage at Appleloosa?!" Applejack could be heard saying out loud as she read the newspaper. Caramel walked over to see the same page his wife was looking at, reading out loud, "Appleloosa reservoir has around 10 litres left by yesterday, and the water level is decreasing fast!" "My cousin Braeburn and some of my Apple Family relatives are in trouble with this happening! I got to go check on them!" Applejack declared, as she was about to pack up and leave. "Wait! Are you going alone?" Caramel asked. "Not alone, Caramel, because this is a problem that the rulers of Equestria have to face...together." Applejack answered. After the series' theme song intro played, the Council of Friendship could be seen gathering in the Throne Room. "This is very serious, every creature." Princess Twilight Sparkle declared, "Many creatures in Appeloosa will suffer from the water shortage!" "Including little animals and critters!" Fluttershy dded. "No problem, I can just go to Cloudsdale and ask for a few clouds to make rain over the reservoir." Rainbow Dash figured. "But we still have to go there and check everything out for ourselves." Princess Twilight Sparkle stated. "And I have the perfect chance to wear my inspired-by-Appleloosa-culture country outfit!" Rarity declared, changing into an outfit with a cowgirl's hat, blue bandana scarf, and country clothes. "Rairty, I know you love fashion, but please don't forget the problem we have to solve." Spike told his wife. "Oh, right." Rarity sheepishly replied. "So what are we waiting for?! Appleloosa, here we come!" Pinkie Pie announced in her usual, hyperactive tone. The Council of Friendship rode on a huge chariot designed to fit all seven of them, pulled by four hippogriff royal guards. "This ride is divine!" Rarity squealed, as she allowed her Mae and tail to move as the wind blew on them. "Thanks for giving us a ride, Twilight." Fluttershy thanked the alicorn. Princess Twilight Sparkle giggled before answering, "What are best friends for, Fluttershy?" "Ooh, can we have a bigger chariot next time? To fit Cheesy, Lil'Cheese, and all our children and..." Pinkie Pie began asking, before being interrupted by Rainbow Dash. "We're here!" the pegasus announced, as the town of Appleloosa came into their sight. "Appleloosa, Equestria's Wild West town!" Applejack declared. "Things may have changed all over Equestria after Princess Celestia and Princess Luna stepped down, but Appleloosa is still the western country town it is!" Rarity stated. "Only, the town got bigger in terms of how much space it occupies for its buildings!" Spike corrected. "And many non-ponies moved in!" Fluttershy added. "Speaking of non-ponies, look at who's on their way to town!" Applejack cried, pointing at a group of creatures down below. "A black griffon, indigo with cyan mane hippogriff, a dark orange with light orange spikes dragon, a buffalo and a yak!" Pinkie Pie answered after looking at what her 'cousin' was pointing at. "They must be Luster Dawn's best friends, we've seen them before!" Princess Twilight Sparkle exclaimed. "But that's only five of their team, where's the other five including Luster?" Spike asked. "That's one of the things we're going to find out today." Princess Twilight Sparkle declared, before turning to the guards, "Please bring us down to the town." The royal guards silently followed the princess' instructions and landed in the center of town. From a far, the five Heroic Ten members could see the chariot with the Council of Friendship riding in it. "Is that a chariot?!" Krona asked. "It is, with the Council of Friendship riding in it!" Falcon Dive exclaimed. "Princess Twilight Sparkle must have heard about the problem and decided to come!" Volcano figured. "And a good thing, too! We can really use all the help we can get!" Alkali added. "Alkali's right, you know. A water problem is a problem that's tough to solve, and we can really use help solving tough problems." Buffer informed. "Hey, Heroic Ten! Great to see you out here!" Rainbow Dash called, approaching the five creatures by flight, before she landed in front of them to ask, "What are you doing here, without the other half of the Heroic Ten?" "The other half of the team is in Manehattan." Krona answered. "Because Yellow Bright's little sister needs a little personality fixing." Buffer added. "We heard about the Appeloosa water shortage problem by learning what was in the newspaper." Volcano informed. "And Luster figured that half the team should go to Appleloosa, while the other half stays!" Alkali ended. "Guess that's something good about having ten of you; being able to separate into two teams of five whenever you have to!" Rainbow Dash chuckled. "Yes, if you don't realise that six is also an even number that you can halve whenever you need to, and it's less than ten." Falcon Dive reminded. "Uh, if you don't realise that, there are seven members in the Council of Friendship, not six." Rainbow Dash pointed out. "Seven is a prime number, in other words, seven is a number that only has one and itself as its factors. So no matter what you try, you can't divide it into any teams, because a team needs at least two members to be called a team!" Volcano pointed out. "Thanks for the explaining, Volcano, but let's not forget why we're here." Buffer apprised. "Yeah, there's a water shortage problem!" Krona reminded. "And we came here to help!" Falcon Dive declared. "So have we, I mean, the Council of Friendship." Rainbow Dash claimed. "Then what are we waiting for?! Let's find out what's wrong with the water!" Alkali announced, running off towards the town with her four hippogriff legs. "Alkali, wait up!" Krona cried, as she and the others followed the hippogriff to the buildings. Meanwhile, in town, Fluttershy found some mice suffering from the heat and lack of water in town, right under the shadow of a building and next to the building's platform itself. "Oh, you poor little things," Fluttershy cooed, picking up the mice with her front fight hoof and gently stroking them with her front left hoof. "Appleloosa is certainly hot today!" Rarity cried, while using her magic to levitate a fan to fan herself, "I sure am glad that I left my usual black dress at home." "You are lucky to make the right choice!" Volcano's voice could be heard saying, as he, Alkali, Falcon Dive, Buffer and Krona stepped into town and sight. "Because dull, dark colours like black are better absorbers of heat than shiny, light colours like white. If you wore black under the hot sun and in a hot environment or hot surrounding, you are going to be heated up in fast!" the dark orange dragon explained. "Uh, Volcano? What about creatures who are black in colour?" Falcon Dive asked after looking at himself. "That's a different story depending on melanin, as in, how much melanin you have." Volcano answered. "I don't even know what melanin is!" Falcon Dive dramatically cried. "Melanin is a group of natural pigments in most organisms, like us creatures, and according to its chemical formula, it is a covalent compound because there are no metals, only non-metals. Melanin makes parts of the organism that has them darker, such as...whatever that's black. Plus, according to research, melanin may help protect the skin from UV rays and block processes in the body that can lead to skin cancer." Volcano explained. "Did I miss a class?" Alkali asked. "Guys, can't every creature focus on the crisis in Appleloosa?" Krona asked, reminding them why they were in town. "Oh, right! The water shortage crisis." Rarity stated. "Where's Luster? Doesn't she lead your team like how Twilight leads us?" Fluttershy asked, while still holding the mice in her front right hoof. "Luster and the rest of the Heroic Ten have a problem to fix in Manehattan, so only half the team comes here to help Appleloosa." Buffer answered. "Are you sure you can help, without your leader?" Fluttershy asked. "We were together for seasons before Luster joined us, I'm sure we can manage." Volcano assured. "Good, because we need all the help we can get." Princess Twilight Sparkle said, approaching the creatures, causing the five non-ponies to bow before her and say, "Your Majesty." "No need to bow now, every creature, because this is an emergency! There's no time to waste!" the alicorn cried. "Let me guess, the water is dropping fast?" Falcon Dive asked. "More like the water level is dropping fast." Alkali corrected. "It is, come look at the reservoir. There's not much water there." Princess Twilight Sparkle informed. At the reservoir, Applejack and her cousin Braeburn were looking down at the nearly completely dried out empty hole that contained Appleloosa's water. Pinkie Pie, as a 'relative' of the Apple Family, was there too. "This is a reservoir?! It looks like a giant well that's missing a giant bucket to pull up the water!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed. "It is the Appleloosa reservoir, Pinkie. And it's running out of water." Braeburn stated. "How can this happen?" Applejack asked. "That's what I'm trying to find out, Applejack. The water's never gone this low before." Braeburn replied. "Stand back, every creature! Rain for water for the reservoir coming up!" Rainbow Dash announced, before placing a cloud right over the hole and making it release water into reservoir, causing the water level to rise. "It's rising! It's rising!" Braeburn excitedly cried. The water from the cloud had ran out, stopping the water level's rise. A second later, the water level began decreasing, to the horror of the ponies. "The water's going down!" Applejack cried. "Could it be disappearing into thin air?" Pinkie Pie asked. "You mean, evaporating into water vapour." Alkali corrected, showing up with her best friends and Princess Twilight Sparkle. "I came from Mount Aris, and as a hippogriff on land and air, sea pony in the water, I should know the water cycle and water states by heart." Alkali spoke. "The Heroic Ten, I'm so glad you're here!" Braeburn cried. "Do you think we should be called that way even though not all ten members are present?" Buffer asked his fellow creatures. "As long as we're members of the said team, we probably will still be addressed that way." Volcano figured. "You all came to solve the problem, right?" Braeburn asked. "Yes, we are." Falcon Dive replied. "Then hurry up and think of something to fill the reservoir with water! Otherwise it might be nothing but a big hole in the middle of the land by sundown!" Braeburn panicked. "Thanks for the extra pressure!" Krona sarcastically thanked. "I'll get some more clouds." Rainbow Dash announced, before flying off. "What if the town runs out of water? The apple trees might not survive, and worst of all, every creature will have to move!" Braeburn sadly cried. "Don't worry, Braeburn, we'll do everything we can to stop that from happening!" Applejack assured. The sun shone even brighter the next second, causing Spike to comment, "Whoa, the sun sure is hot today out here!" "Indeed, like every other day this time of year!" Braeburn responded. "Wait second, just like every other day?!" Alkali asked. "Yup, there isn't much clouds to block it, matter of fact, there aren't much clouds in the sky as far as our eyes can see." Braeburn added. "No clouds mean more sunlight and more heat!" Volcano stated. "And more heat means more evaporation!" Alkali added. "And lesser water in the liquid state!" Buffer continued. "So you're saying that we're losing water because of the sun?" Braeburn asked. "More like because of the heat." Falcon Dive corrected. "Sweet Celestia! We all better shield ourselves with sunscreen!" Rarity cried, taking a bottle of sunscreen out of her country outfit's pocket and applying it on herself before passing it around with her magic. "Thanks for the sunscreen, Rarity. But I don't think that's what those mice I saw earlier use. I better go back and check on them." Fluttershy said before leaving. "Alright, back to the water situation. We figured that the heat is causing the water to evaporate quickly, which is why the water level is dropping." Volcano got every creature to focus on the main problem. "If this goes on, my family will be in serious trouble!" Buffer panicked. "And so will every creature else in Appleloosa!" Falcon Dive added. "I think I know what else makes the evaporation happen so fast." Alkali announced after flying right above the hole to a certain height that allowed her to see the whole thing. "What is it?" Pinkie Pie called. "The reservoir's base area!" Alkali answered. "She's right! Evaporation only occurs at the surface, so the more exposed surface area, the faster the evaporation, like your reservoir!" Volcano exclaimed. "The area must be huge! It might take days to measure!" Krona cried. "Do you know what the area of the reservoir is, Mr.Braeburn?" Buffer asked. "How will I know? No creature bothered to do that much calculations!" Braeburn replied. "Then what explains that you Appleloosa residents know how many litres of water the reservoir can store?!" Krona asked. "And make a number line from one trillion litres to zero litres down?" Falcon Dive asked as he flew down into the hole to see a zero mark. "Because when we filled it up the very first time, we counted how many litres we used, and when we reached one billion, we started a scale that goes up by the said number." Braeburn explained. "But a scale that goes up by 1 billions will make 100 and numbers less than that as tiny as a millimetre! How did the creature who figured out that the number was less than 100, did that?!" Volcano asked. "She was a scientist and an expert at math like you are." Braeburn answered. "Did she calculate the area the reservoir takes up?" Alkali asked. "Nope, she was in a rush to check the water reservoirs all over Equestria and Beyond! She didn't have a second to spare!" Braeburn responded. "Don't worry, I know by mathematics that the area of a circle like your reservoir is 3.141592654 times radius square, and radius is the length of the displacement from the centre of the circle to the circumference, its perimeter. Radius is also the half of the diameter. So all we have to do is wrap a rope around the circle and measure the rope, then use the measurement divide by the irrational number I just mentioned, then divide by 2 to find the radius, and once we find the radius, square it, then multiply it by 3.141592654 and we'll know the area!" Volcano explained. "Wow, you sure are one smart dragon." Spike commented. "So are you Spike, I heard that you knew your math very well for some creature or some dragon your age back before Princess Celestia and Princess Luna retired." Volcano reminded. "I just finished wrapping a rope all around the hole!" Falcon Dive called, holding a rope in his claws. "Wait a second, did you outline around it?" Volcano asked. "Yes, why did you ask?" Falcon Dive questioned. "Because you are supposed to go as accurately as possible! That means trace the hole by its shape right above it! Your outline around it made a circle with a different circle with a different circumference, different diameter, different radius, different area, different everything!" Volcano complained. "It's just a little difference, no creature will notice it!" Falcon Dive claimed. "But we do notice it." Applejack pointed out. "And this involves perimeter and area! More multiplication and division!" Volcano reminded. "Don't we round off to 3 significant figures or 1 decimal place all the time?" Falcon Dive asked. "For the final answer, Falcon Dive! If you kept rounding off every time before reaching your final answer, you'll get it all wrong!" Volcano called. "I don't see the point." Falcon Dive responded. "Does any creature here has something I can write on? And something to write?" Volcano asked. "Well, I have a pencil and my sketchbook for my designs, but since you need them, I will generously let you borrow them for as long as you need." Rarity responded, levitating the said materials out of nowhere. "Thanks, Madam Rarity. I'll return them to you shortly after I show some creature here how a little difference make a huge one." Volcano turned to look at Falcon Dive for a while when mentioning 'some creature', before turning back to the sketchbook in his claws. Turning to a blank page Volcano started, "Let's say we are trying to find an angle, and the only thing we know is that sine said angle is 8 over 9." "That's easy, to find the angle, sine inverse 8 over 9." Alkali stated. "Yes, but look at the answer, it's 62.73395555 degrees. If you round it off to 1 decimal place, you get 62.7!" Volcano explained. "Yes, we already know how rounding off goes." Falcon Dive responded, "If the number is in the range of 1 to 4, round down, in the range of to 9 round up." "Of course, but now I'm going to add 180 degrees to my answer, and compare it to adding 180 degrees to my rounded off answer. For the accurate answer, I get 242.7339555, rounding off that answer, I get 242.7, if I took the earlier rounded off answer, 62.7, I get 242.7, the same number as what I got with using the accurate then finally rounding off." Volcano explained. "See? You get the same answers!" Falcon Dive pointed out. "But what if I had to subtract 100.84 from them after this?" Volcano asked, before doing his calculations, "Subtract 100.84 from the accurate 242.7339555, is 141.8939555, then rounding off to 1 decimal place will get me a 141.9. But as calculations go with the early rounded off 242.7, subtracting 100.84 from it will give me 141.86." "The digit in the hundredths places of the numbers are different!" Alkali added. "But if you rounded 141.86 to 1 decimal place, you get 141.9, the same as what you got when you did accurate until the end!" Falcon Dive argued. "True, but let's see what happens when it's multiplication and division, what finding area is all about!" Volcano announced, "Now, I'm going to multiply both answers by 5, because 5 is the furthest from a 0 compared to all the other digits, being right in between the lower and the upper. Plus, since multiplying 2 already brings the number up to a ten, it probably is going to make some big changes!" "Continue." Buffer told his dragon Best Friend. "Alright, multiplying 141.8939555 by 5 will make 709.4697777, round it off to 1 decimal place is 709.5. But if I multiplied the earlier rounded off 141.9 multiply by 5, I will get 709.5?" Volcano went on, and was shocked to see that both numbers got to the same final answer. "I told you there's not much of a difference! Like making a circle a little bigger than the reservoir!" Falcon Dive proudly responded. "Come on Volcano, we got to move on to doing something! Not watch your calculations!" Applejack called. "Wait a minute every creature, I'm sure Volcano can prove to you how rounding off before your final answer can be different from rounding off once you arrived at your final answer!" Alkali assured. "Thanks Alkali, and I figured what went wrong, I shouldn't multiply by an integer, I should go even more accurate like an exam paper's question would!" Volcano informed, "I probably wasn't thinking straight to choose whole numbers, I wasn't thinking twice." "That's alright. Now fire away!" Alkali responded. "Going back to 141.89339555 degrees, only this time, multiplied by 5.55 and the result is 787.5114533. But if I multiplied 141.9 by 5.55 I get 787.545?! Rounding both answers off to 1 decimal place still gives me the same number; 787.5!" Volcano cried. "Volcano, we don't have more time to spare!" Braeburn informed. "Dividing them both by 16?! Oh...still the same rounded off final answer!" Volcano panicked. "I better go check on my family here." Applejack walked away. "So do I, as the leader of the Appleloosa's Apple Family!" Braeburn cried, following his cousin. "Wait every creature! I just realised that I should have used an example similar to the situation right in front of our eyes!" Volcano announced, stopping every creature. "You mean the area of the reservoir?" Pinkie Pie asked. "Yes, the same topic bout circles!" Volcano replied. "I knew that!" Pinkie Pie chirped. "Alright, not drawn to scale, here's a circle said to have a circumference of 10 centimetres, and another circle said to have the circumference of 10.01 centimetres, which is different from the former circle by just 0.01 centimetres." Volcano explained. "It's just 0.01 centimetres, it's not going to make much of difference!" Falcon Dive figured. "Are you sure about that? Because if I took 10 divided by 3.141592654 and got 3.183098862 and rounded off to 3.18 then halved it making 1.59 then square it, I get 2.5281 rounding that off, I get 2.53. Then multiply 2.53 by 3.141592654...I get 7.948229414, round it off and I will have 7.95 centimetre square. But if I took 10.01 and took it down the same process, dividing it by 3.141592654, then divide by 2, and finally squaring it, I get 2.538098183, then multiply it by 3.141592654, I get 7.973670607. Round that off, my final answer will be 7.97 centimetre square, which is different from 7.95 centimetre square by 0.02, which is double the difference between the circles' circumferences! And this time, I used 3 significant figures, because it is not degrees, and as the eyes can see, more accurate as it rounded off to 2 decimal places throughout with the exception of the 3.141592654." Volcano explained. Every creature except for Volcano, Alkali, Buffer, Krona, Spike and Princess Twilight Sparkle gasped to see what a huge difference such a small change could make. "Uh, Volcano? I just realised that you address Pi as its decimal form throughout, you could have saved time and speech by addressing it as Pi." Buffer stated. "Oops, sorry. I guess I've been in accurate zone for too long." Volcano apologised. "If a small difference of 0.01 made a change for the final answer..." Rarity began, before Spike finished the sentence for her. "There's no telling what a big difference measuring that outline-out-of the circle rope will make compared to taking the measurements of the actual reservoir!" "Sorry Volcano...I never thought that such a small difference can make a huge one!" Falcon Dive apologised. "That's what many creatures think, but I'm glad the you see it now." Volcano responded, a second before the Captain of the Wonderbolts appeared pulling a cloud to the top of the reservoir. "Sorry every creature, but I had to travel for miles just to get one cloud for rain!" Rainbow Dash apologised, before kicking the cloud, only to get one droplet of water."Whoops, I already used this cloud. Sorry I wasted all that time..." "You're not the only creature who wasted every creature else's time here..." Volcano replied, feeling guilty. "There, there, Volcano, at least you finally proved that even a little difference like 0.01 can make a huge difference!" Alkali assured, patting his shoulder. "Uh, what did I just miss?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Volcano demonstrated that even small changes can make huge differences by doing some math involving Pi, halving then squaring numbers...but the main thing is he proved that even something we might barely notice can make a huge difference!" Falcon Dive explained. "But I can't believe I never thought twice before wasting all that time, I really should have thought more than once to prevent so much time from going to waste!" Volcano unhappily claimed. "And I should have thought twice before I put the clouds I used back into the sky, I mean, there's no way I can tell if I already used them or not!" Rainbow Dash added. "Maybe if you left a mark, you will know that you already used it?" Buffer suggested. "Huh?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Or leave a hole! Clouds don't naturally get huge holes in the, leave a hole to indicate that it's already used!" Krona figured. "Great idea!" Rainbow Dash commented, before punching a hole in the cloud she had with her that second. "Keep trying to find clouds for water, Rainbow Dash, Appleloosa really needs it!" Princess Twilight Sparkle ordered. "On it!" Rainbow Dash saluted, flying off with the used cloud. "Heroic Ten, please, do whatever you can to help until I have certain orders for you." Princess Twilight Sparkle pleaded. "You can count on us, your Majesty!" Falcon Dive saluted like Rainbow Dash just did. "And just one more thing!" Volcano called, "Madam Rarity, I said that I will need your pencil and sketchbook for a short while, but I just realised that I needed them for a longer period of time, in order to measure the reservoir!" "Sure thing, darling, as long as you return them to me!" Rarity replied. "The rest of the Council and I will do what we can." Princess Twilight Sparkle informed, walking off with her best friends. The scene changed to show what happened after the creatures finally got a very accurate measurement of the circle's circumference. "Alright, we got a measurement of 628.3 metres, as accurate as we can go. Divide by 3.1415..." Volcano stated, before being interrupted by his best friends. "That's Pi!" the other creatures shouted in unison. "Alright, divide 628.3 by Pi, will get 199.9941015, then divide it by 2 will get 99.99705074, then square the number, I get 9999.410158, then multiply 3.14..." Volcano went on before another interruption. "Pi!" the other creatures exclaimed in unison once again. "I meant multiply by Pi, and that's 31414.07349, round off to 3 significant figures and it's 31400 metre square!" Volcano announced. "Wow! That's a lot!" Alkali commented. "A lot of surfaced area exposed for the water to evaporate!" Krona cried. "And that's not all, with 1 cubic centimetre equal to 1 millilitre, and 1 cubic metre equal to 1 million centimetres equal to 1 million millilitre, equal to 1 thousand litres, according to calculations, 31400 metre square times 1 metre, 31400 cubic metres is equal to...31400 000 litres!" Volcano exclaimed. "That means for every 1 metre down in this reservoir, 31400 times 1 thousand litres of water is lost!" Falcon Dive figured. "Or 3.14 times 10 to the power of 7! 3.14 times 10 million!" Alkali added. "The creators of this reservoir sure didn't think twice; I mean, this large exposed surface area is going to lead to the loss of water through evaporation big time!" Volcano commented. "We got to tell Princess Twilight Sparkle in fast!" Buffer announced. "I'm the fastest out of all of us, especially when no Luster means no teleportation." Falcon Dive stepped up. "Alright, Falcon Dive, tell Princess Twilight Sparkle that the reservoir is not well-designed to store and keep water, and take the sketchbook with you, to show her the calculations as proof. Bring the pencil along as well, just in case you bump into Madam Rarity, so you can return what I borrowed." Volcano instructed, giving the griffon the sketchbook and pencil as he spoke. "On it!" Falcon Dive saluted, flying off. "So, what's the rest of us going to do?" Alkali asked. "Check on my family?" Buffer suggested. "Well...maybe you can check on your family, Buffer." Volcano figured. "MAYBE?!" Buffer repeated. "Alright, you can go check on your family, while getting them to help look around town and observe the damage the lack of water is doing." Volcano instructed. "Thanks, it means a lot to me to know that they're alright." Buffer replied, walking off. "Can Krona go with Buffer?" Krona asked. "Sorry Krona, but I think we need your help here with the reservoir." Volcano apologised. "What?!" Krona asked. "We need to build something waterproof to cover the reservoir, so even when the water evaporates, the water vapour cannot escape into the atmosphere! It will condense on the waterproof cover and go back into the reservoir and will not be lost through evaporation!" Volcano explained. "Volcano's idea is great, but is Princess Twilight Sparkle and Appleloosa alright with it?" Krona asked. "I don't know, but I think it's alright, I mean, that's a good idea!" Volcano figured. "But if Sunshine was here, she'd ask Princess Twilight and the town for permission before doing something like make changes to the town's reservoir, because that's the right thing to do!" Alkali reminded, "Plus, you don't want to get into trouble like the time I broke the rules of the Relaxing Room and we both got caught by Sunshine." Volcano's eyes widened and turned oval upon hearing Alkali's mention of their unfortunate time, and quickly responded, "Alkal, find Princess Twilight Sparkle and the sheriff of Appleloosa, and tell them our plan to build a waterproof cap over the reservoir!" Volcano instructed. "Understood!" Alkali saluted, flying off in a flash. "Now Krona, let's think of what the cap should be made of." Volcano turned to his yak Best Friend. "Uh, shouldn't Krona and Volcano think of what features does the cap need?" Krona asked. "We'll figure it out, after figuring out the features." Volcano explained, "Now, for a start, it needs to be waterproof, because non-waterproof materials like paper will absorb the water, and lose the water through evaporation! The material must not be fragile, because we don't want it breaking into millions of tiny pieces that can fall into the water and pollute it! So the material cannot be glass nor ceramic. The material must not be plastic that can break into micro-plastics and pollute the water, neither!" "That's so many things to go on the cannot be list!" Krona commented. "And that's not all, we need the material to be a poor conductor of heat, to slow down evaporation!" Volcano added, "And a finishing touch of painting it white to prevent the reservoir from getting hot through radiation so quickly!" "Now that everything about what the material must be like is figured out, what material fits the description?!" Krona asked. Above town, Falcon Dive spotted Princess Twilight Sparkle with Rarity, causing him to say to himself, "Perfect! Both creatures on my Find List, found in the same place, a metre apart!" "Not completely perfect on my Find List, the sheriff isn't with the princess!" Alkali showed up to inform her griffon Best Friend. "Maybe the princess is all we need!" Falcon Dive figured. "What?!" Alkali asked. "I mean, she can just magically send a letter to the sheriff without finding him! Everything solved!" Falcon Dive explained, before diving down like a peregrine falcon. "Wait for me!" Alkali cried, following the griffon and copying his diving position. Alkali's attempts to copy Falcon Dive's dive may be successful, but when he changed to spreading his wings out to change direction at the last second before his beak could hit the ground, she quickly found out that it was a bad idea to dive fast, as she had not mastered such a stunt, and winded up crashing right into the door of the building that Princess Twilight Sparkle and Rarity were standing in front of, a few seconds after Falcon Dive got to the mares. "I'm okay..." the hippogriff groaned. "Darling! What happened? How did you fly so out-of-control like that?" Rarity asked. "I was trying to copy Falcon Dive's fast diving like a peregrine falcon, but I haven't mastered it to turn nor change direction at the last second." Alkali explained. "Next time, practice stunts in the sky near fluffy, soft clouds." Flacon Dive advised. "Got it, and incidents like this won't happen again." Alkali declared. "Alright Madam Rarity, here's your pencil back." Falcon Dive presented the pencil to the unicorn mare, before turning to Princess Twilight Sparkle, "And your Majesty, here's something you should see; according to the calculations Volcano made, the exposed surface area the reservoir has is 31400 metre square when rounded off, and that means around 3.14 times 10 to the power of 7 litres of water is lost when the water level goes down by 1 metre. The large exposed surface area is allowing too much evaporation! The reservoir is not designed well enough to store water with this feature!" "But don't worry, Volcano figured that if we built a waterproof cap to prevent the water vapour from getting into the atmosphere, the water won't be going anywhere as the water vapour condenses into water droplets over the lid, and as far as I know Volcano, he's probably already figuring out what material the cap needs to be made of! Starting wth the features of the material like not fragile, not easy to decompose, will not break into tiny pieces to pollute the water.." Alkali went on until Princess Twilight Sparkle interfered. "Thanks for th information, Heroic Ten, but I'm afraid that the reservoir has to stay the way it is!" "WHAT?! Why?" Falcon Dive asked. "Because the reservoir is designed to collect large amounts of water from rain!" Princess Twilight Sparkle explained, "The larger the area, the more water to collect, and the more it can store without going very deep underground. Do you know how long it took to dig that deep underground since the moles hadn't returned back when the reservoir was built? More than a year! We can't go any deeper, nor can we place a cap over the hole, as that will block the rainwater!" Princess Twilight Sparkle explained. "But...can't you see that there is no rainwater to collect nowadays?!" Falcon Dive complained. "Um, can you please excuse us a second?" Alkali asked, before walking off with Falcon Dive flying after her. "What's with you? Don't you see that I have a good point back there?!" Falcon Dive asked while whispering. "Yes, but so does Princess Twilight Sparkle! She's right that the reservoir needs to be designed to collect water in order to store! I mean, no point designing the reservoir to store water if it does not have any collected water to store!" Alkali whispered back. "But it's not doing a good job storing water, is it?" Falcon Dive argued, still whispering. "Yes, but maybe we need to think things through; we thought of the water reservoir one way, but not the other. We think that we have to improve the reservoir to be good at storing water and preventing it from losing water through evaporation, but we didn't think that the water reservoir should be designed for collecting water from rain, and storing so much without needing to go even deeper! Princess Twilight Sparkle and the creators of the reservoir thought of the opposite of what we thought! Both sides are thinking of one need, and not the other!" Alkali explained. "Too bad we can't design the water reservoir to be good at both storing water and collecting water!" Falcon Dive signed. "Falcon Dive, you're a genius!" Alkali praised, "If the reservoir is good at both storing and collecting water, both needs are fulfilled. We got to tell the princess!" The two creatures turned to see that Princess Twilight Sparkle had disappeared while they talked. "Where's Princess Twilight Sparkle?" Falcon Dive asked. "She was here, until she learnt from a friend of the sheriff's that the sheriff needed to see her." Rarity explained. "See her? Where?" Alkali asked. "At the sheriff's office, of course." Rarity replied. "Why didn't we think of that?" Falcon Dive asked. "Wait a second, think!" Alkali gasped, "When we think and thought the whole day, we never thought more than once before we acted! That happened with you claiming that something as little as 0.01 will not make a big difference, Volcano's math examples, not thinking twice nor thrice, nor more than once, led to all that unnecessary waste of time until he found a way to obtain different answers from rounding off and accuracy! Same thing for the reservoir and how we thought of it, and the same thing for you when you were about to start an argument with Princess Twilight Sparkle!" "Let's not talk about the argument part ever again." Falcon Dive insisted. "Alright, but the main point is, every creature never thought twice before they acted! And look at how many bad things most of the mentioned examples can cause!" Alkali pointed out. "You're right, not thinking twice sure led to a lot of problems, like the water reservoir is not designed to store water on hot days." Falcon Dive named an example. "Which results in a water shortage!" Alkali cried. "And a town in crisis!" Falcon Dive added. "Looks like we got a new message to give out." Alkali declared. "But before we do..." Falcon Dive responded, then turned to fly towards Rarity and return her sketchbook, "Here you go Madam Rarity, your sketchbook back, as promised." "Thank you so much for returning it. It still has my latest designs that are yet to be made!" Rarity replied. "Whatever, we're off now!" Falcon Dive notified, flying off with Alkali. In the mean time, Buffer had arrived at his family's house and knocked on the door, but there was no answer. "Looks like no creature's home." Buffer said to himself. "Who are you calling no creature?" a familiar voice could be heard asking. Buffer turned to see a pleasant sight; his younger sister Cushion right behind him. "Cushion! Am I glad to see you alright!" Buffer cried happily, hugging his sister. "I'm glad to see you too, Buffer, regardless of whether you are a famous hero of Equestrian and Beyond, or just your regular self." Cushion replied, embracing the hug. "Buffer! It's so good to see you!" Buffer and Cushion's father Bulwark greeted. "Especially in Appleloosa, our hometown!" the siblings' mother Mainstay added, "Even though, we might have to spend most of our days camping somewhere else nowadays." "What?!" Buffer asked. "Haven't you heard? There's a water shortage here!" Cushion informed. "Yes, I've heard, and saw the reservoir with my best friends." Buffer explained, "Only half of the Heroic Ten, including myself are on the case here today." "Where's the other half?" Mainstay asked. "At Manehattan because some creature's relative nee personality fixing, but the main point is, my best friends and I will do something to solve the problem!" Buffer saluted. "I sure hope so, because if the water doesn't go increase, we're afraid that we may have to move away and live somewhere else." Bulwark announced. "What?!" Buffer asked in shock. "Many Appleloosans have already been getting ready to do so, and so have we. Unless the water in the reservoir is enough for all of us once again." Mainstay explained. "Face it, Buffer. We really need lots of water. Don't believe me, check out our water usage!" Cushion told her brother, before entering the house. Buffer gasped to see that the house looked like a new one, with nothing other than space in it. "Where's all your stuff?" Buffer asked. "We packed it all up to prepare for the time we have to leave." Bulwark answered. "But we still return to sleep here, before going out to somewhere else with more water to collect in our huge tanks and carry back." Mainstay added. "Here's a graph of how much we used last month!" Cushion told her brother, while dragging a paper across the floor. After the preteen buffalo removed her foot from the paper, Buffer could see how much water was used everyday of the month before, commenting, "You sure used different amounts of water each day! Which adds up to 28 cubic metres. And since 1 cubic metre is the same as 1 million cubic centimetres, which is the same as 1 million millilitres, which is the same as 1000 litres, you actually used 28000 litres of water!" "28000 litres of water is way more than we can drink in a month!" Cushion added. "That's because we use water for all sorts of things! Washing apples before consumption, taking a shower, cleaning the floor, all sorts of things!" Bulwark explained. "And worst of all, if you consumed 28000 litres a month, how many litres do you think the whole town of Appleloosa consumes in the same period of time?!" Buffer asked. At the sheriff's office, the sheriff and Princess Twilight Sparkle were still thinking of what to do with the water reservoir. "We could try making it even deeper now that the moles have returned to help us again..." the princess suggested, a second before there was a knock on the door. "Come in, the door' snot locked." the sheriff called. Alkali and Falcon Dive entered the office the very next second, with Alkali doing the greetings, "Good afternoon, sheriff of Appleloosa!" "I'm Sheriff Bronze Rod, the sheriff who succeeded the former Sheriff of Appleloosa Sheriff Silverstar." the sheriff introduced himself. "Got it. And by the way, you do know who we are and why we're here, don't you?" Falcon Dive asked. "Indeed, two members of the Heroic Ten. The team's hippogriff and griffon members." was the sheriff's answer. "You don't know our names?!" Falcon Dive asked in a complaining tone. "The only Heroic Ten member's name that I know is Luster Dawn, the unicorn who leads the team?" the sheriff referred. "Alright...here's your chance to know the whole team's names, although not all of them are here nor in Appleloosa...I'm Alkali, the hippogriff, and the griffon is named Falcon Dive, the buffalo is originally from here, and he's called Buffer..." Alkali began, until she was interrupted by the sheriff. "I don't have time for this! I'm trying to thin of what to do with the water in the reservoir..." "That's what we're trying to help with! And we figured that you need to improvise and make the reservoir good at both collecting water and storing water." Alkali informed. "Hmm...good at both collecting and storing water...I like the sound of that." the sheriff responded. "You creatures have a great idea, but how is that possible?" Princess Twilight Sparkle asked. "That's what we are still trying to figure out. Maybe Volcano already thought of something. He and Krona should be still at the reservoir." Alkali reported. "Then take us to them!" the sheriff instructed. "No! No! No! Why can't I think of a material that matches everything needed?!" Volcano asked as he paced around. "Krona already tried to tell Volcano, that there's no such material that fits all of the descriptions!" Krona reminded. "There has to be at least one out of all the materials the universe has!" Volcano dramatically cried. "Has what?" the sheriff asked upon showing up with Alkali, Falcon Dive and the Ruler of Equestria. "Volcano, Krona, meet the current Sheriff of Appleloosa, Sheriff Bronze Rod!" Falcon Dive introduced. "Great to see that some creatures are concerned enough to come all this way to help!" the sheriff commented. "Indeed the Heroic Ten are trying to help!" Krona declared. "I still have no luck thinking of a material that's waterproof, not fragile, will not break down into tiny pieces, not biodegradable, not reactive and a poor conductor of heat!" Volcano panicked, "And I wasted so much time!" "Guys! You will not believe what I just found out!" Buffer called, running towards his best friends. "What did you just find out?" Princess Twilight Sparkle asked. "That my family, despite being three creatures in a house with me living in Ponyville, consumes 28000 litres last month! That means the whole town must have used loads of water last month, because a small family used up to such a large amount!" Buffer informed. "Of course! Water consumption! That's a factor of decreasing water level as well!" Volcano exclaimed. "But how much water did the whole town of Appleloosa use?" Alkali asked. "I don't know, a few billions?" the sheriff figured. "Let's go down town and ask every creature!" Volcano declared. "What?! No way! That will take too long! Do we have enough time to go to every house and ask and then add up?!" Falcon Dive asked. "But how els are we going to know exactly how much water the whole town consumed?" Volcano asked. "We can estimate!" Buffer suggested. "Estimate? But that's like, the opposite of accurate!" Volcano complained. "Does Volcano think that there's time to be accurate and go to every house in Appleloosa and get info?!" Krona dramatically asked. "Now that you put it that way, maybe an estimation is good enough!" Volcano sheepishly responded. "Alright, since my family used 28000 litres last month, we can use that amount to estimate how much all of Appleloosa used." Buffer began. "There are 500 buildings in the town, plus one Apple Orchard." the sheriff reported, "And judging by how big the orchard is, I bet it consumes 10 times the water a house or building consumes!" "In that case, we should have 28000 multiply the number that's 10 more than 500!" Falcon Dive apprised. "Got it! 28000 multiply 510...that's...14280000 litres!" Volcano gasped. "Or 1.43 times 10 to the power of 7 litres in standard form! And if it weren't for needing to write decimals, the number is actually 1428 times 10 to the power of 4, making an 8-digit number!" Alkali cried. "But 1 billion is a 9-digit number, and 9-digit numbers are more than 8-digit numbers!" the sheriff assured. "That's for the positive numbers, not the negative numbers." Krona pointed out. "Um, Krona? I don't think Appleloosa's going to have negative temperatures." Buffer informed. "And, no matter what 8-digit number you use, multiply it by 10 will surely get you to a 9-digit number!" Alkali stated. "There are 12 months in a year, and 12 is more than 10! Multiply 14280000 by 12 is surely going to get us over a billion! In other words, the town will probably use over a billion litres every year!" Volcano exclaimed. "And that's just a year! How many litres will they use in a decade?!" Falcon Dive asked. "Ten times of how much they used in a year if you estimate." Buffer figured. "Water is actually very precious!" notified. "More than that, it's very important, living things like us creatures can't survive without it! You have to improve the reservoir so it can collect and store water perfectly!" Alkali declared. "And encourage every creature to save water!" Volcano ended. "I see what you creatures mean, but how are we going to make sure the reservoir does not allow the water it stores to dry out so easily?" the sheriff asked. "You mean don't let the water evaporate so easily." Alkali corrected. "I suggest making a cap to cover it, but can't think of a material that has all the characteristics; waterproof, not fragile, will not break down, poor conductor of heat and not reactive!" Volcano stated. "Maybe instead of just one material, you can combine materials?" Buffer asked. "Combine materials?! Have you taken Chemistry?!" Volcano asked. "Not chemically combine them, just combine them so you can get all the characteristics. Like our team doesn't have just one creature who has all the characteristics of strength, flight, fire breath, transformation, aquatic respiration, and magic...it has different creatures that have different characteristics, so the team can have all those characteristics together!" Buffer explained. "That's a great idea! I can't believe I was too busy thinking of one material to think of that idea." Volcano responded. "Looks like every creature isn't thinking twice today." Krona commented. "And I don't think that my family's idea of going to other places of Equestria to collect water with large tanks to bring home every day is a good idea." Buffer admitted. "Wait. If the Appleloosans are getting water from other parts of Equestria and consume as much as they do, it's only a matter of time before they make those places run out of water!" Falcon Dive cried. "And not just them! Every creature in Equestria and Beyond needs water to consume! How much water do you think they all consume?!" Alkali asked. "Probably more than we can ever calculate or imagine!" Princess Twilight Sparkle answered. "So we got to not just encourage Appleloosa to save water, but also all of Equestria?!" Sheriff Bronze Rod asked. "Yes, but we'll start here, in Appleloosa, because we're already here, and here needs help way more than every other place we know!" Alkali responded. "And I think I managed to think of how to make the cap..." Volcano stated. "But we still need to let the rain water get in whenever it rains!" Princess Twilight Sparkle reminded. "I figured that out too, we can dig tunnels and holes to drain the water into the reservoir while the cap stays covering it!" Volcano figured. "But what if some creature doesn't notice the holes and falls in?" Falcon Dive asked. "I...never thought of that..." Volcano gulped. "Maybe the holes used to drain the water, should be covered up by something with tinier holes in it! Like the holes of a colander! They're used to allow water in!" Alkali suggested. "And now that the moles are helping Equestria like they used to before disappearing, we can ask them to dig holes and tunnels not just around the reservoir, but all of Appleloosa, to collect even more water whenever it rains!" Buffer suggested. "Wait a second, Buffer! We can't dig tunnels and holes in the ground as much as we want to, because if there were too many of them, the ground won't be able to hold everything" Volcano warned. "Then maybe, we should just dig rows of tunnels long the buildings that lead to the reservoir! As in, a tunnel in front and behind every building!" Falcon Dive suggested. "And cover them with caps that have tiny holes in it so no creature falls in, while water goes in!" Alkali ended. "You creatures are clever to think of all this!" Princess Twilight Sparkle complimented. "But just one question; if we built a cap over the reservoir, how are we going to know how many litres of water is in the reservoir, when the cap may block the view?" the sheriff asked. "Maybe we need to add the characteristic, transparent, on the list?" Buffer asked. "Unless the cap can be removed whenever it is needed to be removed, and then put back into place." Krona commented. "Krona, you just figured out the finishing touches!" Volcano praised. "What can Krona say?" Krona asked in a proud tone. "Alright, we had the reservoir improvements plan all figured out!" Alkali exclaimed. "But what about every creature's water consumption?" the sheriff questioned, "You can't blame them for needing to drink and wash things and water plants!" "Waer? Wash?" Alkali repeated. "Yes, I did use those words." the sheriff responded. "Those words remind me of what I used to do with my little brother Acid years ago whenever we neutralised an acid and alkali to get water. We won't drink nor wash things with the water, so we used it to water the plants. Matter of fact, we used all the water that we used to wash things without soap, to water the plants. We always had a container right underneath whatever we were washing without soap to collect the water!" Alkali recalled. "Alkali, your example is the last thing we need!" Volcano exclaimed. "What? Watering the plants with water that was used to wash things without soap?" Alkali asked. "Yes! If every creature collected that water for their plants, they will save some water as they will not have to use so as much as they do when they do not collect the water they use to wash things without soap!" Volcano figured. "But that's just a little bit of water compared to all the water they need!" the sheriff complained. "Never underestimate little amounts." Falcon Dive told the Earth Pony. "Look at it this way, sheriff. If one mouse used 1 millilitre of water, as little as a droplet of water, how many millilitres would 500 houses use?" Buffer asked. "That's easy, 500 times 1, that's 500!" Sheriff Bronze Rod answered, before gasping, "500 millilitres?!" "That's enough to fill a 4 by 5 by 25 centimetres cuboid!"Krona exclaimed. "And all from little droplets of water!" Buffer added. "Bet you'd think that such a little amount was nothing to mind!" Falcon Dive said to Sheriff Bronze Rod. "But if every creature saved the amount of tap water that they use to water the plants with by using already used water instead, the amount will add up just like saving time!" Volcano stated. "Like, if I took 60 seconds to fly from here to the town, I'd take 120 seconds to go 1 round from here to the town and back! But if I managed to get faster and use 59 seconds to get here to town, I can go 1 round from here to town and back in 118 seconds, which is lesser time compared to 120 seconds! So the little 1 second difference does make a difference!" Alkali gave an example. "A little difference can make a big one. That's something very valuable, as valuable as a lesson!" Princess Twilight Sparkle commented. "Therefore every creature and every one can make a difference!" Alkali declared. "Yes, we can! And we're going to make that difference right away!" Sheriff Bronze Rod announced. The sun was soon setting, as all the new changes to the town of Appleloosa completed: There were neat, straight rows of drains in front and behind buildings to drain rain water, a new cap to cover the reservoir in order to prevent water vapour from escaping into the atmosphere, and a lever to open and close the cap whenever necessary. he Council of Friendship stood in a straight line with Princess Twilight Sparkle in the middle, watching the events unfold. "I'm glad that I don't have to harvest rain for Appleloosa anymore. I mean, that was exhausting!" Rainbow Dash commented. "I'm just glad that every creature has water again!" Fluttershy said, nuzzling the mice from earlier as she held them in her front right hoof. "I'm glad that the town is going to stay!" Rarity announced. "I'm glad that my family here is going to be alright." Applejack honestly stated. "So am I!" Pinkie Pie chirped. "All of Equestria is going to be alright, as soon as we ensure that every creature got the word, that every creature and every one can make a difference." Princess Twilight Sparkle said. "They sure can!" Spike responded, walking right up to his adoptive sister's side, having left the end of the Council of Friendship's line position. "With every creature trying to save water, Appleloosa won't consume as much as it did!" Krona exclaimed. "Little differences sure can make a big one!" Buffer reminded. "In your school subjects, and real-life scenarios!" Volcano added. "So you got to think twice!" Alkali chirped. "Before doing something, or claiming that things are the way you think they are!" Falcon Dive ended. "You creatures sure have taught an important lesson to us all today: That we should think twice as even a little difference can make a big difference." Princess Twilight Sparkle told the five creatures. "Wait, is that one or two lessons combined into one?" Pinkie Pie asked, causing every creature to laugh. "We better get going, the train is going to come in less than quarter hour!" Volcano told the Council of Friendship. "Sure thing. Until we meet again, Heroic Ten." Princess Twilight Sparkle replied. That night, the entire Heroic Ten team was back together in the Castle of Friendship's Dining Room, sitting around the Dining Table, exhausted from their day. "Well, it's great to know that you handled the problem, without us..." Luster told the five creatures who went to Appleloosa. "And taught them something as important as thinking twice and how small differences can make a big one." Sunshine Rays added. "And get them to save a very important need; water!" Nature Bloom contributed. "But, you got to work with the Council of Friendship, while we don't..." Luster sighed. "I don't think so, Luster. I don't think we worked with them much because we weren't together much!" Falcon Dive informed. "Think twice, Falcon! If every creature did their part to save water, they are actually working together to save water!" Alkali stated. "Regardless of whether they spent time with each other or not!" Buffer added. "So...we ALL can actually be working with the Council of Friendship, anytime!" Yellow Bright cheered. "What do you say, Luster?" Evergreen asked. "That was great thinking twice!" Luster answered with smile. 23. A Hearth's Warming Present CrisisAuthor's Note A Hearth's Warming Present Crisis serves as the twenty-third episode of the series. Summary: It is Hearth's Warming Eve once again, but the Heroic Ten's presents for each other mysteriously went missing, leading the team on a hunt for different things; Krona, Alkali, Yellow Bright and Falcon Dive rush to get the materials to make replacements, Buffer, Nature Bloom and Evergreen attempt to find the former four in order to remind them the real spirit of Hearth's Warming, while Luster, Sunshine Rays and Volcano attempt to find the presents. Song: Hearth's Warming Eve Is Here Once Again Featured Characters: Hyacinth macaws, a family of the said species of macaws that had been secretly residing in the Castle of Friendship's Gardening Room where plants were grown. They were finally discovered on Hearth's Warming Eve when the father macaw took the presents to give to his wife and children, but the Heroic Ten managed to recover the presents and accept the macaw family as friends and castle-mates. Acknowledgements : Definition of Potential 23. A Hearth's Warming Present Crisis At the top of Canterlot, Princess Twilight Sparkle was lowering the sun, and bringing the moon and stars up to begin the night sky. The Ruler of Equestria's royal advisor and friendship ambassador and adoptive brother Spike was not far behind her, standing right beside her as she turned day into night. "Another well done, Twilight. The night sky is perfect, especially tonight..." Spike told his adoptive sister, who giggled in response. "Sure thing, Spike. Hearth's Warming Eve, the holiday to celebrate and remember the founding of Equestria, is here once again." the alicorn said after her quick giggling. Right after the sentence was finished, the two adoptive siblings heard bells ringing, and familiar music, causing them to look down below. The different creatures of Canterlot sang, "Creatures' voices fill the night Hearth's Warming Eve is here once again Happy hearts so full and bright Hearth's Warming Eve is here once again Oh, what a sight Look at the light All for tonight Hearth's Warming Eve is here once again" A group of pegasi sang, "Clouds arranged so they're just so" Another group of Pegasi flew around and sang, "Hearth's Warming Eve is here once again" The former group of Pegasi sang, "Gonna make some awesome snow" The latter group of Pegasi sang, "Hearth's Warming Eve is here once again" Both groups of Pegasi then sang in unison, "The chill wind blows Making a show Snowflakes aglow" All of the residents of Canterlot then sang, "Hearth's Warming Eve is here once again" Princess Twilight Sparkle's old schoolmates from when she was Princess Celestia's student at the School of Gifted Unicorns could be seen and heard singing, "A day that's filled with songs to sing" The other residents walked pass and sang, "Ding-dong, ding-dong-ding" Saffron Masala walked out of her restaurant, singing "Cakes and pastries we shall bring" The rest of the residents in Canterlot sang, "Ding-dong, ding-dong-ding We're so busy making merry Windigos should all be wary" Stallions sang, "As our mighty voices carry" Every creature sang, "Hearth's Warming Eve is here once again" Rarity, who was organising the decorations in Canterlot, sang, "Perfection you just cannot fake" Every creature sang, "Hearth's Warming Eve is here once again" Rarity watched as the known-to-be careless Derpy Hooves was about to hang a fragile ornament on the giant Hearth's Warming Tree in the centre of Canterlot, singing,; "Not one mistake Don't let that break" Unfortunately, like she did years ago, Derpy dropped the fragile ornament right in front of Rarty, causing it to break into pieces, and making Rarity face-hoof herself, singing, "Oh, goodness' sake!" Every creature else sang in unison, "Hearth's Warming Eve is here once a— Happy, happy Hearth's Warming Eve Happy, happy Hearth's Warming Eve Hearth's Warming Eve is here once again!" From where they stood, Princess Twilight Sparkle and Spike smiled. "Looks like everything here is ready." the Ruler of Equestria said. "Indeed. Except for the Ruler of Equestria and her royal advisor should be down there, joining every creature as the royalty here." Spike stated. "Of course, Spike." Princess Twilight Sparkle responded, before they both spread their wings to fly down towards the town. Meanwhile, in the nearby village of Ponyville, the residents of the Castle of Friendship were getting ready for their Hearth's Warming Eve celebration. "Cookies?" Starlight asked, upon entering the Castle's kitchen. "Check!" Sunburst replied, levitating a rectangular tray of cookies in the shape of the Fire of Friendship, and coloured like the said fire, for his wife to see. "Soup?" Starlight asked. "Check!" Sunburst responded, tasting a bit of soup from the spoon that he dipped into the pot on the stove. "The cake I made for this year's Hearth's Warming?" Starlight asked. Sunburst went to the fridge and opened the door with his magic, revealing his wife's beautifully creative cake that was shaped like a 3 Dimensional Hearth's Warming Tree instead of a flat one. "Safe in the fridge! nothing to worry about, Starlight! Plus, with ten heroes of Equestria living with us right here in this castle, what can go wrong?" Sunburst asked, before the married unicorn couple heard a scream that answered their question. "The presents!!!" Krona screamed, summoning the rest of the Heroic Ten, and Luster Dawn's parents. "The presents are gone!" the yak cried, making every creature gasp. After the series' theme song intro played, the creatures gathered around the Heart's Warming Eve tree in the castle, as the presents they had for each other were supposed to be under the said tree. "Gone?!" Nature Bloom repeated. "But, presents can't move on their own! Having a remote to control them, or having magic to levitate them do not count." volcano explained. "But my presents for all of you aren't remote-controlled! They don' have a remote that can control them!" Alkali announced. "Neither are mine." Falcon Dive stated. "Nor mine." Sunshine Rays contributed. "Nor mine." Buffer added. "I don't think any of us made presents that are remote-controllable." Evergreen figured. "That leaves magic." Krona declared. "But I didn't enchant anything! Especially not the presents!" Luster cried. "I didn't enchant anything near the presents." Starlight Glimmer said. "I only levitate the decorations, no enchanting at all!" Sunburst added. "Then that leaves the remaining two unicorns here!" Falcon Dive announced. In the Castle of Friendship's Library, Sunset Shimmer was reading a book right in front of the Crystal Mirror that she always guarded during the night, just before the doors burst open as Krona, Buffer, Volcano, Alkali and Buffer entered. "Oh, happy Hearth's Warming Eve, every creature! Is the celebration ready..." Sunset Shimmer began to ask, but was confronted by the five creatures. "Tell us, Miss Sunset. Did you go near the presents?" Falcon Dive asked. "Uh, obviously did not! I stayed here in the library like I am supposed to! Washing and guarding the Crystal Mirror to ensure no creature goes into it, or out?" Sunset answered, "Although, I do leave to use the washroom whenever I needed it, but I teleport there and back! I need stepped a hoof around the presents! Unless you count the presents you gave me, plus the presents I got from the Council of Friendship, the Heads of the School, and Trixie and..." "Any chance that Trixie gave you some extra presents, making it more than just one from her?" Falcon Dive asked, interrogating Sunset Shimmer. "No, I counted the presents, and it's obvious that I got 1 present from each giver." Sunset Shimmer informed, levitating her pile of presents in the air for the creatures to see. "1, 2, 3, 4, 5..." the griffon began counting the presents as he pointed his claw at each of them and carried on to the next. "23!" Volcano cut Falcon Dive off before the griffon could even count up to 6. "Wow, you count fast!" Buffer commented. "23 is more than the number of givers, because the Heroic Ten plus the Council of Friendship makes 17, plus the Heads of the School of Friendship makes 19, plus Guidance Counsellor Trixie makes 20! There's 3 extra gifts!" Falcon Dive confronted the yellow unicorn in the library once again. "I was going to mention that the tie Mark Crusaders, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo gave me presents, too. And each of them gave me 1." Sunset Shimmer explained. "That explains why Miss Sunset has 23!" Krona exclaimed. "I actually have 24 or 25 if you count the writings and drawings I got from my best friends who graduated from Canterlot High long ago in the other world. They write it in a magical book that is magically connected to my magical book here, like the one I had when I wrote to the former Ruler of Equestria, who is also my former mentor, Princess Celestia." Sunset Shimmer explained, levitating her book and flipping it to the page with the writings for the five creatures to see. "You guys still think she has something to do with the presents?" Alkali asked. "Obviously not."the other creatures plainly replied in unison. Meanwhile, Luster, Sunshine Rays, Nature Bloom, Yellow Bright and Evergreen were interrogating Trixie around the blue unicorn's wagon. "What? Missing presents?" Trixie asked. "Please don't get...intense, Guidance Counsellor Trixie." Nature Bloom responded, before the confrontation began. "Presents don't disappear on their own, and since none of them are remote-controllable..." Sunshine Rays pointed out. "We suspected a magic-user taking them." Yellow Bright filled in. "And since it wasn't me, nor my parents, and it obviously can't be a Kirin like Evergreen..." Luster went on. "The only other magic-user around the Castle who could have done it, is you!" Sunshine Rays ended. "WHAT?! How dare you creatures accuse me, the Guidance Counsellor of your final school ever, to have done something as horrible as taking your Hearth's Warming Eve presents?!" Trixie asked. "It may be somewhat like accusation, but we..." Nature Bloom began, but an angry Trixie stormed right in front of the changeling, coming face-to-face with her. "Somewhat like accusation?!" Trixie roared. "If you want to put it that way, it's your choice." Evergreen apprised Trixie, "But what Nature Bloom was going to say is we're just asking you whether you did it or not." "I certainly did not! I have enough Hearth's Warming Eve presents from the students and the Heads of the School, anyway! Why would I take an additional load of presents that aren't for me?!" Trixie asked, as she levitated a giant sack of presents from inside her wagon, and released the presents from the stack, forming a huge pile of presents that was even bigger than the blue unicorn's size. "Wow! The sure is a lot of presents!" Yellow Bright exclaimed. "And every reason to not want anymore!" Evergreen added. "We're sorry for...accusing you, Guidance Counsellor Trixie." Luster apologised. "You sure are sorry!" Trixie responded, still sounding angry. "How about we make it up to you by cleaning your wagon for the next ten times you have to clean it?" Nature Bloom asked. "So, you will have lesser work to do?" Yellow Bright supported. "Sorry every creature, but in this case, the best way to make amends is to trust her more often!" Sunshine Rays shook her head at her best friends' suggestions. "How about allowing you to come with us on our next mission, quest or adventure?" Luster proposed. "Well, in that case! Apology accepted! And deal made!" Trixie announced, using her magic to take out a gavel and a sound block similar to what a Judge would have, and knocked the gavel against the sound block like what a judge wold do. "You know that that wasn't necessary, do you?" Yellow Bright asked. The Heroic Ten regrouped around the Hearth's Warming Eve Tree after their interrogation did nothing useful. "Miss Sunset Shimmer did not do it!" Alkali told the other group of five. "Guidance Counsellor Trixie did not, too." Evergreen informed. "Worst of all, she figured that we were accusing her, and she accepted our apology when we made a deal." Sunshine Rays added. "Made a deal? What deal?" Falcon Dive asked. "A deal to allow her to join us on our next Heroic Ten quest, mission or adventure." Luster answered. "What?!" Krona asked. "It's just having 1 more creature with us temporarily, nothing much most likely." Buffer figured. "But 10 plus 1 is 11! A prime number! What if we had to split-up and have no way to divide ourselves equally into smaller teams?!" Falcon Dive asked. "Come on, every creature! We are always welcoming as heroes and friends! And we should be welcoming especially on this night, because it's Heart's Warming Eve!" Nature Bloom reminded. "Nature Bloom's right we should be welcoming on this very night, and every other time!" Evergreen supported the changeling, walking right to her side. "Sorry..." the other creatures apologised and stopped their argument. "But, what about the presents we had for each other?! Where have they gone?!" Alkali asked. "this is obviously a mystery, because we have to look for clues to find out who did it." Volcano stated. "Do we have to hire a detective?" Yellow Bright asked. "But, it's Hearth''s Warming Eve! Who will be working as a detective on a holiday like this?" Buffer asked. "We will!" Luster answered. "Of course we will!" Alkali saluted. "Wait a second, 'we'?" Nature Bloom asked. "The mystery is the mystery of the disappearance of our Hearth's Warming Eve presents for each other. Whys couldn't we be the creatures who solve it?" Luster asked. "That makes sense..." Evergreen figured. "I just hope we can find them before sunrise tomorrow!" Sunshine Rays stated. "Not to be negative, but I suggest that we all should prepare ourselves for the possibility that we can't get our presents back." Volcano announced, causing all the other creatures with the exception of Luster Dawn and Sunshine Rays. "In that case, we might as well make replacements!" Yellow Bright declared. "There's still some time left! I got to make those replacements!" Alkali panicked, dashing off. "Krona's presents for best friends must have a replacement!" Krona exclaimed, running off. "Wait, every creature! Presents are not what Hearth's Warming Eve is really about!" Luster called, but all the creatures who departed did not return. "Well, that sure didn't work." Buffer commented. "I don't blame them, they just wanted to ensure we get something from them this Hearth's Warming." Nature Bloom spoke. "But Hearth's Warming Eve is not all about giving presents, it's about celebrating friendship and getting together with others in harmony!" Evergreen stated. "Indeed, but unfortunately, some creatures get too focused on the gift-giving and presents part to remember that!" Volcano responded, "Even my teaching assistant whom I rely on to ensure students' attention and as a result bring her to every class unless I have a good replacement." "You could have just said that you were talking about Alkali instead of referring to her like that!" Bufer pointed out. "Looks like we're down to six." Sunshine Rays announced, looking at the remaining creatures. "But some creature got to tell those departed creatures that it doesn't matter if we don't get presents back, because what truly does matter, is that we're together as friends." Luster informed. "I can control my heat to keep myself warm," Evergreen said, rising her front left hoof as she activated a bit of fire, "Maybe I can go after the through the snow." "I know changelings aren't supposed to use their powers anyway they liked, but King Thorax and Prince Pharynx claimed that transformation is alright when it's an emergency, a job, or a play. And this seems like a bit of an emergency..." Nature Bloom said. "So, Nature Bloom and Evergreen will go after the creatures who ran off and bring them back here to the castle!" Luster declared. "Wait a second, Luster! Buffaloes may not be yaks, but I think I can manage it! I went to Yakyakistan before!" Buffer apprised. "Sure, but don't forget to wear your winter outfit, because buffaloes aren't yaks!" Volcano reminded. Buffer nodded and rn off to prepare for his search in the cold, leaving Luster, Sunshine Rays and Volcano in the castle. "So...it looks like it's down to the three of us." Sunshine Rays said, "Unless, we don't want to solve the mystery." "Not that those presents are very important, but I figure that we must at least try to find them before sunrise!" Luster announced. "We better bring a clock or a watch to ensure we know what time it is, no matter where we are." Volcano noted. "Let me get one of the watches I had when I was in my early teenager years." Sunshine Rays said, flying off. "Anything else that we might need?" Luster asked. "Well, detectives usually have a magnifying glass with them, not to look cool obviously, but it's mostly for taking a closer look into things." Volcano explained. "No need for that, when we have My Magic!" Luster declared, lighting up her horn. "But, Luster, I read a Detective's Real Story, and learnt that it's always good to have a back up. So, even though we have your unicorn magic, we probably should still bring a magnifying glass just to be safe." Volcano advised. "I'm back with my watch! And don't worry, I changed its batteries and it should last longer than long enough for the whole night!" Sunshine Rays showed up, raising her front left hoof to show her watch attached to it. "Now it's my turn to go, as I got to get everything that Luster thinks we don't need, but it's good to have them!" Volcano announced, flying off. After the dragon left, Sunshine Rays flew slowly after Luster, who was looking carefully and closely around the Hearth's Warming Tree ad at the said tree. "So, any luck finding clues yet?" the pegasus asked. "Not yet..." Luster answered, before looking closer at the tree's branches, "Hold on..." The unicorn used her magic to levitate something dark blue out of the tree's main thin leaves on a branch. "Aha! A blue feather! It can be a clue!" Luster exclaimed. "I'm back with all the things that we might..." Volcano announced, returning with a bag packed with supplies that was covered by the opaque material that the bag itself was made of, before noticing the feather that his unicorn Best Friend was levitating. "Whoa! You found a dark blue feather?" the dragon asked. "Luster found it, not me." Sunshine Rays informed. "And this dark blue feather must belong to whoever took the presents!" Luster figured. "Luster, maybe you should use the term, 'most likely', because there's a chance that whoever took the presents wanted you to find a fake clue to lead you away from finding out it was them!" Volcano corrected. "But we should first investigate by following this clue! Like, find out what creature it belongs to" Luster exclaimed. "It could be a pegasus, but obviously not me because my feathers are white. It could be a griffon's, a hippogriff's, or...an alicorn's?" Sunshine Rays made a list of possibilities. "Alicorns are the rarest of all creatures! And last I checked, there are no known alicorn that has dark blue feathers, except for the retired Princess Luna, but there's obviously no way that it could have been her." Volcano pointed out. "Volcano, I'm still learning the many different kinds of scan spells, and can't remember if I could do one that matches a belonging with its owner. So do you have anything that can help identify who or what creature's feather is this?" Luster asked. "You're lucky that I never let my spare time go to waste!" Volcano replied. In the mean time, Evergreen was running through Ponyville's snowy ground in search of the creatures who left the Castle to make replacement presents. "Krona? Alkali? Yellow Bright? Falcon Dive?" the Kirin called as she passed the houses that were filled with lights and joy with creatures celebrating Hearth's Warming Eve. Suddenly, Evergreen heard a loud familiar voice that went, "We have a winner!!!" The Kirin turned to look at the familiar building behind her: Sugar Cube Corner. "Mr. Cheese Sandwich's in there! Maybe he knows where Yellow Bright is!" Evergreen said to herself, trotting into Sugar Cube Corner. The moment the Kirin entered, Cheese Sandwich and the Cake Twins automatically appeared around the door to welcome Evergreen. "Happy Hearth's Warming!" the three ponies greeted in a singing style. "Happy Hearth's Warming to you too, all of you." Evergreen replied. "So, Miss Evergreen, what brings you here to Sugar Cube Corner?" Cheese Sandwich asked with a microphone right underneath his jaws, before placing the microphone underneath Evergeen's. "First of all, you all can just call me Evergreen." the Kirin replied, causing Cheese Sandwich to turn the microphone in his front right hoof back towards himself. "I knew that, I was just teasing you." the party pony said through the microphone, before turning thesis object back to face Evergreen. "I came here because the workers here are known to be close to one of my best friends, Yellow Bright." the Kirin informed. "Known to be close?! Miss Evergreen, you are mistaken." Cheese Sandwich responded with his microphone facing him again as he spoke. "I thought you said you knew that you can just call me..." Evergreen began, but was cut off by Cheese Sandwich. "The ponies of Sugar Cube Corner taught Yellow Bright ALL about hosting parties, being funny, spreading laughter, optimism, cheerful and everything positive! he probably wouldn't be the Element of Positivity if it weren't for us!" Cheese Sandwich explained. "But Yellow Bright actually have Element of Positivity potential back before he went to the School of Friendship in Ponyville! And back then he lived far away in Manehattan!" Evergreen argued. "That is only potential, Miss Evergreen, potential is not everything!" Cheese Sandwich stated, before changing into a different outfit in a flash, as he wore an intelligent professor's outfit and said, "Potential means having or showing capacity to develop something in the future. For example..." "This is going to take longer than I hope..." the Kirin muttered, watching Cheese Sandwich's show. Meanwhile, Buffer, in winter clothes, called for the friends he was looking for, "Krona! Alkali! Falcon Dive? Yellow Bright? If you can hear me, you don't really need to make replacements! Hearth's Warming Eve isn't entirely about them!" Suddenly, the buffalo could hear some creature yelping in pain, "Ouch!" "That yelp...it sounds like..." Buffer said out loud, before running in the direction of the sound and found Krona scratching her fur against a tree. "Krona!" Buffer called. "Buffer! Krona's busy right now! Getting the only material for the replacement gifts!" the yak responded. "By scratching your fur against that tree?" Buffer asked in a puzzled tone. "Krona trying to get her fur off her!" Krona answered, making Buffer's eyes widen in shock. "WHAT?! Krona! Don't you know how important your fur is to you in the winter?!" Buffer asked, "You most likely can't even live without it!" "Buffer, if you remembered your science correctly, yak fur can be cut off and grow back." Krona explained. "First of all, the correct way to say that is' yak fur can be cut off, and it can grow back'. And second, Krona, there's actually no necessary need to make replacement presents." Buffer informed. "But, every Hearth's Warming Eve, we give each other presents!" Krona stated. "I know, but the presents aren't the real reason we celebrate; the real reason is to get together as friends in order to remember the foundation of Equestria, and how friendship was formed between the three different pony tribes, and how that friendship defeated the Windigos." Buffer explained. Krona warmed up after hearing the explanation, crying a tiny bit before resisting it and answering, "You're right Buffer. Friendship is the real reason every creature celebrate, not the presents. Krona shouldn't have rushed off to try to cut off her yak fur to make a replacement gift out of it without thinking twice. Krona's sorry that she put Buffer in this trouble." "It's not much trouble, Krona. It just costed a bit of time, or..some bit of time?" Buffer asked before shaking his head, "Anyway, let's just o back to the Castle and warm up." Back at the Castle of Friendship, Luster, Sunshine Rays and Volcano were in the said dragon's room, where he took a metal cube that was the size of his cow out of one of his drawers. "Behold one of my latest inventions, the DNA Detector. If the feather has DNA that belonged to a griffon, hippogriff, or a pegasus, the invention can tell us after the scan, because it has scanned before feathers from the said creatures." Volcano explained, flipping the top side of the cube and revealing a tiny red button that he pressed in order to allow the cube to transform into his machine that was 8 times the size of the cube it initially was. "We all were there when you asked us to give you strands of our manes, one of our feathers and things like those!" Sunshine Rays reminded. "So my machine can scan them and identify them from everything else!" Volcano answered. "But it's still a good thing we did that...or we will never know what creature this feather belongs to!" Luster claimed. Just then, the invention finished scanning and printed out the results on a script of paper that Volcano tore off and read silently. "So...what does it say?" Sunshine Rays asked. "It is a feather from a species that it has never scanned before!" Volcano gasped. "A species the it's never scanned before?!" the mares asked in unison. "According to the scan, the feather came from a bird." Volcano nodded. "Hello? All birds have feathers!" Sunshine Rays reminded. "Although, there might be some exceptions similar to how not all mammals give birth since the duck-billed platypus lays eggs, but Sunshine has a point." Luster corrected. "Since my machine never scanned the DNA of this species, it cannot detect what creature this feather is from! We don't have a clue on who the culprit is!" Volcano apprised. "Not completely don't have a clue! We know that the culprit isn't a griffon, hippogriff, nor a pegasus! And now we know that it is a bird with dark blue feathers!" Luster corrected. "But, it's cold out there! Why would a bird take our presents?" Sunshine Rays asked. "I have no idea unless there's food in them!" Volcano figured. "But I didn't put any food in the presents I made for all of our best friends!" Sunshine Rays stated. "Neither did I!" Luster contributed. "Nor I!" Volcano joined in. "And Alkali already said that her gift isn't food, guaranteed." Sunshine Rays recalled. "Krona said her gift is not something to eat, nor something to et with." Luster remembered. "And Falcon Dive said that his gift for us may help us get healthier, but it isn't food nor anything like that!" Volcano recalled. "I don't think any of the presents is food!" Sunshine Rays summarised. "But if none of the presents is food, why would the birds who took it take it?" Luster asked. In the mean time, Nature Bloom was flying through the night skies as a snowy owl, in order to use the said animal's abilities to find things through the snow. She soon spotted Falcon Dive flying off from Canterlot and on his way to further ground. Knowing that she had to catch up to Falcon before he could get to somewhere even further, Natue Bloom transformed herself into a peregrine falcon, the fastest bird known, and flew up high as she could before diving in like a real peregrine falcon would do to catch prey, only in her case, to catch a friend before they could get too far away. Falcon Dive was flying in a straight line as fast as he could, when he felt something whoosh by him, and got ahead of him. Once she was ahead, Nature Bloom changed back into her regular changeling form, surmising Falcon Dive. "Nature Bloom?! How did you...what are you doing out here?" the griffon asked. "I got to get you to go back to the Castle right away because you don't really need to make replacement presents to replace the presents the are gone!" the changeling informed. "But, we always give presents to each other to celebrate!" Falcon Dive stated. "Giving presents is just a tradition! The real reason is friendship, Hearth'sWaring Eve is celebrated to remember the friendship that defeated the Windigos and united the Unicorns, Earth Ponies and Pegasi back when Equestria was found!" Nature Bloom explained, "In other words, what really matters on Hearth's Warming Eve, is creatures getting together as friends and family. Not the presents!" Falcon Dive thought for a while before making up his mind, "You are right, Nature. Hearth's Warming is not about things, it's about others! Others whom we care about! We should o back, with or without presents!" "It makes no sense!" Luster said out loud, pacing in Volcano's room. "Birds usually don't like the cold unless they have the features to help them survive! And I don't think a bird with dark blue feathers is one of those kinds!" Volcano added. "Birds that can handle the cold are usually black or white, or both!" Sunshine Rays added. "I can't think of anything!" Luster announced, as she stopped pacing. "I know this might sound shocking to you, but this is one of the times Yellow Bright's jokes can come in handy, as I feel like I need one right now." Sunshine Rays admitted. "You actually like Yellow Bright's jokes?!" Volcano and Luster asked in unison. "Not really 'like', they just make me feel like...like...everything's familiar. Because I experienced their presence in situations like this, when we are all thinking, Yellow Bright came up with jokes to lighten things up or to prevent us from getting bored...even though they can get boring when went on for long time, but the main point is, I must have warmed up with them in their absence, this Hearth''s Warming Eve." Sunshine Rays explained. "That's like one of those very touching stories when characters never discovered how much they feel around something until that something is gone." Volcano commented. "It's good to know that you warmed up with something you usually aren't warm with, Sunshine, but let's not forget the situation here." Luster reminded. "Oh, right. Why would a bird take our presents?" Sunshine Rays asked. "And why would it be here during winter if it's not a bird adapted to the cold?" Volcano asked. "And where can it be with the presents?" Luster added. At Sugar Cube Corner, Evergreen was getting tired of Cheese Sandwich's performance. "And that's the story of how Yellow Bright got his job as a party pony's helper, and a comedian!" the party pony finished, before correcting his last statement, "No, it's the story of how Yellow Bright became two party ponies' helper and a comedian! No four party ponies' helper! Or is it five?" "Mr. Cheese Sandwich, I really don't have more time to lose! I got to find Yellow Bright before Hearth's Warming Eve is over! We need to get back to the Case! And the only reason I came in here is to ask you if you seen him!" Evergreen finally spoke up. "Then why didn't you say so, Miss Evergreen? What you're looking for is right upstairs!" Cheese Sandwich answered. "Come on, we'll show you." Pumpkin Cake apprised Evergreen, leading the Kirin upstairs with Pound Cake. Once they were on the second floor, they quickly arrived at the room Yellow Bright was in, making presents for his best friends. "Yellow Bright!" Evergreen called. "Evergreen?! You're here?!" the Earth Pony asked. "Yes I am! And I can't believe that you didn't hear any of Mr.Cheese Sandwich's performance that happened downstairs, when it's so close to where you have been this whole time!" Evergreen responded. "Sorry, Evergreen, I was busy making the replacements presents for every creature!" Yellow Bright answered, holding up a learn with a light bulb in it. "That's your present for all of us?" Evergreen asked. "I figured that these electronic lanterns will light the night as a perfect gift for every creature!" Yellow Bright explained. "Speaking of gifts, yo don't really have to go through all this to make replacement presents! Even if we never got any presents, we will have each other like what Hearth's Warming is actually about! But if you go after gifts, there won't even be a Hearth's Warming spirit at the party you're supposed o be in." Evergreen informed. "You mean...the real hing that matters is all of us being together?" Yellow Bright asked. "As friends and family!" Pound Cake added, hugging Pumpkin Cake. Seeing the Cake Twins together, Yellow Bright nodded, "Hearth's Warming Eve is about caring for one another, nt presents! I'm going back, even without completing the presents for every creature!" "Thats the Hearth's Warming spirit!" Evergreen responded, before the two made their leave and galloped away. In the Castle of Friendship, Trixie and Starlight Glimmer were sitting behind the tree, looking at it as they talked. "Well, Starlight, isn't it great to spend time with a friend on Hearth's Warming Eve?" Trixie asked her bets friend. "It actually is, and I'm glad that we're both free on this particular day. Or night." Starlight joked, causing them both to laugh. "Guess who I found!" Buffer could be heard saying, as he and Krona returned. "And here comes company!" Nature Bloom added, entering with Falcon Dive. "And here comes more company!" Evergreen added, arriving with Yellow Bright. "Well done, you've found every creature who ran off to get replacement presents!" Starlight complimented. "Not really every creature..." Buffer responded, after taking a look. "Where's Alkali?" Nature Bloom asked. "She went off to get replacement presents, and we haven't found her!" Evergreen added. "Over here!" Alkali's voice could be heard saying, causing every creature to turn their heads to look at where she was: Walking to the tree with Sunburst. "Alkali!" the six creatures who just returned to the Castle of Friendship exclaimed in unison. "Where were you?" Falcon Dive asked. "I was in the Storage Room looking for materials to make the replacements." Alkali answered. "And I found her when I went to teh said room in order to get some last minute decor." Sunburst stated. "Speaking of last minute, where are Luster, Sunshine and Volcano?" Alkali asked. "They're trying to solve the mystery of the disappeared presents." Starlight answered, a second before the three creatures arrived at the scene. "We are, and we don't have much to report." Luster announced. "Luster, Sunshine and Volcano didn't find Hearth's Warming presents?" Krona asked. "We don't even know what creature has our presents!" Sunshine Rays informed. "And we can't work out why it will take our presents if none of them have food." volcano ended. "Maybe whoever took the presents knew it was Hearth's Warming Eve, and took our presents to give them to their friends and family!" Yellow Bright joked. "I can't believe I missed that." Sunshine Rays remarked. "The only clues we have are the facts that the culprit isn't a griffon, a hippogriff nor a pegasus." Luster explained. "And they are most likely the owners of this dark blue feather found in hr crime scene." Volcano added, holding up the dark blue feather that Luster found earlier. "Wait a minute, can I have that feather to take a closer look?" Nature Bloom asked politely. "Sure, whatever that can help." Luster answered. Nature Bloom examined the feather for a few seconds before telling the others, "This feather belongs to the largest flying parrot known today: The Hyacinth Macaw." "Wow! She's as good as Fluttershy." Trixie commented. "That's because Nature Bloom usually helps Madam Fluttershy with animals!" Krona answered. "And get to learn a lot bout animals!" Buffer contributed. "Hyacinth Macaws grow to be as big as a metre, and are social creatures as they live in pairs or in flocks. And they are vulnerable to extinction, so they are not very common." Nature Bloom explained. "But why would they take our presents?" Sunshine Rays asked. "They are intelligent to some extent, and might know what presents are and decided to give them to its mate." Nature Bloom figured, "Although, I never heard of anything like that." "What are we waiting for?! Let's find that macaw!" Falcon Dive announced. "But where do we look?" Evergreen asked, "We don't even know where the macaws might be!" "Please don't freak out, but I think that they might be secretly residing somewhere in the Castle, where it's warm." Nature Bloom figured. "But we cleaned all the rooms! Ddin't we?!" Volcano asked. "We better double and tripe check!" Luster declared, causing the heroic Ten to split up. "We'll help, too!" Starlight Glimmer called. "Of course we will! It is Hearth's Warming Eve, after all!" Trixie supported, joining the search. "I'm helping, too!" Sunburst contributed. The creatures searched high and low around the castle, trying to find the macaws that had the presents. Nature Bloom looked around the Gardening Room, the room filled with plants that were grown indoors and kept warm throughout the winter by a heater inside. "We have loads of nuts and native food of the Hyacinth macaws here. Every reason to think that they're hiding here all along..." Nature Bloom told herself, before spotting a cluster of twigs and branches covering a certain part of a tree. The changeling flew to the cluster, and was surprised by a dark blue macaw that squawked, "What are you doing here?! You're not invited to this family's dinner!" "I'm sorry, I was just wondering if I could have a word with you..." Nature Bloom answered. "We searched everywhere!" Alkali exclaimed. "I thought they would be in the Relaxing Room because it's warm and relaxing there during cold times like this." Volcano stated. "I searched the kitchen, thinking that the macaws will be after the food there." Buffer informed. "I searched all the empty rooms I passed by, and no macaw." Sunshine Rays apprised. "Hey, where's Nature Bloom?" Krona asked, noticing the changeling's absence. "She said that she will be checking the Gardening Room, that's what I heard from her when we were close enough to talk during the search." Evergreen replied. "Then that's where we will look now! Come on, every creature!" Luster instructed The nine creatures raced to the Gardening Room and found Nature Bloom with the macaws they suspected to be the culprits. "Nature Bloom!" the creatures shouted in unison. "Don't worry, every creature. Hyacinth macaws can be very friendly, and I obviously befriended them in this short period of time." Nature Bloom assured, gently stroking one of the macaws. "B...but... the presents! Didn't they..." Falcon Dive attempted to continue, but was prevented from doing so by Nature Bloom. "The father macaw took the presents because he knew it is Hearth's Warming, and overheard us saying that our presents are the prefect gifts this year. So he decided to take them to give to his family, whom he cares about so much. He's really sorry for doing so, he thought that giving presents was how to show care n Hearth's Warming Eve, which he heard so much about." After hearing Nature Bloom's explanation, the others were amazed. "Wow, macaws understand what we were saying?" Evergreen asked. "That's out of this world!" Yellow Bright commented. "Animals can actually be smart! Very smart!" Volcano told the others. But, why would macaws want to celebrate Hearth's Warming? Krona thought that animals don't celebrate much." Krona asked. "They may most likely won't have anniversaries or that kind of celebrations, but if they ever thought of something like that like we creatures do, they might make something like that for their families and those they treat as friends." Nature Bloom explained. "Speaking of friends, macaws, there's something important you must know about Hearth's Warming Eve: The real reason we celebrate is not the presents, it is to be together with friends and family as we remember the friendship formed between the unicorns, Pegasi and Earth Ponies, that created the Fire of Friendship that defeated the Windigos and drove them out of Equestria, never to harm us again." Luster explained. "Unless there's disharmony between the different creatures like when Lord Tirek, Queen Chrysalis and Cozy Glow..." Volcano began, only to be cut off by Yellow Bright. "I don't think we need that info now, Volcano." The male Hyacinth macaw then squawked, "I'm sorry," for the creatures to hear, impressing most of them. "Wow! Now that's what I call a cool bird." Falcon Dive commented. "That's alright, we found our resents and can have them back, so everything is going to be fine." Nature Bloom assured. "Just one more thing. How about we get our new friends who have been our castle-mates all this time, downstairs to the tree to celebrate Hearth's Warming Eve?!" Luster suggested. "Sorry Luster, but not all of the macaws can make it!" Nature Bloom informed, flying to the tree and revealing the nest hidden behind the twigs and sticks. Four tiny heads popped into sight, surprising he creatures. "The macaws have four new babies?! Congratulations!" Alkali exclaimed. "Actually, those babies are not so new. They are about to be months old!" Nature Bloom corrected. "Oh, in that case, they might not be so new..." Alkali figured. "How about we bring our party here? For the very first time?!" Luster suggested. "Um, Luster? This is actually our first Hearth's Warming Eve in this castle." Sunshine Rays reminded. "We can have next year's downstairs like my parents used to! But this year, let's try to make an exception..." Luster told her best friends. Later, luster rushed to her parents who were still waiting for her and her best friends. "Mum! Dad!" Luster called, galloping towards them. "Luster! Where are your best friends?" Starlight Glimmer asked. "Where the party is going to be moved into: The Gardening Room!" Luster answered. "WHAT?!" the older unicorns asked in unison. "There have been macaws living in the Gardening Room for about 3 months or something like that. And they're our new friends who wanted to try celebrating Hearth's Warming Eve after hearing so much about it!" Luster explained. "Animals wanting to celebrate Hearth's Warming?" Trixie asked. "They can be very intelligent, and understand what we're saying." Luster explained, "They may not be the best talkers when it comes to our language, but they're friends!" "Then we should do what real friends will do for them; help them get what they need!" Starlight Glimmer cheerfully declared, just before the heard a knock on the Castle's door. "I'll get it!" Luster announced, rushing to the doors and opening them with her magic, revealing a pleasant sight. "You came!" the pink unicorn exclaimed upon seeing the visitors. "Of course we did, you invited us!" Eclipse Instant answered. "And we were finished with our World Tour setting things right, spreading word about our reformations." Shapeshifter added. "Good thing you're here, because we need all the help we can get to move a celebration!" Luster declared. After some time, everything was finally ready for Hearth''s Warming Eve in the Castle of Friendship's Gardening Room. "The macaws are saying 'thank you for everything', every creature." Nature Bloom told the other creatures. "It was nothing..." Volcano replied. "Or something! Let's celebrate!" Krona exclaimed, causing Yellow Bright to turn on the music on the music box. Everything went on quickly; the opening of the presents, the serving of the treats and puddings, and the games. "Happy Hearth's Warming, to one and all!" every creature exclaimed together, as they looked out the window to see the snow falling. 24. To Be or Not to BeAuthor's Note To Be or Not to Be serves as the twenty-fourth episode of the series. It is inspired by the Elena of Avalor episode, To Queen, or Not to Queen. Summary: After a series of arguments associated with her age number happened on her birthday party, Luster Dawn begins to think that her chronological and biological ages being different is a drawback, as well as her backstory, until Xian Zhe shows her some alternate realities that answers her questions of 'what if' and see if it was really better for her to be the way she is or not. Featured Characters: Unnamed Blue dragon and Yellow Kirin, are creatures seen in an alternate reality that answered Luster's question of what if she was born in the same generation as the rest of the Heroic Ten. In that reality, Luster befriended the blue dragon and yellow Kirin at a Friendship Festival that was hosted to bring creatures together since Equestria and Beyond were still adjusting too changes. Despite having a strong friendship with them, the alternate reality Luster did not succeed in stopping Eclipse Instant from conquering Equestria and Beyond. Alternate Reality's Luster Dawn's Parents, an unnamed unicorn mare and an unnamed unicorn stallion who appeared in an alternate reality that answered what if Luster Dawn as born in the same generation as the rest of the Heroic Ten, but was not the daughter of Starlight Glimmer and Sunburst. In the alternate reality, despite Eclipse Instant's defeat and reformation, the parents believed that Ponyville was too dangerous for their daughter due to Shapeshifter's deceptions, deciding to move her to Canterlot near Princess Twilight Sparkle, resulting in an undefeated and unreformed Shapeshifter causing damage that did not get fixed. Acknowledgements: What is a Leap Year? Accurately how many hours in a day 24. To Be or Not to Be One fine day at Sugar Cube Corner, Pinkie Pie was making cupcakes as she was decorating the said pastries with icing and toppings such as sprinkles and berries, just before Yellow Bright and Krona arrived to the counter. "Why, hello Yellow Bright and Krona! What a great day to stop by Sugar Cube Corner, isn't it?" Pinkie Pie asked. "Yes, it is!" Krona agreed. "So, Yellow Bright, why'd bring your yak bestie here today?" Pinkie Pie asked. "Don't you remember, Madam Pinkie Pie? We've ordered two birthday cakes, cupcakes, doughnuts, tarts, and party supplies such as balloons, banners, ribbons..." Yellow Bright began listing, until he was cut off by Pinkie Pie. "Oh, yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Silly me, I totally forgot!" the pink Earth Pony quickly dashed off to grab everything on the list and bring it to her customers,"Here's your party supplies, all in this sack! And here are all the pastries, each box containing only one of each kind!" Pinkie Pie handed the towering tower of blue boxes to the creatures, making Krona comment, "Krona sure wish there was a unicorn here..." "Did some creature say 'a unicorn'?" a familiar voice asked. The creatures turned to see Pumpkin Cake, who used her magic to levitate the blue boxes into a small cube-shaped wagon that could carry eight boxes when filled to the brim, leaving the additional four stacked on top. "Thanks, Miss Pumpkin Cake!" Krona thanked. "Happy to help!" Pumpkin Cake happily replied. "Just one more thing!" Pinkie Pie announced, as she took out two white boxes from the counter, "Or maybe, two! The two birthday cakes you creatures ordered are in these white boxes!" "But the wagon's full!" Krona reminded. "We'll just have to carry them the old-fashioned way." Yellow Bright figured, as he opened his mouth to bite the string on one of the boxes. "Maybe I should go with you, in order to help you carry these final boxes so you won't have a lot of trouble." Pumpkin Cake suggested, levitating the last two white boxes with her magic, causing Yellow Bright to release the box he had. "Thanks, again Miss Pumpkin Cake!" Krona thanked. "I already said, I'm happy to help!" Pumpkin Cake giggled. "You kind of remind me of how Luster helped Alkali and I back when we first met her!" Yellow Bright commented. "Speaking of Luster, I remember that you ordered all of this to celebrate her birthday this year." Pumpkin Cake recalled. "Indeed! Luster's turning twenty!" Krona exclaimed. "No, she's actually turning ten!" Yellow Bright argued. "Twenty!" Krona protested. "Ten!" Yellow Bright disagreed. "Twenty!" "Ten!" "Twenty!" "Ten!" "Twenty!" "Ten!" "Will you two stop?!" an annoyed Pound Cake came down the stairs, "What are you even arguing about?! Numbers?!" "Arguing about how old Luster is this year! She's turning twenty!" Krona declared. "Correction, she's turning ten!" Yellow Bright argued. "Actually, you're both right to some extent: Luster is turning both twenty and ten!" Pound Cake told the two creatures. "Of course Krona's..." Krona began, before she paid more attention to Pound Cake's latest words, "Wait..." "Both twenty and ten?!" Krona and Yellow Bright asked in unison. "Don't you remember the real story? Head-mare Starlight and Head-Stallion Sunburst's only biological child, had one of the most amazing and out-of-the-ordinary backstories of growing up! Since her parents are too busy, they send her to Sire's Hollow to be taken care of by their parents, then, when Luster wasn't in kindergarten anymore, she enrolled in the School for Gifted Unicorns, passed the exam, but her happiness made her magic react with her magical project that resulted the irreversible age spell that made her ten years older than she actually is!" Pound Cake reminded. "So, that's how she can be both ten and twenty! Twenty is her biological age, ten is her chronological age!" Pumpkin Cake explained. "Is that why there are two cakes with two different amounts of candles instead of one?" Pinkie Pie asked. "Yes, that is..." Yellow Bright answered. "Krona and Yellow Bright couldn't agree on how many candles to put on the cake, and made Mr.Cheese Sandwich so annoyed that he shouted..." Krona recalled and was about to quote, but Cheese Sandwich showed up to say the quote for her. "Why don't you have them BOTH?!" "Yup, that's exactly what he said!" Yellow Bright nodded. "Do you think I will forget what happened on the day a party order is made, when the day that the party order is supposed to be delivered on arrives?" Cheese Sandwich asked. "Obviously, wouldn't!" Krona answered. "Wrong!" Cheese Sandwich strictly snapped, before immediately changing his tone and expressions, "The correct answer is 'Certainly won't!'" "What?!" Krona was speechless to hear the correct answer. "Look at the time! We best be going! Can't have a party without all of this!" Yellow Bright announced. In the Castle of Friendship, Alkali was skating on soap bars on her four hippogriff feet like she always would whenever it was cleaning time. Sunshine Rays was cleaning the walls with sponge, while Buffer delivered water around, as he had a wagon loaded with the said liquid attached to him. "The castle is looking fabulous!" Starlight Glimmer commented. "Glad you said so! It felt like we were cleaning for days!" Falcon Dive exclaimed. "We hope that this birthday party isn't too hard to manage, as we have quite a lot of guests." Natue Bloom told the Head-mare. "Don't worry, every creature. This castle has welcomed all of Ponyville before! If it can handle a whole town, why can't it handle a hundred guests?" Starlight Glimmer asked. "Are you sure that we have a hundred guest this time?" Falcon Dive asked. "It's just an expression." Starlight Glimmer replied. "Well, our siblings are coming, accompanied by one of their parents, and since there are 9 of us, 9 times 2 is 18..." Buffer stated. "Don't forget Gloss Semblance! He's not a sibling, but he is the sibling of one of the former students of the School of Friendship, and he's friends with our siblings! And Luster went to fetch him here because his family knows that she can be trusted!" Alkali reminded. "Adding him to the guest list makes 19..." Buffer counted. "Don't forget that the Council of Friendship and their children are coming, and some of their children's friends/relatives." Sunshine Rays informed. "19 plus 7 plus 10 makes...36!" Buffer calculated. "Don't forget Nightfall Dusk and Mitigate," Nature Bloom added. "Adding them makes 38!" Buffer figged. "And since it's Luster's birthday, her old caregivers are coming, too." Starlight Glimmer told the creatures. "Plus 2 more that's 40!" Buffer counted. Just then, there was a knock on the Castle Door. "I will get it!" Sunshine Rays called, flying to the golden doors that allowed creatures in and out of the castle. The white pegasus opened the door to find a huge number of ponies on the other side. "Oh, the Cutie Mark Crusaders and their families are here, including the huge Apple and Pear Family..." Sunshine Rays said out loud, before gasping as she realised what she recently said, "Huge family!" "Hi, Miss Sunshine!" Pear Sweet greeted. "We're here for Luster's birthday party!" Pear Treat added. "You all invited us?" Scootaloo reminded. "Yes, and I completely forgot..." Sunshine Rays answered, speechless. "The more the merrier! Come on in!" Alkali cheered. "No, wait!" Sunshine Rays tried to stop the process, but failed. The ponies walked into the castle quickly, only to slip on the slippery floor just as fast, falling flat on their backs. "Whoops, I forgot that I just soaped the floor to clean it, major apologies and a thousand sorries!" Alkali apologised. "You're lucky that Grandpa Boiled Pear's at home with Haystack, or he might have been doomed to be involved in this fall." Apple Bloom groaned. "Adding the Cutie Mark Crusaders and their husbands, and their children and a huge family makes...a total of 55 guests!" Buffer calculated. "55 rounded off to 3 significant figures, is 100!" Sunshine Rays stated. "Matter of fact: When you round 55 off to the nearest hundred, you also get 100!" Alkali added. "How about 57 guests?" Yellow Bright asked, as he, Krona and the Cake Twins arrived. "Wait, the Cake Twins are invited, too?" Sunshine Rays asked. "Actually, not. But since they helped Krona and Yellow Bright, why shouldn't they attend the party?" Krona asked. "As they say, the more the merrier!" Starlight responded, being the cheerful pony she was. "But that would leave Mr. Cheese Sandwich all alone running Sugar Cube Corner!" Nature Bloom reminded. "He can handle it." Pumpkin Cake assured. "Besides, he's done that before a hundred times!" Pound Cake added. "But are you sure he won't complain about missing the party?" Falcon Dive asked. "He can handle it, we told you so!" Pumpkin assured. Soon, the birthday party was on, with every creature having a good time playing and talking, before it was time to cut the cake. "Attention, every creature! It is time for the moment we've all been waiting for: Cutting the birthday cake!" Princess Twilight Sparkle announced, catching every creature's attention. "Wait, wait, wait!" Pinkie Pie called, "You meant cut the birthday cakes!CAKES! There are two birthday cakes, not one!" The party pony raised the two white boxes in the air for all to see, making the guests confused. "Say what?" Rainbow Dash asked. "A birthday party with two cakes instead of one?" Spike asked. "Maybe it's for feeding more guests?" Rarity suggested. "Actually, it's because Krona and Yellow Bright couldn't decide between twenty and ten candles, so..." Krona began, before Yellow Bright filled in. "We ended up ordering two cakes; one with twenty candles, the other with ten! Other than that, the cakes are identical!" "But, why would you have to choose between two numbers with a great difference of 10?" Fluttershy asked, makan Luster Dawn feel uncomfortable, knowing what was coming. "Because Luster's biological and chronological ages are different by 10!" Falcon Dive answered. "Don't you all know her Real Story?" Evergreen asked. "At first, it is only a lecture at the School of Friendship..." Buffer began "But when Luster became a heroine of Equestria and Beyond, the story is known worldwide!" Volcano went on. "For every creature to know!" Yellow Bright finished. "Can we just go on with cake cutting?" Luster asked, getting very uncomfortable. "Wait! Wait! Wait! I can't remember the story! How did Luster get to have different biological and chronological ages?" Juicy Apple raised her front right hoof and asked. "That? It's because of an irreversible age spell that she unintentionally casted on herself when her happiness made her magic react with her magical project at the entry exam for the School of Gifted Unicorns." Volcano explained, making Luster even more embarrassed as the craziest part of her backstory was told or reminded to the whole crowd. "Now can we please forget this story and cut the cakes?" Luster asked. "Hold on, we have to light them first!" Princess Twilight Sparkle said, getting ready to light the candles as she approached the cake that was closer to her, the one on her left with the twenty candles, but was stopped by Yellow Bright. "Wait! Wait! Wait! Luster is actually ten, and since there are ten members of the team she is in, and a digit 1 in the number 10, you should light the cake that has ten candles first!" "No! Luster is biologically twenty! With the intelligence of some creature who's twenty! And twenty is considered her age now! So the one with twenty should go first!" Krona argued. "Ten!" Yellow Bright insisted. "Twenty!" Krona protested. "Ten!" Yellow Bright argued. "Twenty!" Krona disagreed. Seeing that the two arguing creatures would not be happy either way, Luster decided to light the candles herself, lighting both cakes at the exact same time as she sent a magic wave that was small, but enough to do the trick. "There you go! Two cakes lit up at the exact same time!" Pinkie Pie announced. "That way neither of them is first, nor last!" Applejack added. "And you creatures have nothing to argue about!" Fluttershy continued. "Make a wish, Luster, that's what we always do on our birthdays!" Princess Twiliht Sparkle told her faithful student gently. Luster silently though for a while, before getting ready to blow out the candles, but was interrupted by Yellow Bright. "Wait! You should blow out the ten candles before blowing double the amount!" "What?! Luster will get tired! She should blow out the twenty candles then get half the work to blow out ten!" Krona insisted, starting another argument. "Ten!" "Twenty!" "Ten!" "Twenty!" Knowing that she had to make sure neither went first nor last again, Luster asked Rarity, "Madam Rarity? Do you have 2 fans for fanning?" "Indeed, I do!" Rarity replied in a friendly tone, levitating 2 fans out of her clothes, and giving them to Luster. Luster levitated the fans and had one facing the cake with ten candles, and the other facing the cake with twenty candles, and fanned both at the exact same time until all the candles were out. "There you go, another tie!" Pinkie Pie announced. "Both blown out at the same time!" Rainbow Dash continued. "And started getting blown at, at the same time." Spike added. "Now that the candles are blown out, it's time to take them off and..." Princess Twilight Sparkle said, lighting up her horn, ready to use magic to take the candles off the cake, but was interfered by Krona. "Princess Twilight Sparkle should remove the twenty candles first! Because it's better to have more work first than more work later!" "But the one with ten candles would take lesser time! That should go first!" Yellow Bright argued. "Or maybe they should both go at the same time." Princess Twilight Sparkle figured, using her magic to levitate all the candles off at once. "Now, to cut the cake!" Sunburst declared, giving his daughter the cake-cutting knife with his magic, like unicorns usually would. "Finally!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed. "Wait!" Krona called, "Luster is twenty, so she should cut the cake that had twenty candles on it! and there's a lot of guests! And twenty is more than ten!" "Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! The number of candles doesn't determine how many pieces the cake can be cut into, nor the size of the cake! And Luster is really ten years old! So she should cut the cake that had ten candles on it!" Yellow Bright disagreed. "Twenty!" Krona argued. "Ten!" Yellow Bright protested. Luster groaned and used a duplication spell on the cake-cutting knife, making a clone appear. But before she could cut the cakes at the same time.. "Wait! Luster is really ten years old! The cake that had ten candles would be cut with the real knife!" Yellow Bright pointed out. "But she doesn't have to be treated like a ten-years-old! She's twenty! With the mind and appearance of some creature twenty! So the real knife should cut the cake that had twenty candles!" Krona argued. As the two began another argument, Luster asked out loud, "does any creature have a real spare knife for cake cutting?!" "Right here!" Pinkie Pie handed one to Luster in a flash. "Thanks!" Luster thanked, before undoing the duplication spell to send the clone life away, followed by cutting the two cakes with two real knives at the exact same time and in the exact same way. "Glad that all that argument was over." Fluttershy commented, watching the events unfold. "Alright, every creature! Step right up and have some cake!" Luster announced, signalling the crowd to come over. Soon, after every creature had cake, Luster was about to take a piece for herself, but was interfered by Yellow Bright and Krona's augments and suggestions, again. "Wait! Luster is turning twenty in age, so she should have a piece from the cake that had twenty candles, first!" Krona insisted. "No! She's really ten years old, so she should take a piece from the real deal!" Yellow Bright argued. Irritated, Luster quickly got out two real plates and two real spoons with her magic, and got one real slice rom each cake and divided them equally by the plates. Scooping about the same amount from each slice with each spoon, Luster then challenged herself to consume both at the same time, bringing them towards her mouth, allowing them to stop right in front of their destination and wait for the entrance to open as she sent the food right into the starting point of her digestive system. "Or...that could work..." Krona commented. That evening, all the guests were leaving the Castle of Friendship, with Luster waving them goodbye. "Goodbye! Hope to see you all soon!" the unicorn called and waved, before turning around and accidentaly bumping into Nightfall Dusk. "Sorry, Nightfall! Didn't see you there!" Luster apologised. "Don't worry, accidents do happen." Nightfall Dusk responded, understandably. "Hopefully when we see each other again, this won't happen so often." Luster said, slightly blushing. "Hope so, too. See you someday, Luster Dawn." Nightfall Dusk responded, before walking off. "See you , someday...Nightfall Dusk..." Luster replied, dreamingly, before walking back into the Castle of Friendship. Inside the Castle, Alkali was skating on soap bars once again, skating towards the birthday mare, greeting her, "Hey, Luster! Happy that you've become a decade older? And had a great big party? And never had to set it up nor clean up after it?" "Kind of," Luster gloomily replied. "Kind of?!" Falcon Dive asked, "Hello?! It's a huge party with lots of work to do to prepare it and clean it up! And you don't have to do any of that!" "And it's your party in the first place!" Sunshine Rays reminded. "And you got something like sibling time with Gloss Semblance, whom we figured that you treat like a sibling of yours." Buffer contributed. "And even Nightfall Dusk came! How can you not be happy?!" Evergreen asked. "I'm actually unhappy about something else..." Luster answered. "What are you unhappy bout?" Nature Bloom asked in a concerned tone. "Is it Krona and Yellow Bright's constant arguing about which number should go first?" Volcano asked. Every creature turned to look at the two creatures mentioned by Volcano recently, who responded sheepishly as they gave out nervous laughter. "That only irritated and annoyed me." Luster answered. "Then what was the real thing that upset you? Please don't say it's Mitigate being one of the guests!" Nature Bloom asked. "Nope, every guest is fine, too." Luster replied. "Then, what is the thing that upsets you?" Sunshine Rays asked. "It's my..." Luster paused, before admitting, "Age." "Your age?!" all nine of the listeners gasped. "But, why?" Krona asked. "If it's because it made us argue so much and annoy and irritate you so much, we're really sorry!" Yellow Bright apologised in a way like some creature would apologise to royalty. "Not because of that," Luster answered, "It's because it makes me so...different..." "Well, that's understandable, because mot of the creatures in the land are obviously as old as they really are!" Evergreen apprised Luster "I may not like the idea of changing ages through age spells since it can be unnatural, but I know that your case is an acceptable exception, because it was unintentional, and irreversible, and you actually tried to reverse it." Sunshine Rays contributed. "I still have no idea how it was irreversible, I mean, no creature has sen anything like it!" Lustr exclaimed. "There's always a first time for everything," Nature Bloom assured. "Like the first time you talked, the first time you made something, the first time you participated in a competition!" Alkali listed some examples. "Those are all basic things, Alkali. Not something so rare that the world has never seen before!" Luster informed. "But on the bright side, you forget about trying to reverse it and moved on!" Yellow Bright reminded. "Yes...but it makes me uncomfortable whenever some creature asked me how old I am." Luster sighed. "Just say the age that the age spell made you into!" Krona figured, "Because you have the appearance and mind of some creature that old!" "But I chronologically am ten years younger than that!" Luster reminded, "What if they asked which year I was born in? Once they calculate, they'd be shocked!" "Tell them not to calculate?" Yellow Bright asked, "Or just tell them to never ask which year you're born in, just ask how old you are?" "Wouldn't that be a little weird of me?" Luster asked. "Speaking of weird, there are a lot of weird things in the world!" Volcano showed up, with a science magazine in his claws, "Like, the blob fish!" The dragon showed an image of the mentioned fish in the magazine to every creature, surprising them in not a very pleasant way. "What is that?!" Sunshine Rays shrieked. "A blob fish, and Queen Skystar as a sea pony, playing games with it, as they are friends." Volcano explained. "I love the blob fish already! I can't wait to go back to Mount Aris for a visit, and dive into Seaquestria to play with one! Or more than one! Or many!" Alkali exclaimed. "So Luster, now that you've seen something weird, do you feel any better?" Volcano asked. "No...there's more things for me to be uncomfortable about, that makes me very, very different from every creature I know..." Luster sadly responded. "Is it still the age spell?" Krona asked. "More than just the age spell!" Luster cried, "My whole backstory! I was born in Ponyville, but got sent away to live in Sire's Hollow with my grandparents, was raised by them until I enrolled in the School for Gifted Unicorns, when the age spell happened and changed my life!" "It's not super rare to find children not raised by their biological parents: I mean, they might hire babysitters or caregivers not related to the family by blood, to take care of the children while they, the biological parents, work." Volcano explained. "And your parents actually didn't have a choice!" Nature Bloom reminded. "They got a School to run!" evergreen contributed. "And you know how bad things were without them..." Falcon Dive ended, reminding every creature about the incident that happened when Starlight Glimmer and Sunburst cared more about spending time with Luster than about the school, resulting total chaos on the family's final vacation day. "But look on the bright side! When you came to Ponyville, they were happy to see you, and offered you castle life!" Yellow Bright reminded. "That you...kindly rejected because you don't want to have privileges that we can't have." Buffer went on. “I know, but something that I do will like to know, is..." Luster gulped, before revealing what she was going to say, "Whether am I better off without the effects of my backstory or not." The nine creatures gasped to hear what their leader said. "Luster...why will you think of that?!" Krona asked. "That backstory is crazy and unlike what most creatures could have gone through!" Luster answered. "But there's always a first time for everything, even for the world." Buffer reminded. "Even if I wasn't the first creature to experience a crazy backstory like mine, I don't think I'll feel any better..." Luster sighed. "But Luster, don't you remember what Princess Twilight Sparkle learnt about timelines and effects when your mother hadn't reformed and altered the past?" Sunshine Rays asked, "Not to make you think of your mother being...not good." "They both learnt that every friendship is important, and every little thing is important too, as everything in the past leads to the present, and even the future." Luster replied. "I bet Sunshine is trying to tell you, that if it weren't for your backstory, the present will not even be the present it is," Volcano informed. "We might never have met you nor become your best friends!" Nature Bloom added. "And might never became the Heroic Ten!" Alkali dramatically exclaimed. "And what do you think Equestria will be like if none of that happened?" Evergreen asked. "Eclipse will not be defeated nor reformed?" Yellow Bright figured. "And we all might be brainwashed!" Falcon Dive ended. "I know it's great that we saved Equestria, but I'm still...different from every creature else..." Luster reminded them about the main point. "But if you were biologically as old as you chronologically are, you will be a kid like the Council of Friendship's children!" Buffer pointed out. "And you might not even get to lead us!" Nature Bloom added. "Nor be Element of Leadership!" Krona ended. "And, you might always needed one of us to be with you, how inconvenient will that be?" Volcano asked. "But, what if I was born in the same generation as all of you! Being biologically and chronologically in my twenties like you are?!" Luster asked after thinking for a while. "But, will your parents be old enough to have you?" Evergreen asked. "According to my calculations, and biology knowledge, the answer is can, but difficult and risky." Volcano answered, after silently thinking for a while. "And, if you were born in the same generation as we are, wouldn't you have made friends with Ponyville residents and never wanted to go to the School For Gifted Unicorns?" Sunshine Rays questioned. "I never made friends because I liked reading and studying more than anything!" Luster reminded, "So, I probably would have went to Canterlot and become Priincess Twilight Sparkle's student!" "But, how can you learn nothing about friendship through that scenario? I mean, your parents run a friendship school, Princess Twilight Sparkle is still the Princess of Friendship." Falcon Dive asked. "I was sent to Sire's Hollow to live with my grandparents! They probably won't teach me anything about friendship!" Luster claimed. "But your parents are still about the same age as the Council of Friendship! And if their children were born years after we were, shouldn't it be more right for you to be born in the same generation as the said children?" Sunshine Rays asked. "And not to wish that your Mum gave birth to you so soon and put her and your Dad in the situation that Volcano just described !" Falcon Dive contributed. "Or...what if I wasn't their biological daughter! As in, some creature else's biological daughter!" Luster asked after thinking again. "WHAT?!" Krona asked. "You don't want to be your parents' biological daughter?!" Yellow Bright asked out loud. "No! I mean yes! I mean...It's not that I don't want to be their biological daughter, I was just asking wha if my biological parents were other ponies, and not Head-mare Starlight Glimmer and Vice Head-stallion Sunburst, then I can be born in the same generation as you are, and be Princess Twilight Sparkle's student, and got sent to Ponyville to meet you all?!" Luster clarified. "That sounds...complicated..." Alkali commented. "And not quite possible if you ask me!" Sunshine Rays went on, "Only your biological parents can make you exist, like their biological parents and ancestors can!" "What are you all talking about? It's getting late!" Eclipse Instant asked, showing up into the hallway where the party was held. "Head-mare Starlight figured that you would have cleaned up fast and took your shower sby now, but you haven't!" Shapeshifter explained, showing up as well. "Whoops! We kind of...forgot?" Yellow Bright nervously laughed and replied. "What?! You've been living here longer than Shapeshifter and I have after we finished going around Equestria and Beyond!" Eclipse responded. "How can you forget your routine of bathing after hosting a party here?" Shapeshifter questioned. "We were busy talking through something!" Buffer answered. "Something that makes Luster feel uncomfortable!" Krona added. "Don't worry, I'll clean up the remaining things with My Magic, while you all shower!" Luster told her best friends. "Are you sure? It is your tenth birthday..." Yellow Bright asked. "Twentieth!" Krona insisted. "Tenth!" Yellow Bright snapped. "Twentieth!" Krona disagreed. "How about a Multiple of ten, term birthday?!" Alkali asked. "Or, maybe Shapeshifter and I shall clean while you all shower." Eclipse Instant suggested. "Besides, we really realised being good is good, so as every good thing regardless of size!" Shapeshifter added, flying down to get a broom. "I couldn't be any happier after seeing that Princess Twilight Sparkle knew that I am currently living with you ten like she hoped for back when you saved Equestria for the first time, and making her happy does make me happy, so now I'm going to clean up for all of you, so you won't be upset." Eclipse Instant apprised the Heroic Ten. "Actually, we won't be upset if we couldn't clean up this time..." Alkali pointed out. "Doesn't matter, we'll clean up for you while you shower." Shapeshifter responded. "Shower! Of course! We haven't showered yet!" Evergreen said out loud. "And we should shower a minimum of once a day!" Volcano added. "Luster, shouldn't the birthday mare go first?" Alkali asked. "If you all insist..." Luster replied. Later that night, every creature was sound asleep, with the exception of Luster, who flipped around in bed, unable to sleep because of what she could not get out of her mind. "That age spell! Caused so many problems such as making me unable to sleep!" Luster groaned, "I would have been happier if it weren't for it!" "I wouldn't say so." a familiar voice could be heard saying. "Xian Zhe?!" Luster asked, knowing that the voice was his. "Outside the Castle, Luster." Xian Zhe's voice said, causing Luster to teleport outside and ind him in front of the Castle's golden doors entrance. "Xian Zhe! What are you doing here so late?" Luster asked. "Came to give you your birthday present from me because I had a feeling that it's better for you to see me now instead of the exact anniversary of your birthday, which is actually more than a week before today." the ancient serpent answered, using his tail to place down a brown book in front of the unicorn. "More than a week before today?!" Luster asked. "Actually, one day is 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4 seconds to be more accurate, and a year is 365.2422 days to be more accurate. And there are 2 leap years contributing 2 extra days after you were born. And those little differences multiplied to become a big difference. And as an ancient serpent, I know very accurate things." Xian Zhe explained, pushing the book forward towards Luster with his tail. "Wow, thanks, Xian Zhe..." Luster thanked, but she was obviously no where near happy. "What's bothering you, Luster? You usually get excited to have a new book, and I know that the book I got you is extremely rare and unique with nothing like it." Xian Zhe asked. "It's not the book, Xian Zhe! It's my backstory! How crazily complicated it is, how unusual, and most importantly, the irreversible age spell!" Luster exclaimed. "And you're thinking that you might be better off if it weren't for it?" Xian Zhe asked. Luster did not use words to answer, but nodding as she moved her head up and down allowed the ancient serpent to know what her answer was. "Well, I was planning to give you just the book for your birthday, but it seems like it's time for my stronger powers to come in." Xian Zhe figured. "Stronger than accurately knowing how old something is by examining them?" Luster asked. "Indeed, now Luster. What question will you like to ask now?" Xian Zhe asked, preparing a brew in a short but wide black cauldron. "Whether I'm really better off without that crazy backstory of mine." Luster answered. "Sorry, but you have to be more clear than just that. Like, ask what if...whatever you want to know!" Xian Zhe explained. "Well...in that case...What if the age spell never happened?" Luster asked. The cauldron bubbled before forming a bubble as big as a ball that could get stuck in the cauldron's circular area. The bubble managed to float up, losing contact with the cauldron, but stay directly above it by a small distance. "Go ahead, pop the bubble." Xian Zhe instructed the unicorn. Luster reached out one of her front hooves to touch the bubble, causing it to release a very bright white light. Luster opened up her eyes and looked around, everything was different: It was not night, it was day. And she was not in Ponyville, she was in Canterlot, right outside the School for Gifted Unicorns. "Canterlot in the afternoon? The School for Gifted Unicorns?" Luster asked, "Xian Zhe, what did the bubble do?" There was no reply from the ancient serpent, who was no where to be seen. "Xian Zhe?" Luster asked again, "Looks like I'm on my own." Just then, a pony walked right through Luster, causing her to gasp, "I'm...intangible?! And, no creature seems to notice me?!" Luster rushed to a nearby group of creatures consisting a hippogriff, a yak, and a griffon, asking "Excuse me? Do you know where to find Princess Twilight Sparkle around now?" The group not only did not reply, but did not respond to Luster at all, as they continued chatting as if she never existed. "Did they just...not seem to know I was here?!" Luster asked herself, in a panicked and shocked tone, before noticing some familiar ponies nearby. "Everything's going to be alright, Luster, we're there for you." Luster's paternal grandmother Stellar Flare said to a filly Luster Dawn, accompanying the said filly to the school. "Even though we won't be able to cheer nor say much, but we're sure our presence is everything you need." Luster's maternal grandfather Firelight, who was also accompanying the filly Luster, said. "This is the day I had that entrance exam! And my grandparents took me there! Did I just went back in time?!" Luster asked, before closing her eyes to scrub them with her front left hoof for a second, and finding herself seeing how her younger self took the exam, completing the project and impressing the examiners. "Congratulations, Luster Dawn. You are accepted into the School for Gifted Unicorns, and welcomed to stay here in Canterlot." Princess Twilight Sparkle told the filly. "That's odd," the real Luster said to herself, "Unless I remembered wrongly, this is the part when the age spell happened." "Please ensure that our Luster is in good hooves." Stellar Flare told Princess Twilight Sparkle. "Don't worry, I know how to handle kids like her, like my mentor did with me." Princess Twilight Sparkle assured. "Wait till her parents find out." Firelight added. "I'm sure they will very soon." Princess Twilight Sparkle responded, "I'll send a letter to them, and get room for one more student." The alicorn then walked away, leaving filly Luster with her grand parents. "Stay strong, without us, Luster." Stellar Flare told her granddaughter. "If you needed us, tell the princess to snd a letter to us." Firelight added. "Dn't worry, Grandmare and grandpa, I will." filly Luster assured, hugging her grandparents. "We will come back in a week to check on you," Stellar Flare informed. "What?! So soon?" young Luster asked. "Because we're your caregivers, we have to make sure you are in good care." Firelight responded. "Especially when your parents trusted us enough to let us take care of you all these years." Stellar Flare added. "We don't want to disappoint them, especially after how we never heard from them for a while in our life times." Firelight continued. "Don't worry, every creature. Luster Dawn's parents, who are friends of mine back in Ponyville, agreed to let me take care of Luster for as long as she needed, so you all can be assured that you have nothing to worry about. She probably will have enough to eat, drink, and enough space to do what she has to do! Starting with her own place to sleep in for as long as she studies here!" Princess Twilight Sparkle announced, upon returning to the room. "That's great news, indeed, Princess Twilight Sparkle." Firelight replied. "Can we take a look at how you are going to take care of our granddaughter her in Canterlot? We just wanted to make sure that it's completely alright." Stellar Flare asked. "Indeed, you may." Princess Twilight Sparkle responded, leading the family of unicorns out the room. The real Luster remained quiet, but by the looks on her face, she was curious and decided to follow them. "Students came from all over Equestria to attend the School before, so we have Dorms for them to reside in during their stay." Princess Twilight Sparkle explained, leading the family to the dorms and stopping in front of a door. The alicorn then used her magic to open the door, revealing a dorm with a bed, a desk, a closet, a water cooler, a small freezer, a clock on the wall, a small rainbow-coloured carpet on the floor and a door leading to a smaller room that was the washroom. "Just like any other dorm, his dorm has everything a student needs, other than food before they get some and put it in the freezer for keeping. The food is given at the beginning of every day: Enough for breakfast, and to store for lunch and dinner. But for new students who just enrolled, they will get their meals right after everything is settled for them." Princess Twilight Sparkle explained. "How very thoughtful of Princess Celestia to provide an environment like this for every student!" Firelight commented. "Not every student: Students who actually live in Canterlot and not come from somewhere else without their parents of guardians moving with them, don't get to have dorms, as they sleep where they live, outside of the School." Princess Twilight Sparkle corrected. "Oh, right. That way, there will be plenty for those who need the dorms." Stellar Flare replied. "Enough about the dorms, can we know what is usually served here?" Firelight asked. "Well, oats with nuts and berries is always breakfast in the morning, lunch can be rice or noodles or hay with some vegetables, or fruits, dinner is something similar, but not the same as the lunch of that day." Princess Twilight Sparkle explained. "Sounds healthy and just right." Stellar Flare commented. "And one more thing, in case a student needs help urgently, there is a hidden button they can press to alert me, or whoever is watching the school." Princess Twilight Sparkle swept the carpet aside, revealing a metal hatch that stood out from the floor's wooden texture. The metal hatch could be easily opened with a pull on the handle, revealing a red button under it. "This system may have replaced Princess Celestia's old system of how to call for help, which was ringing a bell, as it could take a while to find out which room's bell was the one ringing, but the change was worth it." Princess Twilight Sparkle explained, "With this system, any creature can easily tell which dorm needed help." "This place has everything!" Stellar Flare exclaimed, after knowing everything she needed to know. "Not everything. I don't see any books around here!" filly Luster exclaimed. The grown-ups giggled upon hearing what the filly said, before Princess Twilight Sparkle answered, "Oh, Luster, the books are in the School Library. Come on, I will show you." The real Luster, who had been with them in the dorm, seeing and hearing everything, was amazed, telling herself, "Since that age spell did not happen, the tour is the number one thing after the exam! What a waste of time that age spell costed!" The School Library was the final stop of the tour that Princess Twilight Sparkle was giving to filly Luster Dawn and the latter's grandparents. "The library is the place to be, for quiet and research, and study. Like a real library, books can be borrowed from here, and had to be returned on the day that t's due. If not, it's one bit per day after one month passed the due date unless returned." Princess Twilight Sparkle warned. "Don't worry, our granddaughter had read lots of books that she borrowed from the library back in Sire's Hollow!" Stellar Flare informed. "And they are always returned before the actual due date, there's no way she can have an overdue book." Firelight added. "I sure hope so, because it is never a good thing to have an overdue book, even if you're a princess." Princess Twilight Sparkle responded. "I know that, Princess Twilight Sparkle. And I promise I will make sure every book I borrowed from this library, or any other library, is returned before it can be overdue!" filly Luster Dawn saluted, causing the alicorn to laugh before replying. "Thanks, Luster Dawn. I'm sure the School For Gifted Unicorns will be welcomed to have you hear." The real Luster stared at the scene, "That's what I said after Princess Twilight showed me the library! Although, because of the age spell, there are some differences, but...everything's alright here." What Luster saw then faded into blackness, causing her to ask, "What?! Is that supposed to happen?" Colour and light then returned to make a view for Luster to see, only a different view compared to what Luster last saw. This time, Luster could see her filly self, with her parents visiting both the filly and Princess Twilight Sparkle. "Luster is having a wonderful time here." the alicorn told the unicorn couple. "Mum, Dad! You should have seen me earn my cutie mark during the entrance exam!" filly Luster exclaimed. "Sorry we missed it, Luster." Starlight Glimmer apologised. "We have to take care of the School of Friendship unless it's a school break. And the day of your entrance exam was not a school break day!"Sunburst added. "That's alright. Now that you're here, we can talk all we want in my dorm!" filly Luster exclaimed. "Alright, alright, we're coming!" Starlight Glimmer replied. The view then faded and was replaced by happened that night: Princess Twilight Sparkle and filly Luster Dawn waving goodbye to the latter's parents outside the School For Gifted Unicorns. "Goodbye now, Twilight. And please ensure that Luster is and remains in good care." Starlight said, hugging the alicorn before they parted. "Don't worry, Luster is just like I was when I was Celestia's pupil. I'm sure that everything's going to be fine." Princess Twilight replied. "Don't worry, Mum! I can take care of myself! You all figured I'm a child prodigy because of how fast I learnt to read and do things!" filly Luster reminded. "Yes, but you still got to be careful!" Sunburst pointed out. "I will!" filly Luster chirped. "Then see you both at the same time, next school break at our school..." Starlight Glimmer responded. "We will be looking forward to it." Princess Twilight Sparkle gratefully answered. "Princess Twilight Sparkle is right! We will be looking forward to it!" filly Luster aded, causing the three grown-ups to laugh. "The age spell...it never happened!" the real Luster said to herself, before gasping as she realised something "So this is the answer to my question!" The vision Luster saw faded once again, and was replaced by a terrifying view of dark skies in Equestria,and every creature being brainwashed as their eyes glowed green. She then saw that Canterlot did not look like the capital city she knew: Instead of towers, she could see a huge building shaped like an unicorn with an evil smile. "Is that...a building modelled after Eclipse Instant?!" Luster asked herself, before hearing the voice of some creature she thought she knew well... "That's right, every creature! Bow when you see me, and do not stop until you can't!" Luster gasped to see who was pulling the princess' chariot: Siverstream and Ocellus in the latter's hippogriff form! "Professor Silverstream?! Professor Ocellus?!" the pink unicorn called, but there was no response, as the creatures continued to pull the chariot with Twilight, wearing a crown and a queen's royal robes, riding in it. "What is going on? That's not like Princess Twilight at all!" Luster cried, before she realised something after some quick thinking, "Unless...that's not really Princess Twilight Sparkle! But Eclipse Instant, in Princess Twilight's body! And Eclipse not being reformed! And conquered Equestria!" The vision faded into blackness before in reality, Luster opened her eyes to find Xian Zhe looking at her. "What happened?" Luster asked. "What you saw for the last 2 hours, 18 minutes, and 34 seconds is an alternate reality that answers your question." the ancient serpent explained. "In that reality...I saw myself...remaining a filly after the entrance exam...because the age spell never happened!" Luster exclaimed. "That's because your question was, and I quote, 'What if the age spell never happened?' So the cauldron made a magic bubble that when popped, shows you what happens according to that scenario." Xian Zhe explained. "But...it ended with showing me a terrible world...where all of Equestria had been conquered and brainwashed...by who I think was an unreformed Eclipse Instant, still having Princess Twilight Sparkle's body!" Luster cried. "Why do you think that what you described, happened in that reality?" Xian Zhe asked. "Because Eclipse wasn't defeated?" Luster asked. "And, why wasn't she defeated?" Xian Zhe asked. "Probably because the creatures who stopped her in this reality didn't stop her in that reality!" Luster answered. "And why didn't they stop her?" Xian Zhe questioned. Luster thought for a while, before gasping, "Because in that reality, I never got to be biologically ten years older than I really am! It's only because of my age...I mean...my biological age, that I could be sent to Ponyville the way I was sent!" "So...summary is: Because the age spell never happened, never got sent to Ponyville, resulting in no creature stopping Eclipse Instant, who conquered and brainwashed all of Equestria." Xian Zhe figured, "So...do you think that the age spell is still a bad thing?" "Not completely bad...but it still makes me feel uncomfortable!" Luster complained, "I can't believe something that makes me so uncomfortable is the one key to making Princess Twilight Sparkle snd me too Ponyville!" "The cauldron can still take a few more questions before needing to recharge for sure. Any more questions you'd like to ask?" Xian Zhe asked. Luster thought for a while before asking, "What if I was born in the same generation as the rest of the Heroic Ten?" Luster asked, causing another bubble to form. Just like before, Luster touched and popped the bubble, getting to see the alternate reality that answered the question. This time, Luster saw a young adult unicorn who was herself, but talking to two creatures whom the real her, did not know. "Which way out?" the Luster in the alternate reality asked. "I think it's this way," the blue dragon said, her voice revealing her gender to the real Luster. "But I think it's that way!" the yellow Kirin pointed at another tunnel, revealing her gender through the sound of her voice. "This place...is the Catacombs underneath Canterlot!" the real Luster gasped, after looking around. "If we don't find our way out, Princess Twilight is going too..." the alternate reality Luser gulped, finding herself unable to finish the sentence. "Control every creature once they attend the celebration today?! We know!" the blue dragon replied. "But which way out?" the yellow Kirin asked. "I hope we find the right way...for as long as we've been friends for longer than one and a half decades!" the alternate reality Luster said, making the real Luster gasp. "Longer than one and a half decade?! That means that the age spell never happened here, too!" "When we were all three, we met at the Friendship Festival hosted to get creatures together in harmony as Equestria and Beyond were still adjusting to the changes made since the former rulers retired." the yellow Kirin remembered. "You were at first unwilling to make friends, since you were dragged to the festival by your grandparents, until you returned the ball we lost to us when we accidentally bounced it out of the three-year-olds' playpen!" the blue dragon recalled. "After returning it to you, and having to toss it back after you kept knocking it out several times, I found it fun and joined you two playing."the alternate reality Luster continued. "Then when our parents and your grandparents came to fetch us, they decided to take us to Canterlot once every two weeks so we can play while they have a good time." the yellow Kirin resumed. "And when we're finally old enough to look after ourselves, you, Luster, went to the School for Gifted Unicorns, while we meet up with you once a week!" the blue dragon went on. "And got through everything together!" the three females in the alternate reality hoof and claw bumped as they said in unison. "We will find a way out of this." the alternate reality Luster declared. The real Luster was stunned to hear everything the friends said, asking herself, "Not being born in the generation I was born in, resulted in me making other friends?!" The vision faded and was replaced by the terrifying vision of the world with Eclipse Instant unreformed, and still in Princess Twilight Sparkle's body, ruling over Equestria as a tyrant. "Eclipse is still unreformed even under these conditions?" Luster asked, "But, if the me in this world discovered her plans, wouldn't this world's me, and her...I mean...my...whatever friends have stopped her?! As in, wouldn't this reality's Eclipse Instant be stopped by this reality's Luster and this reality's Luster's friends?!" the real Luster asked, before getting to see what the creatures she mentioned were going through: The creatures were lost in the catacombs, as it was nothing other than a huge maze. They grew hungrier and hungrier and soon, they could not go any further as they were too hungry and had no energy. While outside the catacombs, the unreformed Eclipse Instant, still in Princess Twilight Sparkle's body, had conquered the areas even further beyond Equestria. The vision faded as in reality, Luster opened her eyes to see Xian Zhe again, who asked her, "So...how did things go this time?" "Not so good, still." Luster answered, "In that reality, I...I mean that reality's me, made friends, but not the same friends I have in this reality, and in that reality, the friends never succeeded in helping that reality's me get out of the catacombs underneath Canterlot to defeat that reality's Eclipse Instant! And worse, the vision showed the friends...suffering from starvation to the point that they could not move much!" "So, they probably never defeated Eclipse, and the reality...is doomed." Xian Zhe figured. "I sure am glad that in this reality, my best friends and I got out and managed to defeat Eclipse." Luster said, sounding grateful, as she had a bit of a smile on her face after she finished her sentence. "So, does that answers your ultimate question?" Xian Zhe asked. "My ultimate question?" Luster asked. "You know, whether you are better off without the age spell or not?" Xian Zhe clarified. "Actually, I still got lots of questions I will like to ask..." Luster responded, turning to face the cauldron. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Luster Dawn, don't forget that this is a real magical cauldron, not a toy! You can't ask it countless questions in one go! Nor in one night! Please, think wisely before you ask it a question!" Xian Zhe warned Luster, blocking the former's way to the cauldron. "Alright...let me think for a while." Luster replied, before pacing and talking to herself as soft as possible, "I could have asked what if the age spell never happened, but I got sent to Ponyville because my parents live in the said town! But I might wind up making different friends who couldn't help stop Eclipse Instant again, so it's not worth asking. What if I was born in the same generation as my friends but still got to become best friends with them?" "You got to think twice about that, Luster! And use what you saw as your answer the past two times!" Xian Zhe called. "You overheard what I said?!" Luster asked. "I can as an ancient serpent, but sometimes, I don't reveal that ability through my response." Xian Zhe explained. "Let me think. I saw a reality that showed what happened if I was born in the same generation as my best friends, but winded up making other friends and being best friends with them instead, at a Friendship Festival hosted to get creatures together as Equestria and Beyond is still adjusting to the changes made since the former rulers retired. And according to that reality's creatures, I was dragged to the festival by my grandparents! That's how I winded up meeting those friends there in the first place!" Luster said as she thought, "So...what if I was never dragged there?!" "You got to think more than that, Luster! Try thinking what else could happen to you in that reality yourself, before asking a question that is mostly worth asking." Xian Zhe advised. "Alright...even if I was never dragged to the festival, there probably be the experience of every creature adjusting! I managed to avoid other creatures in this reality, but I had lesser time, too! In a reality where I am born in the same generation as my best friends, I'd had plenty of time and chances to make friends, especially when I'm the daughter of the heads of a friendship school, and in a world where friendship is cared about so much, and in a kingdom under the rule of the Council of Friendship! I might never had met my best friends in those conditions as many creatures could have tried introducing me to other friends!" Luster figured. "So, asking if you were born in that generation, isn't going to be a good question to ask anymore, is it?" Xian Zhe asked. "It isn't...unless I asked what if I was born in the same generation as my best friends, but was not the daughter of Head-mare Starlight Glimmer and Vice-head stallion Sunburst!" Luster asked out loud, causing another bubble to be formed and released. Once again, Luster saw a vision of the alternate reality's creatures and their world. This time, she saw a small village that was like no place she had ever seen, and her filly self in a house, reading a book, just as a unicorn mare with a coat that matched the filly's coat colour, walked into the room. "Luster, guess what? You get to take an entrance exam to get into the School for Gifted Unicorns, run by the Ruler of Equestria, Princess Twilight Sparkle!" the mare informed. "Yes! Yes! Yes!" the filly exclaimed, hopping around, "I can't wait to get in, Mum!" The real Luster was stunned to see the alternate reality's her being the daughter of some creature she did not know. "I could have been the daughter of a regular unicorn?" Luster asked, before seeing clips of what happened down this alternate reality's line. "Congratulations, Luster. You've passed the exam, and got your cutie mark, and got to have this school as your school for as long as you study here! Which can actually even go up to a decade unlike most schools!" Princess Twilight Sparkle informed the filly Luster, with the latter's parents nearby to listen as well. Seeing a stallion with a blue coat, mane and eyes that matched hers, made the real Luster feel a bit uncomfortable, as she never imagined having some creature else as her father. "Yes! Yes! Yes!" the filly happily leapt around in joy, while her parents talked to the princess. "So, our daughter will have everything she needs to survive in here, for sure?" the unicorn stallion asked. "Of course she will! Alongside the other students! I mean, what will all of Equestria and Beyond think if a school ran by the Ruler of Equestria never provided such basic and important needs?" Twilight assured. "You have a point, your majesty. But is it alright if I came and checked on her once every two days?" the unicorn mare asked. "Mum!" the filly Luster complained. "If you felt that there's a need to, you can. But please, don't make it a routine for more than a month." Princess Twilight replied. The vision faded and was replaced with clips of the alternate reality's Luster growing up, avoiding the other students in the school, and not caring much about creatures nor their activities when outside of school, as she just walked pass them. Soon, the vision showed the Council of Friendship in the throne room with the reality's Luster, during the latter's young adulthood. "I know exactly where to send you, but do you think your parents will allow it?" Princess Twilight Sparkle asked. "Better make sure they'd approve." Luster responded. The scene faded and a new scene, taking place at night, took place, with the alternate reality's Luster being embarrassed in front of the other members of the Heroic Ten in that reality, at the entrance of the School of Friendship. "Make sure you send letters to us, everyday and every night!" the mother unicorn reminded. "Mum! Calm down! I will!" Luster insisted. "And make sure that you don't make any bad friends!" the unicorn father added, offending the creatures in that reality. "Bad friends?! Why, unicorn stallion just..." Krona angrily responded, ready to give the stallion a lesson, but was stopped by Buffer. "Krona, it's not worth being mad!" "The School of Friendship is always in good care nowadays!" Starlight Glimmer informed the parents. "Your daughter will be in good care here." Sunburst added. "I can never imagine my parents not being my parents!" the real Luster said to herself. The vision then faded to show what happened after the defeat of Eclipse Instant. The parents of Luster in the alternate reality rushing up to their daughter. "Oh, Luster! Thank heavens you are alright!" the unicorn mare exclaimed, rushing to hug her daughter. "We can't believe that you just defeated a villainess!" the unicorn stallion added. "Can you please don' address some creature by that word you just said?" Nature Bloom asked. "Now that you've graduated, are you moving back home with us?!" the unicorn mare asked her daughter, giving a big smile in an attempt to persuade the alternate reality's Luster to do as she said. "Sorry, Mum and Dad, but Princess Twilight Sparkle just figured that me and my best friends here should move into her old castle, in Ponyville, a very centralised in Equestria town, so we won't be too far away from anywhere." Luster informed. "Actually, Ponyville is far from some places in Equestria, but since it isn't in the North, South, East nor West of the land, there's no place that's the furthest from it, as there's no position being the opposite of the center." Volcano corrected. "But...a castle's too big for you! You'd get lost!" the unicorn stallion panicked. "Don't worry, Sunburst and I live in the castle, you can count on us to guide her and her best friends around!" Starlight Glimmer apprised the parents. "We are not convinced so easily! I'd say we move into the castle, too!" the alternate reality mother of Luster declared, to the shock of every creature. As a result, not only was moving in harder for the Heroic Ten, but helping Eclipse Instant earn every creature's forgiveness was nearly impossible with the overprotective parents being overwhelmed by the disguised Shapeshifter's deceptions. Causing the parents to hurry their daughter back into the Castle. "We're sorry Luster, but you're not safe here with that unicorn who might do bad again!" the unicorn stallion apologised. "We'll ask Princess Twilight Sparkle if it's alright for you to stay somewhere in Canterlot, where it's safer." the unicorn mare added, to her daughter's shock. "But, my best friends and I just saved you and all of Equestria! I can handle risks like they can!" Luster argued. "Sorry, Luster. But we can't risk you taking such risks." the unicorn stallion informed. Soon, the alternate reality's Luster waved goodbye to her best friends in front of the Castle of Friendship. "We will miss you." Evergreen said sadly. "Don't worry, at least you'll come to visit," Luster assured. "As soon as we can finally help Eclipse earn forgiveness after what happened at Sweet Apple Acres..." Sunshine Rays pointed out. "Poor Eclipse, she can't go anywhere until her name's been cleared!" Alkali added. "Don't worry, we won't let any of those four creatures spread more lies!" Yellow Bright saluted. "If we knew how!" Falcon Dive contributed. "Right now, Eclipse's going to stay in the Castle Library with Miss Sunset Shimmer!" Krona declared. "Until her name's cleared!" Buffer added. "And not just her. The Council of Friendship and their families are all affected by those creatures' lies!" Sunshine Rays reminded. "Excluding Madam Fluttershy's family and Princess Twilight Sparkle's unless you include her adoptive family-in-law due to her adoptive brother being married to Madam Rarity, who is affected." Volcano corrected. "Not to forget that whole school!" Nature Bloom reminded. "Hopefully you all can fix things without me." Luster responded. "We will try our best." Falcon Dive answered, before they shared a group hug, and let Luster leave. The next thing the real Luster saw in that reality was Lil'Cheese's immediate family alongside the Cake Twins suffering from the absence of customers, and left with no choice but to move to the Castle of Friendship, to the foal's dismay. "But Sugar Cube Corner's our home!" Lil'Cheese wailed. "Sorry, Lil'Cheese. We couldn't earn anything to live in that place!" Pinkie Pie sadly apologised, "Look on the bright side, at least we've got a castle that's a lot bigger and better!" "But it's not Sugar Cube Corner!" the colt complained. "I can't believe that some creature's got to be Captain of the Wonderbolts because the team isn't convinced that we're not under a spell!" Rainbow Dash complained to her husband Soarin, as they flew home to Rainbow's cloudominium. "I can't believe it, too, Rainbow. But at least we still have each other and the kids." Soarin reminded. At a closed Carousel Boutique, its residents were moving out. "Goodbye, Caoursel Boutique! I will miss you and everything we've been through!" Rarity dramatically cried, as her children, and helpers Yona and Sandbar watched. "Come on, get over that already, Mum!" Sparity called. "We don't want to leave too, but had no choice because no creature ever wants to buy stuff from you recently!" Precious Treasure added. "That we have to move to a glorious castle!" Rarity responded, "But leave our home!" The white unicorn dramatically cried once again, just before being interrupted by a sad Apple Family from Sweet Apple Acres. "You're not the only ones who have to leave home." Applejack sadly informed, "Because of every creature thinking that all of the apples of our farm are cursed, no creature dares to visit us nor buy apple products from us anymore!" "We have no choice but to move into Princess Twilight Sparkle's old castle." Caramel added. "Eeyup." Big Mac nodded. "But at least we're all together!" Sugar Belle stated. "But we'll miss the farm!" Sweet Caramel Apple said. "Really, really miss it." Big Sugar supported. The vision vanished and Luster was once again seeing and hearing things in the reality she belonged in, as Xian Zhe questioned, "So, what answers did you get?" "Not good ones." Luster explained, "Eclipse Instant may be defeated, but she couldn't earn forgiveness because of four creatures claiming that she was up to no good in public, and not only framed her, but also caused problems for a majority of the Council of Friendship, who had to leave their homes to move into the Castle of Friendship!" "And, why did that happen in that reality, but not this one?" Xian Zhe asked. Luster tough for a while, before gasping, "Because, my best friends and I stopped Shapeshifter, and cleared every creature's names! But in that reality, my parents...I mean, the parents of that reality's Luster Dawn, prevented her from living in the Castle with her best friends, which resulted in Shapeshifter not being stopped, and every creature whom he affected, remained affected!" "Now are you finally convinced that things in this reality are the best?" Xian Zhe asked. "I am more convinced, but I still got questions!" Luster admitted. "You got to make a wise one, because by the looks of the cauldron, it can only answer one more question before it needs to recharge." Xian Zhe informed. Luster paced and whispered to herself, "Maybe I should ask what if the age spell is finally reversed somehow after all this time! But, that will cause inconvenience for the Heroic Ten, something we all figured, so that's not worth asking. I can ask what if I was born in the same generation as my best friends and still get to meet them! But, that will be like...still getting sent to Sire's Hollow before the School for Gifted Unicorns! What if I was raised by my parents? I would have known about friendship and made some other friends!" "If you got nothing, you can just admit it." Xian Zhe told the unicorn. "I got it!" Luster sad out loud, before walking to the cauldron to ask "What if, I was born in the same generation as the rest of the Heroic Ten, but made friends that managed to defeat Eclipse Instant and Shapeshifter?" This time, instead of seeing creatures in the alternate reality, Luster saw nothing but a doomed world, with no plants, no creatures, no water, no clear blue sky, nor anything but a city of buildings with machines that stopped working. "What happened here?" Luster asked, walking downtown to investigate. "Hello?! Any creature here?!" Luster called, before she remembered, "Oh, I'm intangible and invisible to everything in this reality I'm seeing." After a walk that seemed like forever, Luster found a board that showed the population of Equestria and Beyond on a bar graph throughout the decades. The bars were long at fist, but became shorter and shorter, then finally at zero. "It's saying that every creature went extinct?!" Luster gasped, "But, how can this be?!" She looked around once again, and saw not a single living creature in sight, just before the vision faded as Luster saw Xian Zhe in the actual reality again. "That took a lot shorter than the last times." the ancient serpent commented. "Xian Zhe, this time...I didn't see a creature...not a single one!" Luster informed. "Why do you think that's possible?" Xian Zhe asked. "I don't know! All I saw was a dark world with tall concrete buildings, machines that aren't working. And a bar graph that showed the population had decreased and went to zero!" Luster exclaimed. "Put all that together, what do you think happened?" Xian Zhe asked. "Well...machines are used to do things and some work for us creatures, so those machines must have...or had done that before stopping. Creatures in the cities live in buildings, so those buildings used to be homes for creatures, before the creature population went down!" Luster figured. "But, why do you think that the population went down?" Xian Zhe asked again. Luster thought for a while, before figuring it out, "Because...the machines might have made them have lesser work to do, that they think that they do not need to work, nor do anything, and became very lazy!" "Anything else?" Xian Zhe questioned. "Not that I can think of..." Luster answered. "Here's a hint: What did you tell me about your Best Friend Sunshine Rays? About why she can be quite...homophobic?" Xian Zhe asked, making Luster figure it out. "Because, she knew that if we don't have opposite sex couples to produce children, we will have lesser and lesser of us in the future, and the economy and society will collapse!" "And, why wasn't that stopped, when your question was what if you were born in the same generation as the rest of the Heroic Ten, but made friends that managed to defeat Eclipse Instant and Shapeshifter?" Xian Zhe reminded. Luster gasped as she realised something that shocked her, "In that reality, the Luster Dawn there must have made friends with a different group of creatures, who have stopped Eclipse and Shapeshifter, but not the disastrous futures that the Heroic Ten are doing everything to prevent from happening!" "Exactly! The cauldron must have figured that you can figure it out." Xian Zhe commented. "With help from you, Xian Zhe. Thank you so much..." Luster thanked, hugging the ancient serpent, who warmly accepted the hug. "Let me guess, for answering those questions of yours?" Xian Zhe asked. "More than that. You showed me that my backstory may be crazy, but it's really for the better. Although, I might have a lot of other questions to ask the cauldron, but seeing those realities is enough to make me realise, that not only am I better off with the age spell happening, but every creature and the world is. And most importantly, learn a valuable lesson through realisation." Luster explained. "A valuable lesson? Shouldn't that be reported to a certain princess?" Xian Zhe asked, causing Luster to chuckle. "Indeed." the unicorn then quickly teleported off to get a scroll and quit, and returned to where she was, saying her letter for the princess out loud as she wrote it. Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle, I just learnt a valuable lesson through the realisation that my backstory of being sent to Sire's Hollow to be raised by my grandparents instead of my parents, and then performing an irreversible age spell on myself by accident, before being sent to Ponyville, may all sound crazy and make me uncomfortable, but is really for the better. If it weren't for it, I might never have been best friends with the creatures who could save Equestria's present and future. The main point is, even something uncomfortable can be what is best, as my backstory may make me uncomfortable, but since it prevented all the bad things that can happen if it weren't for it, from happening, it really is for the better. This lesson is one valuable lesson that I hope to always remember in my heart, and hope that you and every creature will, too. Signed, your faithful student, Luster Dawn After sending the letter away with her magic, Luser saw the sun coming up. "Looks like I learnt all that just in time." the unicorn commented. "Indeed. The princess is awake to receive it, and your breakfast time is about to start." Xian Zhe responded. "Speaking of breakfast, will you like to have breakfast with my parents, and my best friends?" Luster asked. "Ancient serpents may usually avoid society, but, I have a feeling that your society, is a good exception." Xian Zhe answered. Later in the Dining Room, every creature was waiting for a certain unicorn. "Where's Luster?" an impatient Falcon Dive asked, "Doesn't she know it's breakfast?!" "Right here!" Luster replied, rushing in by galloping, "And I brought a guest! Every creature, meet a friend of mine whom Gloss Semblance and I met when the Map called us: An ancient serpent named Xian Zhe!" Xian Zhe appeared through the door right after Luster said his name, surprising every creature. "An ancient serpent?!" Sunburst asked. "That's right, every creature. I am Xian Zhe, an ancient serpent, and friend of Luster Dawn's. Ancient serpents like me usually don't interact with creature society, but knowing that Luster can be trusted, you're all an exception." Xian Zhe announced. "That's good to know!" Nature Bloom responded. "But, why are you visiting so early in the morning?" Starlight asked. "He didn't. He visited last night to give me my birthday present from him!" Luster informed, using her magic to levitate the book that Xian Zhe gave her, showing it to every creature, "He actually wanted to give me this book on my exact birthday anniversary, but figured that it was better for him to visit me, after my birthday party, which turned out to be true as it was indeed, better for him to visit me after my birthday party, as he managed to prove to me that my crazy backstory is actually a good thing! Despite leaving me different from every creature as my chronological and biological ages don't match!" "I was actually going to tell you a True Story of a pony being stuck frozen in ice for fifty years having the same situation as you do once he was freed: His chronological and biological ages did not match! But...I think that you're all better, even without that story about some creature else going through something very similar!" Volcano notified. "And one more thing. Luster, Krona and Yellow Bright wanted to say that we're sorry for causing so much trouble with their constant arguing yesterday..." Krona apologised. "Yeah, we were foolish to argue over something not so important!" Yellow Bright added. "From now on, whenever it's Luster's birthday, whichever cake or number that goes first, doesn't matter!" Krona saluted. "We'll just celebrate!" Yellow Bright summarised. "Thanks, you two. Although, your argument is not completely bad..." Luster began, before being cut off by Sunshine Rays. "Be careful with your words, Luster! They can be an influence! And I'd apologise for saying this, but I won't say that arguments can be a good thing." "I know Sunshine. I don't support arguments, but their argument lead me to learning that something uncomfortable can be really for the better." Luster clarified. "Now how did you learn that?" Sunshine Rays asked. "I have a role to play in that. And I can't wait to tell you all about it." Xian Zhe responded, before beginning to tell the creatures what happened,"It all began last night as I came to Ponyville to give Luster her birthday present..." 25. Stone-Hearted, Part OneAuthor's Note Stone-Hearted, Part One serves as the first part of the two=parted Season 1 finale, and the twenty-fifth episode of the series. Summary: When the Council of Friendship did not send a word to the temporarily in charge of Equestria in their absence Princess Cadence, the Heroic Ten adventure to the Stone Mountain of Nothingness, bringing Trixie along with them due to a promise half of the team made with the Guidance Counsellor, plus Discord, whose magic came in handy. Acknowledgements: Differences between Sea and Ocean Difference between Guests and Visitors 25. Stone-Hearted, Part One In the Throne Room in Canterlot, the Council of Friendship were having a meeting as they looked at a map of all of Equestria and Beyond. "This is a map of everything involved in the range of areas we know." Princess Twilight Sparkle began, "Even with families passing their homes down their family lines, we still are going to need a lot of land to build new houses, farms and reservoirs and everything." "But we cannot cut down forests nor take over areas with grass! We need those plants as much as little animals would! Especially when they clear up the air from all the pollution we're making!" Fluttershy added. "You mean all the carbon dioxide that we breathe out and produce when we burn trash for energy? Yes, that's the pollution." Spike pointed out. "We can ask all Pegasi to live in the skies above ground..." Rainbow Dash suggested. "But most creatures are not Pegasi!" Rarity reminded. "All hippogriffs and changelings could transform into sea ponies and live underwater?" Rainbow Dash asked. "But that could invade the homes of fishes and animals that depend on water as they live in bodies of water!" Fluttershy protested. "Maybe I can build another barn and get my family living in Caramel's former house that he donated to them after he married me, to move into the barn so some creature else can have the house?" Applejack asked. "That wouldn't solve much, would that?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Or, maybe we don't have to build new buildings! We can have them live in the wild like old time cave-ponies would!" Pinkie Pie suggested, dressing up like a cave-pony wearing animal skin as clothing. "Cave-ponies?!" Fluttershy whimpered, "No way!" "Sorry, I don't think that that's a good idea, Pinkie." Princess Twilight Sparkle apologised, before looking back at the map, saying out loud, "We need somewhere that doesn't have any flora nor fauna to hurt." "Maybe we could make more cities like Manhattan! Hundreds or even thousands of creatures can live in a single hundred meters square!" Rarity suggested to the rest of the Council of Friendship. "And how is that possible?!" Rainbow Dash asked. "Because, Manehattan has buildings with apartments that go up a hundred floors!" Rarity exclaimed. "Are you sure?!" Rainbow Dash asked. "What Rarity meant is, the buildings with apartment floors go up so high, that they can have lots of space for creatures to live in, all while taking up lesser land because it takes up lesser area on the ground!" Spike clarified. "But, who wold want to live in a city when everywhere we go is mostly a town or a village?" Fluttershy asked. "I know who would!" Pinkie Pie raised her hoof, "Rarity! She loves Manehattan!" "What?! Pinkie Pie, I love Manehattan, but not as much as I love Ponyville! Ponyville is my home!" Rarity protested. "And ours, too!" the other mares except for Twilight, shouted in unison. "I got it! We can try building new buildings on The Stone Mountain of Nothingness, which is right on the other side of the South Luna Ocean." Princess Twilight Sparkle announced. "The Stone Mountain of Nothingness?" Rainbow Dash asked. "It got it's name because nothing is found living near it, nor in it." Princess Twilight Sparkle explained. "When was it found, exactly?" Fluttershy asked. "Ages ago, before we were all even born." Princess Twilight Sparkle answered. "Shouldn't we check it, just to make sure there really are no flora nor fauna living in it? I mean, things change over time, and there might be some living things capable of living in there, living in there!" Fluttershy pointed out. "And we shouldn't kick them out of their homes because we needed space!" Applejack added. "We have to make sure that there are indeed, zero living things to hurt there, before doing whatever we need to do." Princess Twilight Sparkle announced. "So...does that mean..." Spike began, before Pinkie Pie beat him to saying the next word. "Adventure!" After the series theme song intro played, it was evening, and the Heroic Ten members were retuning to the Castle of Friendship for dinner after work. "Back from my duties in the sky!" Falcon Dive announced, as he flew into the castle. "I'm back from getting more writing supplies, so I can write more of my books mainly focusing on morality and virtues and the right thing to do!" Sunshine Rays announced, flying into the castle. "And I'm back from delivering." Buffer ended. "And you're all in time for dinner!" Sunburst informed. Once every creature was in the Dining Room, Starlight Glimmer entered with a huge pot in her magic's grasp. "Who's ready for today's dinner consisting pumpkin soup?" Starlight Glimmer asked cheerfully, levitating a huge pot down onto the table, right in the middle so every creature would not have problems getting it. "Krona's definitely ready for soup!" Krona exclaimed. "And perhaps some news?" Falcon Dive asked. "News?" Buffer questioned. "I saw the Council of Friendship in their chariot, heading south west this afternoon." Falcon Dive informed. "They are probably going to check on a location in Equestria, nothing much." Volcano figured. "But, don't they usually announce where they would be going before they actually go there? I mean, with the Ruler of Equestria present, wouldn't the creatures there go a little crazy as royalty was visiting without any word, resulting in the town having nothing prepared for a royal visit?" Alkali asked. "Well...when Appleloosa was suffering from a lack of water, the Council of Friendship visited there, without any declaration before they did so." Buffer remembered. "That's because the town is facing a crisis!" Nature Bloom pointed out. "And, as the rulers of Equestria, the Council of Friendship had to do something!" Evergreen stated. "So maybe, somewhere in Equestria has a crisis that attracts the council!" Volcano summarised. "Whatever it is, the Council of Friendship should be able to handle it. They always do." Yellow Bright assured. "And in the meantime, let's have soup!" Starlight Glimmer announced, beginning to serve the soup to every creature with her magic. Meanwhile, at the very top of the Stone Mountain of Nothingness, the Council of Friendship had set a camp right next to their chariot. "The sunset is just beautiful, isn't it?" Rarity asked, looking at what she mentioned with her husband Spike. "It sure is, Rare. I'm glad that we can see this together after how long we didn't see each other after every meeting." Spike responded, just before being interrupted by Pinkie Pie's voice. "Guess what this is!" The part pony was making some shadow puppets against one of the boulders on the top of the mountain, as part of a game she was playing with Applejack. "That's easy, it's a bunny!" Applejack answered. "Uh-uh! It's a hare!" Pinkie Pie responded. "Bunny, hare...what's the difference?!" Applejack sarcastically asked. "Well, bunnies are usually referring to small rabbits, mostly baby rabbits. While hares are larger than rabbits." Fluttershy explained, walking towards the two Earth Ponies. "No storm clouds around, every creature! We should have an awesome camping adventure ahead of us!" Rainbow Dash announced, returning to the group. "Thanks, Rainbow Dash, now let's have dinner, then some sleep before checking this place out in the morning." Princess Twilight Sparkle instructed. "Can't we treat this like a campout and NOT go to sleep so soon?" Pinkie Pie asked like a child. "Well, since we don't usually do this for a long time, I suppose we can...just this once." Princess Twilight Sparkle answered after thinking for a while. "Gorgeous! Because I have just the story to tell before bed!" Rarity announced. "Let's not forget dinner first." Spike reminded, bringing his bag of supplies, and taking out a lunchbox. The next morning, Featherweight delivered newspapers throughout Ponyville like usual, before delivering the last newspaper to the Castle of Friendship. "Newspaper delivery!" the pegasus called, knocking on the castle's golden door. "Alright, alright, we're here to get the delivery!" Eclipse Instant told Featherweight, walking out of the castle after hearing his constant knocking and calling. "Sorry, just wanted to make sure some creature's here to get it." Featherweight apologised. "What happens if no creature's at home?" Eclipse Instant asked. "Then the newspaper will go into their mailbox." Featherweight replied, causing them both to look at the mailbox for the Castle of Friendship's residents' mail. "WHAT?! You could have just always put the mail in there than call and knock!" Eclipse complained, as her horn glowed and several little magic sparks came out. Featherweight backed off in fear, before Eclipse calmed down and apologised, "Sorry...I can get annoyed easily at times. Just please put the newspaper in the mailbox next time." "Is that what Head-mare Starlight Glimmer wanted? Because she wanted the newspaper to be delivered directly to some creature living in the Castle, so that they all will know the news! And it's usually Sunshine Rays who gets it, because she usually stays in the Castle!" Featherweight informed. "Whatever! I suggest that the newspaper should be put in he mailbox so whenever some creature collects mail, they will collect the newspaper alongside it!" Eclipse Instant informed. "If you say so," Featherweight responded, turning to the mailbox in an attempt to put the newspaper there. "But...if some creature who resides in the Castle of Friendship is right in front of you, you can just give them the newspaper!" Eclipse Instant notified. "Sorry for all the trouble, next time talk faster so I won't do anything wrong that can be prevented!" Featherweight suggested, giving Eclipse the newspaper before taking off. "Eclipse, you got the newspaper?" Sunshine Rays asked, flying towards the unicorn. "Yes, I do. Not a big deal." the unicorn replied. "I actually overheard the conversation and know that you told Mr Featherweight to do something that Head-mare Starlight Glimmer never said anything about!" Sunshine Rays informed in a somewhat scolding tone. "I thought that was best, so I said that!" Eclipse Instant protested. "That's what you thought, but not know! Think and know are not synonyms nor antonyms! So you can't trust what you think is best to be the real best! Do I have to teach you morality lectures, too?!" Sunshine Rays asked, as the mares headed inside. "Why do you always make big deals out of these little things?" Eclipse Instant asked, getting annoyed. "Because I'm moral! Concerned for right and wrong! To the point that I abandon my desires that are against what I know and feel is right!" Sunshine Rays blurted out. "You fight against desires? I thought that doing what is right is what you always wanted." Eclipse Instant asked. "It is, but sometimes I wanted to do something that is not so right, and have to battle that desire to stay on morality's track." Sunshine Rays replied. "What are you girls talking about?" Shapeshifter asked, with a mop in his front legs, since he was mopping the floor. "Morality?" Eclipse Instant answered. "All started from when Eclipse told Mr Featherweight to put the newspaper in the mailbox instead of call and knock, something Head-mare Starlight never said!" Sunshine Rays told the changeling in front of her. "What?! Eclipse, why did you do the?" Shpaeshifter asked. "Because I was annoyed by the calls and knocks?" Eclipse Instant answered. "Annoyed or not, we shouldn't just go around telling others things our way." Shapeshifter informed. "That's what I was trying to tell her. Not some creature in charge, should never take charge in their absence without their approval nor words. Plus, even if you were left in charge, I don't think that telling some creature else to do something that the original commander never said is acceptable!" Sunshine Rays blurted out. "Classic Sunshine. Should have known that you will always make a big deal out of everything because of how strict you are." Eclipse Instant said. "I'm only being this strict because I like being moral! I can't just let immoral deeds happen, regardless of their size!" Sunshine Rays ended her part of the conversation, "Now if you excuse me, I got to finish my example of what a good children's book is like! Filled with reality facts like, there's no way a restaurant will serve you something that's not on the menu other than plain water!" "Yup, that's definitely Sunshine Rays for you." Shapeshifter apprised to Eclipse Instant, watching the white pegasus walk away. That evening, once every creature returned and gathered in the Dining room for dinner, Starlight asked the only pegasus in the area, "So, Sunshine. Did we get the newspaper today?" "We did, but I believe that that question should be answered by Eclipse Instant." Sunshine Rays responded. "I was only trying to help! And I do have reasons to think that having whoever delivering newspapers putting the newspaper in the mailbox is better than having them knock on the door and call until some creature answers!" Eclipse protested. "Wait, you told Mr Featherweight to put the newspaper for us in the mailbox?" Starlight asked. "When we said nothing about that?" Sunburst added. "Sorry, Head-mare and Vice-head stallion of the School of Friendship, I thought that was for the better, I mean, we always checked the mailbox every day! And bring the mail in! So if the newspaper is in the mailbox, it would be brought in alongside the other mail!" Eclipse Instant reminded. "You do have a point..." Starlight commented. "And I thought that having some creature to knock on our door until some creature responses can be quite troublesome, so putting the newspaper in the mailbox instead might be a lot better." Eclipse explained. "Now that you put it that way, it does make sense. So, from now on, the newspapers should be collected alongside the mail from the mailbox." Starlight declared. "Phew, glad that you're not so upset." Eclipse Instant sighed in relief. "Sorry about how I acted!" Sunshine Rays apologised. "That's alright, Sunshine. All is forgiven, or, most likely." Sahpeshifer responded. "Anyway, who collected mail today?" Sunburst asked. "I did, and it's mail for the Heads of the School of Friendship." Evergreen responded, levitating some letters in sealed in envelopes towards the unicorn couple. "Thanks, Evergreen, we'll settle them after dinner." Starlight Glimmer responded. "So, who's got the news?" Buffer asked. "You meant newspaper, as in 'Who's got the newspaper'." Volcano corrected like he usually would whenever he heard some creature making a mistake. "I do!" Eclipse Instant answered, levitating the said paper, "Read it all you want." The unicorn levitated the newspaper towards Volcano, who quickly read them through silent reading, before revealing the news to every creature around. "No way! The Council of Friendship are checking out the Stone Mountain of Nothingness, to se if they could build facilities and buildings there?!" "The Stone Mountain of Nothingness?" Krona asked. "Founded and named long ago, before any of the members of the Council of Friendship were born." Volcano answered. "But, why would it be named, 'The Stone Mountain of Nothingness?' " Nature Bloom asked. "There's no way something can be made out of nothing for a start!" Falcon Dive added. "That's because the mountain is mainly stone, with nothing living in it. No flora nor fauna, no living organisms as they can see." Volcano explained, "That's how it got its name." "Through the discovery that there's nothing living in it?!" Alkali asked. "And nothing living around it." Volcano finished. "That mountain sounds like a very interesting mountain! I mean, nothing living in it nor around it?! That's unlike every other mountain we know: As they all have creatures and plants around them! And in them!" Yellow Bright stated. "But...doesn't that make the mountain sound a little...dangerous?" Nature Bloom asked. "That? What does 'that' mean?" Luster asked. "the fact that there are no creatures nor plants living in it nor around it? Nothing living in nor around there? Unlike most other mountains?" Nature Bloom clarified as she whimpered. "Don't worry Nature Bloom, the Council of Friendship won't let any creature else go there until they are certain that it's safe." Evergreen assured. "But, if the whole Council's away, who's in charge of Equestria?!" Nature Bloom asked, causing every creature to realise the possibility that Equestria was going to be left with no leader until Volcano, who was busy looking at the newspaper while every creature else looked shock, told them some news that calmed them down. "Don't worry, every creature! Princess Twilight Sparkle already had her duties covered by telling creatures what should be done around the kingdom before her departure! Plus, the former Ruler of the Crystal Empire, Princess Cadance, will be in charge until Princess Twilight returns." "That's a relief." Buffer commented. "But, has Princess Cadence ruled over Equestria before? I mean, it's a lot bigger than just the Crystal Empire!" Falcon Dive asked. "Princess Twilight is sure that Princess Cadence can handle it. And Princess Cadence is staying at Canterlot temporarily during this period of time." Volcano added. "But, it is so sudden that such things happened. How can Princess Cadence handle a kingdom that's a lot bigger than the Empire that she ruled over all those years?!" Nature Bloom asked. "Relax, Cadence is not the only creature who's close to Twilight to substitute for Twilight temporarily for the very first time! Back when Discord sent Twilight and her friends on a wild goose chase through making a fake friendship mission for them, I substituted for Twilight as temporary Head-mare of the School of Friendship, for the very first time, and managed to do a good job!" Starlight informed. "That is if you don't say anything about the whole problem with Discord and his tricks that day." Sunshine Rays plainly stated. "Right...other than the failure to prevent Discord from making all that temporary trouble, at least everything worked out in the end." Starlight sheepishly responded. "Can we please get back to dinner?! The food's getting cold as we all have been taking instead of eating!" Falcon Dive complained, reminding every creature of why they were fitted around the Dining Table in he first place. "Falcon Dive's right! We better finish our food, fast!" Sunburst announced, levitating his plate, fork and spoon before eating. The next day in Canterlot, Princess Cadence was pacing in the Throne Room, waiting for something. "Come on, Twilight. You told me that you will send me a letter every morning and every night until you return! Why haven't you sent any this morning?" Princess Cadence asked, just before wha she was waiting for arrived. "Thank goodness they're all alright! I was getting worried!" Princess Cadance said out loud, after silent reading what the letter said. "Your Majesty, it's time for you to check on everything in Canterlot!" Gallus informed from where he usually stood, right in front of the Throne room doors. "Thanks for the reminder, Gallus You're like a second-in-command to the Ruler of Equestria!" Princess Cadence complimented. "I'm just doing my job," Gallus replied, glad to hear the compliment. In the mean time, at the Stone Mountain of Nothingness, Spike tested the mountain's fire resistance by breathing fire at the stone ground on the top. Finding that the stone did not catch fire, he announced, "This mountain's rock ground is fireproof indeed, as it does not burn when there's fire." "It may have resisted dragon fire, but can it resist a pegasus' storm cloud's lightning?!" Rainbow Dash asked, bringing a storm cloud to the area, kicking the said cloud, making it release lightning that struck the stone floor due to Spike moving himself away from the site, to prevent himself from being the lightning's target. After the lightning struck several times, and getting zero fire results, Rainbow Dash declared, "This mountain's top is fireproof and safe!" "The hippogriff guard turned into a sea pony and scouted the waters below, and no living creatures around like what the founders said." Princess Twilight Sparkle informed. "So, does this mean that we can use this mountain?" Rarity asked. "Most likely we can." Princess Twilight Sparkle answered. "I knew it!" Pinkie Pie cheered, "I knew that this mountain is the place to be! Other than Ponyville, of course." "I just hope that it really is alright." Fluttershy whimpered. "Come on, Fluttershy, we checked and I scanned the whole mountain. Other than us, no creature is here. No plants, no animals, nothing to hurt nor harm when we build facilities here!" Princess Twilight Sparkle reminded. "I suppose so..." Fluttershy responded in a tone that showed that she was still uncertain. "Maybe we should do one last check before work." Princess Twilight Sparkle figured. The day passed by very quickly, and a tired Princess Cadance returned to Canterlot Throne Room after a day of duties. "Can't believe I'm saying this, but I am glad that I didn't rule all of Equestria back when I was a ruler." Cadance said out loud despite how tired she was. "Your majesty, has the Council of Friendship sent you the letter yet?" Gallus asked. "Weren't you there when I got the letter this morning?" Cadance reminded. "I'm talking about the letter that they should send at night. They said that they will send a letter every day and every night until they return, so we will know how they are doing." Princess Cadance explained, sounding more and more worried with each passing word. "It's not like it of them to forget such a simple promise." Gallus thought for a while before stating. "And that's not all. Princess Twilight said that even though she's away, she will still be raising and setting the sun and the moon at the right time. But look outside!" Princess Cadence said, walking towards the nearest transparent glass window to see the sunset. "That's odd, the sun should be lower and begin dusk by now." Gallus commented, seeing that it was still half sunset. "Something must have happened. And it mostly isn't something good." Princess Cadance figured, sounding even more worried. "Should we send the Royal Guards?" Gallus asked. "I think I know a team of creatures who can handle this." Princess Cadance replied. At the Castle of Friendship's Dining Room, the residents of the said castle were waiting for some creature to save dinner. "I hope that whatever Alkali made in a short period of time isn't bitter gourd soup..." Shapeshifter commented. "Don't worry, she told me that according to research, what she's making is alkaline, but not bitter gourd." Volcano assured. "Dinner's served every creature!" Alkali announced, placing a bowl full of cooked Brussels sprouts at the center of the table, to every creature's dismay. "Brussels sprouts?!" Krona asked. "Well...Brussels sprouts are alkaline...and not bitter gourd soup, and not bitter gourd..." Volcano nervously stated. "Maybe it's a little better than bitter gourds?!" Yellow Bright asked in a nervous tone, trying to stay positive. "If Yellow Bright says so, prove it!" Krona declared. "Alright..." Yellow Bright replied, before nervously brining his face towards the bowl of cooked Brussels sprouts, slowly and uncomfortably as he went. Fortunately for him, the process is interfered by the arrival of a letter sent by magic. "A letter!" Luster exclaimed, causing Yellow Bright o sigh in relief. "Let me guess, from the Ruler of Equestria?" Sunshine Rays asked. "Half correct, because it's for the temporary Ruler of Equestria, Princess Cadance!" Luster answered, "It says that the Council of Friendship had her worried; they did not send a letter to tell her how things were going yet, plus, the sun had not fully set when it should have by now!" Volcano took out a clock from nowhere and looked at the time, commenting, "The sun should have been completed yout of sight when you look at the horizon by now!" The Heroic Ten rushed out the Castle to take a look, and saw the it was half sunset, not dark. "That is weird. It's not like it for Princess Twilight to set the sun like this." Luster claimed. "Did the letter say anything else?" Buffer questioned. "The letter says that some creature has to go to the Stone Mountain of Nothingness to check on the Council of Friendship, and make sure that they're alright. And those creatures...are us!" Luster announced. "Us?!" Nature Bloom asked. "Why am I not surprised?" Sunshine Rays responded. "Maybe because we already saved all of Equestria and Beyond once, and helped in several major events!" Falcon Dive answered. "The School of Friendship's graduated top students, Captain of the Royal Guards, Gallus, his wife Silverstream, they friends Smolder and Ocellus, plus the married Yona and Sandbar would serve as backup in case something bad happened to you all. Just be careful and please keep me updated with letters reporting on your progress. Signed, Princess Candance." Luster finished reading. "So...we're going to the Stone Mountain of Nothingness?!" Falcon Dive asked in an excited tone. "Yes we are." Luster answered. "We better pack up supplies, because this isn't going to be a short, less-than-a-day adventure!" Volcano advised. "Did some creature say 'adventure'?" a familiar voice could be heard saying, causing the creatures to turn and look at Trixie's Wagon, parked right outside of the Castle of Friendship. Out came the owner of the voice, who was the same creature as the owner of the wagon, Trixie the blue unicorn, who was also the Guidance Counsellor of the School of Friendship nearby. "I heard that you creatures are chosen to go an adventure mission to find the Council of Friendship at some Stone Mountain..." Trixie began. "It's called the Stone Mountain of Nothingness." Buffer informed. "Located at the other side of the South Luna Sea!" Krona added. "Actually, it's the South Luna Ocean!" Alkali corrected. "Sea, ocean, what's the difference?" Krona sarcastically asked. "In terms of geography, seas are smaller than oceans and are usually located where the land and ocean meet. Plus, seas are typically enclosed by land, and found on the margins of the ocean." Volcano answered. "Thanks, Volcano, for the explanation without a long list of additional unnecessary facts." Falcon Dive thanked in a sarcastic tone. "You sounded sarcastic, so you don't really mean it, do you?" Volcano responded. "WHAT?! I just sounded sarcastic! I'm used to it at times! I really meant what I just said!" Falcon Dive protested. "Come on, you two! This is no time for arguing!" Nature Bloom told the dragon and griffon. "Right now we got to figure out how are we going to get to the Stone Mountain of Nothingness." Luster announced. "Can't you unicorns just teleport there?!" Falcon Dive asked. "If we know what our destination looks like for real!" Luster answered, "I never went to the Stone Mountain of Nothingness before!" "Neither did Krona!" Krona added. "Nor I," Sunshine Rays contributed. "I did not go there before, neither." Evergreen added. "Nor I!" Yellow Bright chirped. "I don't think any of us went there, before." Nature Bloom said the main point out. Every creature then looked at the only creature who was biologically a generation or two generations older than them. "Why are all of you staring at me?" Trixie asked. "Because you might have went to the Stone Mountain of Nothingness before?" Buffer asked. "What?! Why would you think of something like that after you saw me being unable to say it's proper name?!" Trixie asked. "Because you're a lot older than all of us." Volcano answered. "And the older you are, the more you probably will know from the more time you've been around." Falcon Dive continued. "Even back when I was the travelling magician who calls herself 'The Great and Powerful Trixie', I never went to a mountain made of stone!" Trixie claimed. "You said that you had o work on a Rock Farm once," Alkali reminded. "Back when you challenged Princess Twilight Sparkle to a magic duel, before she was an alicorn princess." Volcano added that detail. "Even so, I did not travel far to visit a Stone Mountain, especially when it's not any where near Equestria!" Trixie declared. "The Stone Mountain of Nothingness is quite far, being a few hundred kilometres away from the edge of the kingdom, on the other side of the South Luna Ocean." Volcano informed. "No big deal, we can just fly there!" Falcon Dive claimed, getting his wings stretched for a long flight. "But, Falcon Dive, not all of us can fly!" Buffer reminded. "Oh, right..." Falcon Dive nervously laughed, "I kind of forget that..." "I believe that the right term is 'forgot', as in 'I kind of forgot that', because it already happened." Volcano corrected. "Whatever..." Falcon Dive plainly responded. "Maybe we can just carry all of you there?" Alkali suggested. "But can each of you five flyers carry five non-flyers around your size or bigger, all the way to the Stone Mountain on the other side of the South Luna Ocean?" Luster asked. "Five?! What about me?!" Trixie asked. "You're going with us?!" Falcon Dive asked in a shocked tone. "If you all need reminding, you made a deal with me during Hearth's Warming Eve, telling me that you will bring me with you on your next mission or task or adventure!" Trixie explained. "Is Guidance Counsellor telling the truth or what she can't remember correctly?" Krona asked. "Actually, she's telling the truth."Luster responded, "Don't you all remember the deal we made with her after she felt that we were accusing her of stealing our Hearth's Warming Presents for one another?" The other creatures thought for a while without uttering a word, before remembering their deal at last. "Right...sorry we forgot." Sunshine Rays apologised. "Apology accepted every creature, but you got to show more true in me during the task." Trixie instructed. "I believe the correct word is 'faith', as in 'show more faith in me during the task'." Volcano corrected. "Come on, every creature! It's just one adventure!" Yellow Bright chirped. "Alright, Guidance Counsellor Trixie, how are we going to get to the Stone Mountain?" Luster asked. "Why are you asking me? I'm not the leader, you are!" Trixie reminded. "You're older than I am, and older than all of my best friends, and you are a Guidance Counsellor who gives advice to students at the School of Friendship for the longest of time! You might have some good ideas!" Luster reminded. "Now that you mention it, I am a Guidance Counsellor who should have good ideas! And I think we should ride a balloon to the Stone Mountain of Nothingness!" Trixie declared in a confident tone. "Why didn't we think of that?" Falcon Dive asked. "That's actually a good idea!" Evergreen commented. "A lot better than travelling a long distance carrying lots of weight." Nature Bloom added. "Then that settles it, grab your adventuring supplies every creature, and get ready to leave in 15 minutes time." Luster instructed. Alkali flew into the Gardening Room, the home of the Hyacinth macaws that reside in the Castle of Friendship. The birds watched the hippogriff harvest the bitter gourds growing in the room, as quickly as she could. Since Alkali usually would not be in a hurry to harvest her favourite food from the Gardening Room, the macaws found it unusual and squawked. "Oh, hi Hyacinth Macaws. If you're wondering why I'm in a rush, it's because I have to leave for a mission in 15 minutes time! Or, less than 15 minutes time, by now!" Alkali informed, as she plucked the bitter gourds off the plants that grew them. In his room, Volcano packed up his stationery, notebook, compass, and sunglasses, before rushing off. At her room, Luster packed up a few things such as an umbrella, a water bottle, sunblock and snacks in a lunchbox, just before her parents came in to check on her. "Luster?" Starlight asked, startling the younger unicorn. "Mum, Dad!" Luster responded in a shocked tone. "Sorry we startled you, we just wanted to check on you." Sunburst informed. "I told you Mum and Dad, I'm fine!" Luster told her parents. "We know, we just wanted to remind you, be extremely careful out there." Starlight apprised, walking towards her daughter, nuzzling her face. "Don't worry Mum and Dad, I will." Luster responded, as the family of three unicorns gathered together for a family face nuzzle. "In case some creature wants to change my moral spirit, got to bring everything I wrote about morality and right things in this book!" Sunshine Rays told herself, packing the large book into her backpack of supplies, which was overflowing with her belongings such as her keyboard, Moonshade Fright costume, and water bottle. "Come on, Sunshine! Do you really need hat?!" Falcon Dive asked in a complaining tone, as he said in the air, right outside of Sunshine Rays' room. "I bought them, just in case we do!" Sunshine Rays answered. "You think we have to scare some creature?!" Falcon Dive questioned. "I'm ringing them just in case." Sunshine Rays repeated. "Krona ready to go!" Krona's calling startled the pegasus and griffon, reminding them of what their conversation made the forget a while ago. "We're coming, too!" Sunshine Rays and Falcon Dive shouted un unison, rushing out the Castle doors. "Alright, every creature ready?" Trixie asked. "Don't tell me that you're taking Luster's role as leader of the Heroic Ten!" Sunshine Rays responded. "I'm here, every creature!" Luster called, rushing out of the castle. "Oh great, whoever gave the command was the last to fulfil the command?" Falcon Dive asked, causing Luster to give out a nervous laugh "Sorry...I never thought that my parents would do what they did back there..." Luster answered. "That doesn't matter, let's just get on a balloon and to our destination!" Evergreen announced. "Speaking of balloon, where is the balloon that were going to take?" Buffer asked, making every creature notice that there was indeed, no a single hot-air balloon around the Castle of Friendship. "Probably in Ponyville's Hot-Air Balloon Stop." Trixie answered. "What?! I thought the balloon is prepared and placed right outside the castle!" Alkali could not help but say out loud. "Calm down, very creature..." Evergeen reminded. "Come on, look on the bright side! Ponyville is just a hundred meters away! Just walk that little distance and we'll get a not-exhausting ride to the Stone Mountain of Nothingness!" Yellow Bright cheerfully chirped. The next moment had they arrived at where the Hot-Air Balloon in Ponyville was supposed to be resting on, the eleven creatures discovered some unpleasant news that was surely not on the newspaper, and would probably never be. "The Hot-Air Balloon's been used?" Luster asked the Earth Pony in charge of the balloon. "Indeed, they said that they'll be back from their roadmap in a few days." the pony answered. "A few days?!" Nature Bloom repealed in her usual Fluttershy-like voice. "We cannot wait that long!" Buffer exclaimed. "We'll just have to use a Hot-Air balloon from somewhere else." Volcano declared. "Cloudsdale has lots of them to help non-flyers working or visiting up there!" Sunshine Rays reminded, "I'll fly up there and get one down!" "Just remember to find one that can fit eleven creatures!" Trixie called to Sunshine Rays, after the pegasus took off high into the skies. "Got it!" Sunshine Rays called back. After some time flew by, Sunshine Rays returned with some bad news, "Sorry every creature, every hot-air balloon up there is been used, leaving zero for us." "What?!" Krona asked in disbelief. "All used?" Buffer repeated. "Are you sure?!" Volcano asked. Sunshine Rays nodded, "Every last one of them." "But, why?" Nature Bloom asked. "The Pegasi in charge of the balloons said that the balloons are used by the guests to get around." Sunshine Rays answered. "Don't you mean 'visitors?' As in, 'The Pegasi in charge of the balloons said that the balloons are used by the visitors to get around.'?" Volcano corrected. "Guests, visitors, what's the difference?" Falcon Dive asked. "Guests are invited to visit places, while visitors visit places regardless of being invited or not." Volcano explained. "Can't believe that there's so many creatures using hot-air balloons today!" Evergreen commented. "The whole kingdom should think about making more hot-air balloons in this rate!" Yellow Bright remarked. "Or even a cruise that isn't for staying and sleeping in during vacation, but a cruise that can go to every town to pick creatures up!" Alkali added. "Alkali? The Stone Mountain of Nothingness is not a town nor a village. There's no way that cruise you talked about would go there." Volcano reminded. "Actually, I forgot to say that the cruise could have just taken creatures to different places in Equestria like a train! In the sky! So they wouldn't have to use the hot-air balloons so much!" Alkali corrected. "Alkali, I believe what you are meant to say is a zeppelin. Like the one Priness Twilight Sparkle's family was on before she became Ruler of Equestria, and not to mention that cruise director Iron Will..." Volcano was about to begin saying some extra unneeded information, but was prevented by Sunshine Rays. "We know that, Volcano! And we don't need that information now!" the white pegasus informed. "So, we need to get to the Stone Mountain of Nothingness, but have no way to get there?" Luster asked. "Well, we can try to row a boat across the South Luna Ocean..." Alkali suggested. "Row a boat across an ocean?!" Krona asked in a scared tone. "Cheer up, every creature! We can always sing row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream..." Yellow Bright began singing when he finished his first sentence and first four words after. "Steam?! An ocean is super different from a stream!" Falcon Dive pointed out. "And I think some creatures might get seasick." Buffer added. "Maybe we'll just have to wait until we get a hot-air balloon..." Luster sighed sadly, "Unless we can teleport ourselves there in a snap." "Wait a second, Luster, you gave Trixie an idea..." Trixie said in third-creature. At Fluttershy's sanctuary, Fluttershy's draconneques husband Discord was busy looking after his wife's animals as he served them dinner. "Dinner is served, every animal! Nuts, seeds, leaves for squirrels, mice, bunnies, and well, probably, most of you. And eggs and milk for the dogs, cats, and vultures." As the animals ate, Discord noticed that he had visitors. "Oh, hello ten newest heroes of Equestria, what brings you here?" Discord asked. "Ten?! Can't you see with your Draconneques eyes that there isn't jus ten creatures here?! It's eleven!" Trixie asked in a loud and somewhat unpleasant manner. "I was referring to the ten newest heroes, Mrs Trixie..." Discord responded, wearing a professor's glasses as he did. "Actually, Mrs isn't the right..." Volcano began, but was cut off by Trixie. "Don't call me that, Discord! You may and should still refer me as Trixie!" "Can you two please stop this argument?!" Nature Bloom shouted, curing every creature to be shocked. "Wow, I never seen you shout like that before." Evergreen commented. "Did you mean heard? Because you cannot see some creature shout, you can only hear some creature shout." Alkali corrected. "It looks like some creature's growing up and stepping up." Luster smiled. "I know I usually believe that it's best for those who lead to stop arguments like this, but got to say, that's something alright. I mean, we do need some creature to stop that argument." Sunshine Rays commented. "Now, is every creature good?" Nature Bloom asked in a gentle tone. "Things alright on Trixie's side." Trixie reported. "Recovering on Discord's side." Discord added. "Great, glad that's over." Falcon Dive remarked. "So, what brings you eleven creatures to my dear Fluttershy's sanctuary?" Discord asked. "Haven't you noticed something odd with the sunset?" Buffer asked. "The sun is supposed to have completely set ages ago!" Yellow Bright said the main point. "What he actually meant is he sun should have set some time ago." Volcano clarified. "That's Princess Twilight Sparkle's duty. She said that even though she and the council are away at that mountain of stone or whatever...she will still be in charge of raising the sun and the moon." Discord responded. "Yes, but the point is, she didn't set the sun completely to let the moon up, which is not like her!" Krona notified. "We think something bad might have happened to her, and even...the whole Council of Friendship!" Nature Bloom continued. Discord's expressions and emotions completely changed when he heard of the possibility that the Council of Friendship was in trouble. "Fluttershy could be in trouble?!" the draconneques asked. "Yes...that's what we think because there's no word from them, added to the fact that Princess Twilight left the sun half set..." Sunshine Rays said, just before with a snap of his claws, Discord teleported all twelve creatures to the top of the Stone Mountain of Nothingness. To the visitor's shock, they saw a camp made of stone, a chariot made of stone, and royal guard stone statues. "A camp made of stone?" Krona asked. "More like a camp turned to stone." Falcon Dive corrected. "How did this happen?" Luster asked. "Do you think it's cockatrice?" Buffer asked. "It cannot be, because cockatrice can only turn living creatures and animals who look into their stares." Nature Bloom explained. "And tents and chariots are obviously not living animals nor creatures..." Evergreen pointed out. "Bricks aren't living creatures, neither." Volcano contributed. "Bricks?" Alkali asked. "Look down the mountain!" Volcano announced, pointing at an edge. "Why look when we can just be there?" Discord asked, with a snap of his claws, he teleported the twelve creatures to their destination. Once they arrived, all of them, with the exception of Volcano, how was paying attention to the bricks, looked shock at what they saw in front of their eyes, with Discord being the most terrified. "Looks like the Council of Friendship were beginning to build something themselves, out of bricks." Volcano said, looking at the bricks structure. "Volcano, why aren't you looking at what we're looking?" Yellow Bright asked. "Because I wasn't looking in the same direction as you all were when Discord teleported us down here." Volcano answered. "Now would be a good, or not so good, time to look!" Alkali said in a scared tone, causing Volcano to turn his head to see what they were all looking at: Stone statues of the Council of Friendship! "Fluttershy!" Discord cried, rushing over to his petrified wife, "What terrible creature could have done this to you?!" "WHO ARE YOU CALLING TERRIBLE CREATURE?!" a loud, angry-sounding voice roared, startling the twelve visitors. "Every creature, I think we're not welcomed visitors here..." Luster whimpered. To Be Continued... 26. Stone-Hearted, Part TwoSomething has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.1. How the Magic of Friendship Grows, Part OneAuthor's Note How the Magic of Friendship Grows, Part One serves as the first part of the three-parted series premiere, and the very first episode of the series. Summary: Luster Dawn is sent to Ponyville to make friends, but she is made the newest student at the School of Friendship, meaning that she will not be able to go down the same path her mentor Princess Twilight Sparkle did. Featured Characters: Luster Dawn, a female unicorn, the biological daughter of Starlight and Sunburst, who was raised by her grandparents in Sire's Hollow before becoming Princess Twilight Sparkle's star student after performing an age spell on herself that is irreversible. Falcon Dive, a male griffon. He is the team's fastest and most selfless member, who always has the intentions of saving others at the cost of his own good. His tomboyishness and impatience are inspired by Rainbow Dash. Yellow Bright, a male Earth Pony. He often helps his fellow creatures through tough times by helping them be positive and looking on the bright side. He has a sibling-like relationship with Alkali, and a growing relationship with Evergreen. Evergreen, a female Kirin. She is usually the calmest creature around, being patient and advising others to do the same. Alkali, a female hippogriff with an indigo coat, light blue mane and cyan eyes. Like Pinkie Pie, she loves making things fun in order to encourage others. She is believed to not know anything about being serious by Volcano, whom she soon starts having a growing relationship with. Nature Bloom, a female changeling with a green-turquoise body a slightly violet chest, violet eyes, light violet tail and wings, and dark purple elytra. Like her inspiration Fluttershy, she loves and tames her many animal friends by treating them nicely, regardless of species. Volcano, a male dragon with dark orange scales, orange spikes, very light orange wings and underbelly, and red eyes. Like Luster, he is very diligent and loves researching. He usually has a habit of mentioning some long factual stories or explanation for certain things based on educational subjects, during times when it is unnecessary. Sunshine Rays, a female pegasus with light green eyes, a white coat and a mane consisting a variety of warm colours. She can be very strict at times due to her morality as she ensures every creature follows the rules. She can be annoyed by Falcon's selflessness when he goes against certain morals in order to help others, but nevertheless has a growing relationship with him. Buffer, a male buffalo with brown eyes. He usually helps his fellow best friends learn to listen to others, or help them identify who to listen to. He has a growing relationship with Krona. Krona, a female yak inspired by her distant relative Yona. Like most yaks, she speaks in broken English and third-creature, and has Brute Strength. Despite being feared because of her short-temper at times, she maintains the trust of her friends due to her integrity. 1. How the Magic of Friendship Grows, Part One A storybook with an alicorn painting on it opened and revealed the words, ‘Once Upon A Time’ on its first page. A female narrator then began reading a story: “Once upon a Time, in the magical land of Equestria, a unicorn named Twilight Sparkle, the star student of the Ruler of Equestria, Princess Celestia, was sent to Ponyville after reuniting the two Royal Sisters, Celestia and Luna. Twilight eventually became an alicorn princess after learning a lot about friendship, with the aid of her Ponyville friends, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash. Soon, Twilight had a personal student, reformed villainess Starlight Glimmer, who soon graduated and became Guidance Counsellor, and later Headmare of Twilight’s School of Friendship, opened to teach and spread the Magic of Friendship far and wide. Soon, after so many successes, Celestia and Luna decided to retire, and make Twilight the Ruler of Equestria. Many years later, Twilight has a unicorn star student, Luster Dawn, whom she sent to Ponyville to learn the Magic of Friendship just like Celestia sent her.” “Or maybe partially just like Celestia sent her,” Luster Dawn corrected. She was having a walk with her new friends, right after waving goodbye to her mentor, Twilight Sparkle. Twilight just sent her student away, but instead of letting Luster learn the Magic of Friendship the former's way, Twilight made Luster the newest student of the School of Friendship. “Relax, Luster, you don’t have to be just like your mentor in order to be as successful as her,” Luster’s new griffon friend, Falcon Dive, told her. “Plus, at a friendship school, you’ll get to learn about friendship” Alkali the hippogriff added. “Isn’t that what she’s supposed to do?” Krona the yak asked. “Yes...only with teachers to help and guide her!” Alkali clarified. “But we went through the history of Twilight and her friends’ adventures a million times!” Volcano the dragon reminded his friends. “Yeah, and we still haven’t graduate,” Buffer the buffalo commented. “And we know that Twilight did not go to a friendship school to learn friendship!” Luster stated. “Of course, every creature knows that!” Sunshine Rays the pegasus responded. “Who wouldn’t?” asked Yellow Bright the Earth Pony. “Probably some creature who don’t want to study, or forgotten about it,” Evergreen the Kirin suggested. “But the main point is, how am I going to be as successful as my mentor, if I don’t learn friendship the way she did?!” Luster asked, clarifying her question. “That’s...something a little...tricky.” Alkali responded. “We’re only students, so we’re not experts like the teachers are, “ Nature Bloom the changeling commented. “Then why don’t ask them?” Falcon sarcastically asked. “Will they be available? At this time?” Luster asked back. “They...may prefer counselling us students in the daytime,” Buffer answered. “But, since they know that as teachers and the ones in charge of their school, they must care about their students at all times.” Yellow Bright clarified. “Especially after what happened with Silverstream a long time ago,” Krona honestly added. "Did not tell any creature where she was or going, caused all of Mount Aris to look for her, made her Guidance Counsellor and company adventure into the Everfree Forest, one of them got petrified by Cockatrice, but it was all resolved." Luster recalled and summarised. "Wow! You just enrolled and you're already like the top student, knowing the history super well." Volcano commented. "That's because during one of my parents' visits, they told me about it, as the reason why they took their job of looking out for their students so seriously." Luster explained. "You sure are lucky to have the Heads of your school as your parents," Krona commented. "Um, don't you remember the part where Starlight and Sunburst handed her to their parents, her maternal grandfather and paternal grandmother, when she was a baby?" Buffer reminded. "Only because they knew that they could not take care of her! They got a school to run, and hundreds of students to care about!" Sunshine explained, "They could have passed their roles to some creature else, but they knew that it was nearly impossible to find some creature capable of succeeding them, therefore, they chose to send Luster to their birthplace, Sire's Hollow, to be raised by her grandparents." "Until, I thought about enrolling in Princess Twilight's School for Gifted Unicorns..." Luster began, before Yellow Bright interrupted. "Which is originally her mentor's, and the previous ruler of Equestria...Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. Princess Twilight succeeded Celestia as the Head and teacher of the school after her coronation." "Um, every creature? Are we going a little...off topic?" Nature Bloom asked, making the whole team realise where they drifted off to. "Super sorry, about that, Luster, you were saying?" Evergreen apologised for the whole group, giving Luster the chance to talk about what she had in mind. "About being as successful as my mentor in a different environment? And being the daughter of the heads of my new school? How am I supposed to be like Princess Twilight, if I start learning about friendship in a super different environment?" Luster asked. "Relax, Luster, you have friends right here! Us! We'll help you go through the day and night!" Alkali assured. "Plus, I'm sure every creature won't mind." Yellow Bright added. Later that night, Yellow Bright took back what he said, saying, "Okay, maybe they do." "We are so pleased to have you here, Luster!" Starlight told her daughter, in a cheerful, friendly tone. "As our daughter, you totally get to have privileges that every creature else don't!" Sunburst added, "Like, for starters, living with us!" "In Princess Twilight Sparkle's former residence, the Castle of Friendship?" Falcon sarcastically asked. "Grown and created by the Tree of Harmony?" Volcano finished. "I appreciate your offer, Mum and Dad, but I don't want to be treated like specialty, especially when I have friends now." Luster politely rejected her parents' offers. Starlight and Sunburst were shocked to see their anti-social daughter finally showing concerns about her friends, to the point that she would reject an offer that her friends did not get. Luster grew up studying alone in Sire's Hollow, and barely interacting with any creature but her family, and believed that friendship was nothing but a waste of time as she became better at spell-casting than the rest of the unicorn foals, not playing their childish games during free time. Even after moving to Canterlot, Luster resumed being independent, studying alone all the time, not hanging out with friends. "Luster," Starlight begun, "You really made us proud. Princess Twilight may sent you to learn friendship at the School of Friendship, but you just proved that you already learnt something about friendship, without any classes." "Rejecting an offer your friends can't get is a noble act to show how much you cared about them, so we've decided to let you live in the School like every other student, if you accept." Sunburst added. "This is just what I hoped you'll say! Thank you." Luster Dawn hugged her parents. The next day... "Rise and shine, Luster!" Yellow Bright shouted, ringing a bag, startling Luster. "It's your official first day of school! Be excited!" Alkali cheered. "As if it was worth celebrating." Volcano grumpily commented. "Calm down, Volcano. Accept the fact that some of your friends are really into parties and celebrations," Evergreen told the dragon. "So, what should we do?" Falcon asked. "The normal routine every morning? Eat breakfast?" Sunshine replied. "With a little differences, cause we got a new friend!" Krona proudly claimed. "She's talking about Luster," Buffer clarified. Luster let out a nervous giggle as she just found out how supportive and caring her new friends were. Nature Bloom approached the unicorn, "Don't worry, Luster, here at the School of Friendship, we are taught to be friendly and social, and care about every creature, especially our friends." "If we were overwhelming, you can always tell us," Sunshine assured. "Yeah. Cause honesty classes are still on." Krona explained. "Um, speaking of classes, if we don't go to the Mess hall, to eat breakfast so soon, we'll be late for class!" Volcano warned. Not wanting to be late, the ten creatures rushed out of the dorms at the speed of light, before bursting into their location with Falcon pushing open the doors. "Is that Luster Dawn?!" asked a student. "The daughter of Head-mare Starlight and Head-Stallion Sunburst?!" another student squealed. "Uh, remember when I said that every creature won't mind the fact that you're the daughter of the heads of this school?" Yellow Bright nervously asked Luster, "I really take it all back." The students crowded around the ten friends, mainly because of the newest member of their group, knowing who she was. "Can you please excuse us?!" Nature Bloom asked the crowd. "Yeah, some creature...or should I say...some creatures need personal space here!" Falcon exclaimed. "Yaks may like being with friends, but not this much at once!" Krona cried. "What is going on here?!" Guidance Counsellor Trixie asked the crowd. "Oh, hi Guidance Counsellor Trixie!" Alkali waved. "Can you please help us get through this crowd?!" Luster asked. "Anything, Luster Dawn! After all, you are the daughter of the Heads of this School, so you could have the benefits every student else don't!" Trixie exclaimed, unaware of her words creating fury amongst the other students, as they were certainly unhappy about a special student getting the benefits they could not get. "Uh, Guidance Counsellor Trixie?" Luster spoke up, "I appreciate your offer, but I really don't want to be treated as some creature special; I just want to try school life here like any other student." "Well, of course you can have that, dear Luster! I'll tell every creature about that right away." Trixie replied, before walking off to do what she said. After the Guidance Counsellor's departure, the students begun chattering amongst themselves, with Luster having her head hung down; she knew that every other student would not be able to treat her as if she was a regular pony, mostly because she was the biological daughter of their school's Heads. "Are you alright, Luster?" Evergreen asked, approaching the unicorn alongside the rest of their friends. "No, not at all." Luster sadly replied, with the only creatures being able to hear her being her closest friends. "Would you tell us what's bothering you?" Buffer asked, in a concerned tone. "Maybe...it's a lot better to do so...when we're alone." Luster replied. A few hours passed, and the clock struck three. Luster regrouped with her whole team of friends in her room in the Dorms, the one place they knew that most students would not go too. "So, now are you going to tell us?" Volcano asked. "Yes, I would like to, after my first Honesty Class taught by Apple Bloom." Luster replied, before taking a deep breath, "I don't think I can learn friendship here." The nine listening creatures gasped to hear a comment like that from their new friend, especially since the school was friendly towards all of its students; giving the healthiest meals and snacks, providing enough bathrooms, having enough dorms. "Why would Luster say that School isn't where she wants to learn friendship? School is BEST!" Krona declared, speaking in third-creature like most yaks would. "Calm down, Krona." Evergreen told the yak, before calmly asking Luster, "Why would you say so, Luster? Is there anything it doesn't have?" "It's a long story," Luster lamented, "I wanted to accomplish as much as Princess Twilight Sparkle did, but I start out my adventures of learning friendship in an entirely different environment and way; Here, I kept getting special treatment because of being the daughter of the Heads, students keep overwhelming me with their attention and care, and I will barely get a friend who would want to be my friend, not because of my occupation and identity, like Princess Twilight's friends did!" "That's...a lot." Falcon commented. "Luster," Sunshine approached, "I know it's hard for you, being the one student here with the most attention, but don't forget; you already have tons of friends by your side, us!" "Sunshine's right. We are your friends, because we like you for who you are, Luster." Alkali saluted. "Totally! Remember when we all first met you after school?" Yellow Bright asked. In a flashback... "Oh, and how I used to wonder..." Princess Twilight sang, after Luster hung out with the Ruler of Equestria's best friends as they gave her a tour around Ponyville," What friendship could be!" After that and before sending Luster off with her new friends, Twilight approached the unicorn, "Luster, I hope that you'll accept moving to Ponyville...to make some friends like I did." "Of course, Your Majesty." Luster bowed before the Ruler of Equestria. "Good, because I'm actually not just sending you here, I asked your parents if they could make room for a new student at the School of Friendship." Twilight replied. "Wait, what?!" Luster gasped. "I know I didn't learn friendship at a friendship school, but I figured that it will help you learn friendship in a better way." Twilight explained. "A better way? What do you mean?" Luster asked. "What I meant was; At a friendship school, you totally get to be a lot safer, as the students there would most likely be honest, kind, generous, loyal and help you laugh alongside them, creating a good friendship. And most importantly, you'll be safe from all the possible threats that can happen, that happened to me when I was Celestia's star pupil." Twilight clarified. "But didn't she asked you and your friends to go face a huge dragon after you defeated Nightmare Moon?" Luster reminded. "Yes, but after that, I got attacked by a Hydra, petrified by a cockatrice..." Princess Twilight listed, before concluding, "It's a long list anyway, and too numerous to mention individually. So let's not waste any more time and get moving, shall we?" Luster expressed her uncertainty before she sighed, "Anything you say, Princess Twilight Sparkle." "That's what I'm hoping to hear, now, I'm going to hang out with my best friends before checking on you at sunset." Twilight told her student, "I hope that you'll make a wonderful group of fiends like I did." "But, how am I going to make friends with some creature if they know that I'm your student, and the daughter of the heads of the famous School of Friendship?" Luster asked. "Don't worry, all you have to do is find creatures who will like to be your friend, for who you are," Twilight answered, before leaving. "Alright, now to make some friends..." Luster said to herself, before trotting off into town. Along the way, Luster thought about her identity once again, and the possibility that it would make any creature who knew her true identity pay attention to her, only because of it. "I can't let them know my true identity..." Luster whispered to herself, "If they did, they'll just pay attention to me because of it, I can't let them know! I'll just tell them that I'm Luster, and not Luster Dawn." "This is it." Luster told herself, before looking around for some creature who would be kind enough to befriend her. She then heard a voice coming out of nowhere that shouted,"LOOK OUT!" Fortunately, Luster was able to protect herself by creating a forcefield, while the owner of the voice was not so fortunate to crash right onto the forcefield and slide off it. "I'm so sorry! Are you okay?!" Luster asked, approaching the creature who would have crashed into her. "No worries, I'm fine," the creature replied, automatically getting up, "Hang on a sec, I'm not fine! I mean, fine as in no injuries, I'm tough. But not fine, because I'm in a rush!" With that, the creature dashed off, shouting to Luster, "Sorry about nearly crashing into you, anyway!" "It's alright!" Luster called back, a second after the creature disappeared. "So sorry about that, " a voice said to Luster. The unicorn turned towards the voice and saw a white-coated pegasus with a mane that consisted the warm colours, red, red-orange, orange, orange-yellow, and yellow. "Oh, hi, I'm Luster," Luster Dawn greeted, introducing herself. "Nice to meet you, Luster. I'm Sunshine Rays, but every creature usually just call me Sunshine. And I'm so sorry about my friend Falcon Dive. You know, the black griffon who just nearly crashed into you?" the pegasus responded. "Wait, you're friends with that griffon?" Luster asked. "Yes, in a way that you can never imagine...because we don't get along at times, or most likely...at times when some creature needs help." Sunshine explained. "What do you mean?" Luster asked, confused. "Well, Falcon always care about others more than he cares about himself, to the point that he will ruin his own reputation trying to protect them, having pounced on a new student when the newcomer teased two students about their relationship, and getting detention for a week." Sunshine explained. "Oh, that does sound awful," Luster commented. "It does, and I kept trying to tell Falcon that no matter what, we should always do what's right, but he just won't listen whenever he sees some creature in need, like right now." Sunshine continued, before gasping, "RIGHT NOW! Falcon's still on the loose! He can hurt some creature with his speed passing the speed limits! Sorry, Luster, I got to go!" "It was nice meeting you, anyway!" Luster shouted, after Sunshine's departure. The unicorn then heard the conversation between an Earth Pony and a hippogriff nearby. "Is that all the gifts?" the pony asked. "Absolutely! Now all we have to do is get them back to the school!" the hippogriff replied. The two creatures then struggled to carry their gifts with them until Luster used her magic to help them. "Hi, I'm Luster, I'm new around here in Ponyville and at the School of Friendship, and I figured that you two can use some help," the unicorn introduced herself, after getting the two creatures to notice her. "Hi, Luster! I'm Alkali," the hippogriff introduced, "And my Best Friend here is Yellow Bright," "She meant one of her best friends," Yellow Bright clarified, "We have seven other best friends, excluding ourselves," "Wow, that's a lot!" Luster commented. "And all these gifts are for us to share on our group foundation day!" Alkali happily exclaimed, "Which is today!" "That's really..." Luster began, before Yellow Bright cut her off. "Thoughtful and friendly? Of course! We're students at the School of Friendship for two years now, we totally learnt how to be friendly!" "Right..." Luster responded, before continuing their walk. Soon they had the gifts placed in Alkali's room, for safe keeping. "Thanks for your help, Luster!" Alkali cheerfully told the unicorn, "You really helped us like a friend would, so you totally deserve to be called our friend! Because friends help friends, in a good way, and in the right things!" "Just wait until the rest of our best friends meet you," Yellow Bright added, "They'll be meeting us at sunset in the field outside of Ponyville. Would you like to come?" "Sure, why not?" Luster answered, before the school bell rang, forcing her new friends out of the room to do cleaning alongside quarter of the school.. Luster then teleported herself outside of the school ground and back to the middle of Ponyville, where startled a yak and a buffalo behind her, having appeared out of the blue right in front of them. "What's the big idea?!" the yak angrily asked. "So sorry, I didn't know that you'll be here when I teleported here," Luster apologised. "Calm down, Krona, listen," the buffalo told his yak companion before telling Luster, "Sorry, my Best Friend Krona here just doesn't like surprises, the unpleasant ones, that is." "It's alright, it was my bad teleporting here, startling you two," Luster told the creatures. "Unicorn should have been ore thoughtful!" Krona declared, speaking in broken English and third-creature like most yaks would, "Does unicorn even know that with Equestria and allies becoming friendlier, every creature should be thoughtful?!" "Krona, please listen, getting angry does not help," the buffalo told the yak, causing her to calm down. "Krona is so sorry for getting angry at you, unicorn," Krona apologised. "It's alright, Krona, and you really got a good friend by your side," Luster responded. "I'm Buffer," the buffalo introduced himself, "And, please listen, I know that teleportation is convenient, but you should be more thoughtful or you'll scare some creature," "Don't worry, I will cut down my usage," Luster replied, before the two hairy creatures walked off. A second after the encounter, a small flying bird then passed by Luster, catching the unicorn's attention and lading her to noticing a changeling training a flock of birds to perform one of the most interesting bird shows in the history of Equestria. "Well done, every animal!" the changeling praised, "Now, get plenty of rest before sunset, I just can't wait to let my best friends see your splendid performance," "Hi," Luster approached the changeling, "Sorry if I'm startling you, but I just have to say that your animals' performance was amazing! It's not like anything I've ever seen!" "Well, thanks for...liking it. It's actually meant to be for my best friends, as in...for them to see." the changeling replied. "Oh, well, if you want it to be so...private, I totally won't tell any creature about it!" Luster began to back away, before trotting off and leaving the changeling alone. "Looks like you'll only have two friends to be with," Luster mumered to herself, before hearing a conversation between a dragon and a Kirin nearby. "What should we look for? More library books?" a Kirin asked an orange dragon. "Not just any books, books that can help us graduate from the School of Friendship! It's been two years, and we still haven't graduated!" the Dagon replied. "Um, hello?" Luster caught their attention, before introducing herself, "Hi, I'm Luster, and I was sent here to make some friends." "Oh, really?" the Kirin asked, before seeing Luster nod in reply. "Then why don't you go to the School of Friendship? You know, the first-ever friendship school in the history of Equestria?" the Kirin asked some more, before her dragon friend added. "The one Princess Twilight thought of, created and ran as its Head-mare before passing her position to its current Head-mare Starlight because of Celestia and Luna's retirement?" "Well, I totally know the school! Because I just enrolled in it, today." Luster replied. "Really? If you did, how come we never saw you at school?" the Kirin asked. "Probably because I came late, enrolling after school," Luster answered. "Well, since you're new, you totally will need a lot of studies, so would you like to go to the library with us?" the dragon asked. "Library?! Why not?!" Luster exclaimed, showing her passion for studying and reading. "Some creature who loves studying, does she remind you of some creature, Volcano?" the Kirin asked her dragon friend. "Let me guess: me, isn't it?" Volcano responded, "Totally, it is, I know what you're thinking, Evergreen. "Volcano? Evergreen?" Luster asked, "Those are your names?" "Of course they are! To be respectful, we call each other by our real names most of the time," Evergreen explained, "Now, Luster, you really do have a lot to learn about friendship." In a montage, the trio searched the school library from top to bottom, in hopes of finding keys to graduation. Unfortunately, they found nothing except for a copy of Twilight and her friends' Friendship Journal, which contained many valuable lessons about true friendship. "This journal's really interesting," Luster commented, "It seems to have everything about friendship! True friends will never tell you to do what's wrong, true friends will always be there for you when you need them the most, true friends will always tell each other the truth..." Luster stopped, as she felt guilty for not telling any of the creatures she met the truth about her identity, fearing that they would treat her in a special way because of her occupation. "Is everything alright?" Evergreen asked. "Not really, it's just that..." Luster begun, only to be interfered by the bell ringing, alerting the creatures of what time it was. "The sun is setting!" Volcano cried out, "Sorry, Luster, we got to go! We got a group of friends to meet with!" "It's alright! I got somewhere to be at during this timing as well!" Luster shouted to her new friends, who had rushed out of the library. Using her magic, Luster teleported to the field, where Yellow Bright and Alkali were waiting. "Luster, you made it!" Alkali exclaimed. "Of course I have! Why wouldn't I?" Luster asked. "Because we thought you have other things to do, as in, being out in Ponyville?" Yellow Bright pointed out. Before Luster could respond, she was interrupted by Krona, "Why is unicorn-who-scared-us here?!" "Wait, she scared you?!" Alkali asked the yak. "Luster?!" Sunshine Rays asked, "What are you doing here?" Sunshine Rays asked, a moment before Falcon Dive appeared. "The unicorn whom I almost crashed into?! I am so sorry! Plus, if you want a proper apology, I can always invite you to hang out with me and my best friends, for good things?" "Did you invite her here?" the changeling whom Luster met earlier asked Falcon. "Not really, Nature Bloom," Falcon replied to the changeling, revealing her name. "Luster?!" Volcano asked. "How do you know where we are going?" Evergreen asked, "And get here before we do?!" "She can teleport herself," Buffer explained, "Especially earlier when she accidentally scared Krona and I." "So, we all know Luster?! Without telling each other?!" Yellow Bright asked. "Well, actually, it's a long story..." Luster responded, expressing shame, a second before being interrupted by her mentor's voice. "Luster Dawn!" "Luster Dawn?!" the creatures gasped, before seeing the Ruler of Equestria approach the unicorn. "Your Majesty," Luster bowed, before all of her best friends did the same. "Luster, I was looking all over Ponyville for you, have you met any friends like I asked you to?" Twilight asked. Before Luster could respond, her new creature friends beat her to it. "Wait, you were sent to make friends by the Ruler of Equestria?!" Volcano asked in disbelief. "And your name is really Luster Dawn?!" Sunshine added. "The biological daughter of Heads Starlight and Sunburst?!" Nature Bloom continued. "Who performed an age spell on herself?!" Buffer asked. "Passing the entrance exam and getting to be Princess Twilight Sparkle's star student?!" Yellow Bright concluded. Luster blushed in embarrassment while Twilight was shocked, "Wait, you didn't tell your friends who you really are?! Why?!" "It's a long story, Princess Twilight Sparkle," Luster explained sadly, "I didn't tell them who I really was because I was afraid that they'll pay attention to me because of my occupation and identity, and not because they view me as a friend like your friends did." "Luster, I know that you're not going to be able to be completely like I was when Celestia sent me to Ponyville, but you should tell your friends the truth, that'll earn their trust." Twilight advised. "How do you know that they won't pay attention to me because I am special?" Luster asked, looking into her mentor's eyes. "Trust is one of the main things about friendship," Twilight replied, before Luster turned to her new friends. "Every creature, I'm so sorry I didn't tell you all the truth, and thinking that you'll never like me for who I am without giving you all a chance." "Luster," Evergreen approached, "We were indeed shocked to know the truth now, but, since you're new to friendship, we totally understand." "And we all totally forgive you," Nature Bloom added. "Krona may not like unicorn who lies, but if unicorn were to change for the better, Krona accepts her friendship," Krona announced. "We all will, as long as you're wiling to tell us the truth," Sunshine told Luster. "So, shall we have our group foundation day picnic?" Falcon asked. "Go on without me, I'm not so sure if I deserve to join you after what happened..." Luster told her new friends. "Luster, we all make mistakes," Buffer pointed out. "Plus, since you're new to friendship," Yellow Bright begun. "We all are going to help you learn just that!" Alkali cheerfully added. "Princess Twilight Sparkle?" Luster asked, turning to her mentor. Twilight nodded, "Luster Dawn, I can see that your new friends really are good friends, so I'm willing to let you hang out with them," "Of course, your Majesty," Luster bowed, a moment before Twilight's best friends joined the alicorn, singing the chorus of 'The Magic of Friendship Grows', as Twilight spread her wings. "How the Magic of Friendship grows," Twilight sang the final line, before sending Luster off, waving her student goodbye. In the present, Luster recalled, "After that, was the group foundation day picnic you all organised, Nature Bloom's animal show, the gift giving, then...I told you all about Princess Twilight Sparkle sending me here to study and learn friendship like how Celestia sent her," "We remember all of that, because it was yesterday," Buffer commented. "And just like what we know, we should like you for who you are, Luster, as in, not your identity and occupation," Sunshine added. "But it's really about what is in your heart," Alkali clarified. "And no matter what, we'll help you like a friend would," Falcon added. "Even if you all will keep getting involved in all the troubles I caused? As in, get overwhelmed alongside me, get crowds swarming over you because you're with me, all that?"" Luster asked. "Even if we have to face all that, we will." Yellow Bright replied. "You need help, Luster, and we're going to be the friends who will help you," Krona declared. "So, what do you say about us helping you through the school hours?" Volcano asked. "Well, I totally accept your help," Luster replied as she joined hooves with her best friends. In a montage, Luster Dawn went through every class with at least two or more of her nine best friends protecting her from the other students' attitude, until the students could act normal around her. Soon, a grand event was around the corner; the Special Connection Rainboom Anniversary. "The celebration that celebrates the day Rainbow Dash performed her first Sonic Rainboom and making all of Twilight's friends get their cutie marks!" Luster exclaimed, "I can't believe that I'm finally attending!" "And we can't believe that you never bothered to attend all this time," Volcano commented, causing Luster to blush in embarassment. "Don't worry, I'm sure everything will be fine," Evergreen assured. "Even though you get to be in charge of making sure everything goes well," Falcon added. "With our help," Buffer saluted. "Krona feels great to help out with best friends!" Krona proudly declared, "So where do we start?" "Well, Princess Twilight Sparkle wants all the deliveries to be delivered on time, all the fire-generating creatures in a place where they can't hurt any creature if they let out fire, sitting arrangements prepared, some creature checking on the music, and that's all," Luster explained. "Should we split up?" Nature Bloom asked, "Because that's a lot to take care of," "Don't worry, because I've already planned things out!" Luster declared, "Krona, and Buffer, you two will help with the deliveries, Evergreen, Volcano and Sunshine Rays, you three will find a place for the fire-generating creatures, Nature Bloom and Falcon Dive, you two will arrange the seats, Alkali and Yellow Bright, you two will check on the music." "Wow, you really know how to plan," Alkali pointed out. "She's Princess Twilight Sparkle's star student, how can she not?!" Yellow Bright stated. "Uh, guys? We might want to start doing and stop talking, because we're running out of time!" Volcano reminded. The creatures then rushed out of school and throughout town, with Luster checking on the events' location; the very area where Rainbow Dash performed her first Sonic Rainboom. 'Princess Twilight Sparkle' was there, watching the Wonderbolts perform. "Princess Twilight Sparkle!" Luster greeted. "Luster Dawn! How can you forget to bow before me?!" 'Twilight' asked in a rude and unpleasant tone, shocking the unicorn. "So sorry, your Majesty," Luster respectfully bowed before her 'mentor'. "So, what are you doing here? Isn't the event tomorrow?" 'Twilight' asked. "Don't you remember? You asked me to help with the preparations last night?" Luster asked. "Oh, right. I must have been too busy with other stuff to remember," 'Twilight' responded before asking, "So, Luster, how's everything going? Is every creature attending, at last?" "Well, even though I'm finally attending for the first time, I'm sure that there will still be some creatures who can't make it. But maybe they will next..." Luster began, before being cut off by 'Twilight'. "Luster! As Ruler of Equestria, I order you to spread the word; I want every last creature to be at the event, is that understood?!" "Yes, Your Majesty," Luster bowed. That evening, Luster and her best friends gathered at the location the event was taking place. "I can't believe that everything's so...amazing!" Evergreen commented. "Yeah, it is, except for one thing..." Luster sadly replied. "You alright, Luster?" Nature Bloom asked. "Not really. Princess Twilight Sparkle just acted a little...mean to me today," Luster explained. "What makes you say that?" Buffer asked. "When I forgot to greet her formally and bow before her, she was mad." Luster explained, "Then, when I told her that some creatures could not make it, she angrily ordered me to ensure every creature does make it, which is something I never see her do before!" "That does sound kind of...not right." Sunshine commented. "What should we do?" Yellow Bright asked. "Well, we can always ask Princess Twilight's friends," Volcano suggested, "They aren't really royalty, so maybe it's not a bad idea?" "Are you kidding?! They're Princess Twilight's friends!" Krona pointed out, "They can just tell her what we tell them!" "Or maybe we should...check on her?" Alkali suggested. "You mean...spy on her?" Luster asked. "Sorry Alkali, but spying on others isn't right; especially when it's spying on royalty!" Sunshine told her best friends. "But if something's weird or causing you to get suspicious, you should trust your feelings," Buffer reminded, "So if Luster thinks that there's something odd with Princess Twilight Sparkle, we should at least try to make sure everything's fine!" "Alright, so what are we going to do?" Falcon asked. "Try to find a magic lamp with a genie inside and wish that everything will be alright?" Yellow Bright joked. "Yellow Bright, this is not the time for jokes!" Sunshine Rays told the Earth Pony, "Get serious!" "Sorry, I'm used to it, to cheer creatures up." Yellow Bright apologised. "I don't think it's working in this situation." Volcano pointed out. "Luster is still not...cheered up." Nature Bloom added. "Calm down, Luster. Take a deep breath, and think." Evergreen instructed. Luster did as told, and was seen placing her left front hoof on her head to brainstorm, before the scene faded and changed. Later that night, the ten creatures, having Luster to teleport them to Canterlot, snuck pass the royal guards. Nature Bloom disliked how they had to act like sneaky thieves, but the others kept telling her that they were just going to check on Twilight. Volcano soon found Twilight's residence; her Canterlot tower. The creatures were shocked to find it only occupied by Twilight's sleeping Royal Advisor and Friendship Ambassador, Spike. Sensing something odd, Luster asked Nature Bloom to transform into a dog, to pick up Twilight's scent. As a dog, Nature Bloom sniffed 'Twilight' and soon found the 'Ruler of Equestria' in the throne room, mixing a green brew in a black cauldron, to their shock as Nature Bloom transformed back to her regular form. "This plan is going perfectly!" she sneered to herself, "Tomorrow, when every creature comes to that silly event, after Rainbow performs her rainboom, I'll cast my spell on them all, making them all my loyal subjects, and they will only have me to adore! Making me in complete and total control of all of Equestria and beyond!" 'Twilight' then laughed evilly as the ten creatures watch in shock. To be Continued... 10. Development of RelationshipsAuthor's Note Development of Relationships serves as the tenth episode of the series. Summary:The Heroic Ten and the Council of Friendship start a new event in Equestria, hoping to create relationships between creatures. Featured Characters: Nightfall Dusk, a deer with a black coat, white antlers and underbelly, and green eyes, whom Luster Dawn developed feelings for. His relationship with Luster reminds Princess Twilight Sparkle of her relationship with human Flash Sentry, due to their tendency to accidentally bump into each other. 10. Development of Relationships In the Castle of Friendship, Luster rushed around the hallway, packing up bags with all sorts of things. "Luster, Krona doesn't think the Heroic Ten need all those!" Krona called. Panting, Luster protested, "Don't need?! Krona! Get serious! This is our first meeting with the whole Council of Friendship! I mean, we didn't interact much with Princess Twilight's friends at the party for her brother and sister-in-law! Nor at the Special Rainboom Connection Anniversary!" "The Council of Friendship knows that we're epic! We don't need to get a giant bag of supplies to the meeting to show that we're good!" Falcon Dive pointed out. The next second, Sunshine Rays, carting an oversized camping bag, flew pass the griffon, causing him to ask her, "What is all that?!" "All the supplies for showing our plans for the first-ever Speed Dating event in all of Equestria and Beyond!" Sunshine Rays answered, "The main focus of the event is to find a boyfriend for each male, and a girlfriend for each male. So they can hopefully become a family, have children, so we can have a population with enough young adults in the future. Because if we DON'T have enough births, that means not enough young adults to do work in the future! That means every creature will suffer! Because not enough young adults and workers to take care of the elderly and kids, not enough to harvest and manufacture food, not enough to clean the place, not enough to PROTECT us! The society and economy will collapse!" "And we so don't want a disastrous setting like the ones in your posters that show why it is so important that we have biological parents and biological children." Evergreen stated. "Exactly. Which is why I brought my file of posters," Sunshine Rays explained, flipping the pages of her file, all of them showing a disastrous future caused by lack of births. "Well...at least you aren't insulting any creature with those posters," Nature Bloom pointed out. "I tried to make them as less offending as possible. You know me, trying to make immoral creatures change, starting with trying to reason with them and make them see what is the real right and wrong..." Sunshine Rays responded, "But the main point is, I never wanted any creature to suffer, especially because of their own wrongdoings." "We know that Sunshine!" Buffer replied. "And we all know that you're just being a real good friend to them, even if they don't see it that way." Yellow Bright contributed. "Because you wanted them to do what is right, and not what is wrong." Alkali added. "Trying to show them the real BEST!" Krona declared. "Even if it is risky, and meant going against their wishes," Luster ended. "Um, every creature?" Volcano asked, "If we continue talking and sharing moments like this, we're going to be late for our meeting!" the dragon held up a watch that showed the time. "Thanks for the reminder, Volcano!" Luster thanked, while rushing out of the Castle with the whole team. After the series' theme song intro played, the Council of Friendship were in the Throne Room, waiting for ten creatures to arrive. "I'm starting to think that they're not going to come," Rainbow Dash told her friends. "Come on, Rainbow. I'm sure they are coming, they're just...late." Princess Twilight told the pegasus. "Anyway, it sure is nice of them to come up with the whole speed dating event idea so every creature can have families," Fluttershy commented. "Plus, that means a lot of birthday parties, wedding parties, and baby showers for me and Cheesy to throw!" Pinkie Pie excitedly cheered. "My family is already big enough," Applejack announced, "I'm sure we don't need weddings right now." "But my family sure can use more members," Spike figured, "I don't even live with them, unless I retire as Royal Advisor so I can be free to move in with my beloved Rarity." Spike affectionally hugged his wife as he said her name. "Oh, Spike! With Luster going down a path similar to Twilight's, there's no doubt that you and Twilight's retirements won't be as distant as before!" Rarity assured. "But it will still take time, plus, Luster and her friends probably should not know about our hopes and plans for her until the time is right." Twilight reminded, a second before Gallus cleared his throat. "Your Majesty, they're all here, and all checked. They clearly cannot be imposters, being able to fill in every detail about their lives such as residences, both former and current, family members from parents to great-grandparents, but the main point, is, it is certain that it is them." "They may enter, Gallus." the Alicorn commanded. The newest heroes of Equestria trotted into the room and bowed before the Ruler of Equestria. "Your Majesty." they greeted in unison. "Luster, you and your friends can stop bowing now. Besides, you have a big event plan to share."Princess Twilight pointed out. "Yes, and we all know, it was our idea to introduce it to every creature," Sunshine Rays replied. "We just can't thank you enough for wanting to help some adorable babies have happy families!" Fluttershy squealed. "Um, Fluttershy? The babies aren't even born, plus their parents aren't even married yet!" Rainbow Dash pointed out. "I know, but I just can't help think of baby dragons, griffons, hippogriffs and all sorts of creatures!" Fluttershy said. "But there won't even be any of those if creatures don't marry the opposite gender and reproduce!" Nature Bloom pointed out. "Every reason we're acting now and not when it's too late." Luster declared. "So, as you know, the first step of the event for the participants is to register themselves." Evergreen calmly stated. "By filling in their names, before going through a security check to check if they were imposters or not," Yellow Bright added. "After the check, the females will get a table," Nature Bloom continued. "And the males will soon enter, and each get a ten minutes period of time with a female." Buffer resumed. "And, they get to leave when they found their special some creature!" Krona declared. "Correction, it's their 'possible special some creature'! Meeting is just the first step! The second step is..." Sunshine Rays began, before Alkali cut her off. "Fun couple games for the couples to get along!" "Right," Sunshine Rays responded, before continuing her explanation, "After that, they must learn to make decisions on how they will spend their time together, as in, for example, which restaurant would they go to. They only have two hours to make the decision and do as they decided. After that, all that is left for them is to have good communication as they must learn to plan their meetings with one another, Then they can leave." "That sounds so...romantically divine!" Rarity commented, "Oh why didn't we ever thought of making such a good event?" "It's not just an event, it is meant to ensure that Equestria populations will not decrease!" Luster explained. "Basically, it is to ensure that the future generation will have enough young adults to serve every creature." Falcon Dive added. "And no creatures' kind is endangered, as in, close to becoming extinct because of lack of births and numbers," Nature Bloom stated. "Speaking of future generation and young adults, I have been doing some calculations to check on the population numbers, depending on how many couples we have in the present." Volcano told every creature, doing some workings on his chalkboard. "Thank you for putting so much effort in this every creature," Princess Twilight Sparkle told the Heroic Ten, "I cannot thank you enough for what you always have been doing for every creature, and I will let every creature know about the event you planned. As soon as preparations are underway." A few days later, Canterlot was all set up for the occasion, with Luster watching over the area from the balcony, alongside Princess Twilight Sparkle. "Everything is going so well!" Luster said her thoughts out loud. "And hopefully no disasters this time," the Ruler of Equestrian added, causing Luster to nervous chuckle. "Don't worry, your Majesty. Lessons are learnt from mistakes, I'm sure the same mistakes won't repeat." "Apple cider for her royal highness, Princess Twilight Sparkle!" Applejack announced, causing the alicorn to laugh. "Applejack, you don't need to address me like that." "I know, sugarcube, it's just what friends do to each other at times, a little playful teasing once in a while." Applejack replied. "My Best Friend Nature Bloom doesn't like teasing, she thinks that it's awful! I advise no such behaviours like this," Luster told the two mares. "Don't worry Luster, I'm sure we wouldn't go too far," Princess Twilight Sparkle assured, before Discord created a portal to send his wife Fluttershy to the scene. "My bird choir is ready to perform, and Discord will handle the most romantic part of all: The Tunnel of Love at the end of the event." Fluttershy explained. "Great! Hopefully it won't be too romantic, because too much of something is not good, no matter what it is." Luster commented. "Your Majesty, the event's starting in five minutes!" Gallus told the princess. "Thanks for the alert, Gallus." Twilight responded, before telling every creature else, "Come on, every creature, we got to get going." A crowd of creatures waited for the appearance of their princess, chattering amongst themselves before the Royal Guards blew the trumpets. "Every creature in this crowd, please make way for our princess, the Ruler of Equestria, Princess Twilight Sparkle!" Spike announced, before his adoptive sister made her appearance. "Thank you all for supporting this event, every creature. As you all should know, this event is our newest heroes, the Heroic Ten's idea, and it means a lot more than finding a special some creature for every creature: The future depends on our decisions and actions, and we all know that the future generation will be the children and grandchildren of ours, but they won't even exist if we never became biological parents! Just like how we ourselves won't exist if it weren't for our biological parents! The true reason behind wanting you all to find a special some creature is because we hope that you can become family with children, so the future generation will have enough young adults to work for every creature!" After the speech was over, the creatures cheered, before their ruler cleared her throat, "You all may proceed to the event, after queuing up to do security checks." Watching from above, Sunshine Rays let out a breath, telling herself, "I hope that this works out." "Hey, Sunshine!" Falcon Dive greeted his pegasus Best Friend, flying up to her, "So, are you happy? Not only did the Council of Friendship support your idea, but now it's happening for real! It's epic!" "Yes, Falcon Dive. It is really good to have royalty and the leaders of a kingdom approving your idea, and then seeing it...happen for every creature to know." Sunshine Rays replied, in an obviously not happy tone. "That is not the expression I was expecting from you," Falcon Dive told her. "It's just that, there is more behind this whole idea than finding boyfriends for females, and girlfriends for males: I am against something that Equestria doesn't ban. But never told any creature about it, especially after how I upset the smokers of Ponyville before making it up to them, not so long ago..." Sunshine Rays answered. "I'm guessing it's something to do with relationships, am I right?" Falcon Dive asked. "Yes. A kind of relationship that I just cannot believe is real! I mean, I thought that every creature knows that they have biological parents, one mother and one father. I just can't believe some were even willing to go against such a basic fact, blinded by...affection." Sunshine Rays tried her best to indirectly mention what she dislike and was talking about. "I get it, Sunshine. It will be hard to just convince them, every reason why we are using encouraging!" Falcon Dive pointed out, "Setting up activities, increasing the chances of them finding something better and alright to love! In this case, some creature that is alright for them to love, I mean, we don't want them loving villains, am I right?" Falcon Dive jokingly ask. "I would never like villain-lovers!" Sunshine Rays furiously roared, shocking the griffon. "Sorry, I haven't mastered patience yet, so I still have a tendency to act like that upon thinking of such things." the pegasus apologised. "Don't worry Sunshine, a tough griffon like me could use something like your ferocity to train and test courage." Falcon Dive assured. "I will love to test your courage, but we got an event to oversee right now." Sunshine Rays replied, before diving down with her Best Friend. After all the males diffused throughout the area, each being a female on a small table, Volcano started a ten minutes stop watch, announcing, "Let the Speed Dating event begin!" From afar, Spike watched the creatures talk, making him express a bit of sadness. "Is everything alright, Spikey-Wikey?" the dragon's wife asked. "No," Spike sadly replied, "I can't help but wish that we can be one of those couples down there, going through the Speed Dating, all of its romantic festivities, improve our relationship..." "But it is clear that it is for creatures who don't have their special some creatures! We can't be selfish and just join because we want the experience," Rarity pointed out. "I get it, Rarity. But the main point is, I can't even live with you, until I am free from Royal Advisor duties, which probably will happen...in a distant future. We may be able to see each other once a moon, and Ponyville and Canterlot aren't that far apart, just a long walking distance away! But still...not living with you and our kids...my family...I can't help but think that this event is something we have to participate in, to improve our relationship!" Spike explained. "I'm so terribly sorry, Spikey-Wikey, but I'm sure we don't need an experience as romantic as what those creatures will have! We still have our own romantic experience this evening, that I have planned for my beloved dragon husband, Spike!" Rarity declared, "Just like every moon after Council of Friendship meeting!" "Thanks Rarity, knowing that we still get to spend some time together is great, only, too bad we don't do it with our children because our daughter doesn't like too romantic stuff." Spike sadly stated. "I'm sure she will change one day, I mean, even tomboys like Rainbow Dash accepted falling in love with a gentle creature!" Rarity pointed out, just as the mentioned pegasus flew by from above. With nothing much to do, Rainbow joined her husband Soarin in the clouds in the Canterlot skies, watching over the creatures. "You alright, Rainbow Dash? I thought you'd be with your friends down there," Soarin told his wife. "I'm totally fine! They just don't really need me right now, as in, Applejack and Caramel are taking good care of the apple products here, Pinkie and Cheese will have all the games perfectly fine! And don't worry, they may be party ponies, but they've thrown wedding receptions before, they won't treat such romance-center occasions like this like some creature's birthday!" Rainbow Dash assured. "Alright.." Soarin responded, "So since we're both free, why don't try to have our own speed dating experience by talking to each other like the creatures below us?" "Sure! I don't know what I will be doing right now," Rainbow Dash answered. "That kind of reminds me of when you said that you wouldn't know who you'd be talking to that day, while you were talking to your friend Rarity." Soarin commented. "Oh yeah, then you came down and told me that I would be talking to you," Rainbow Dash recalled. "Yeah, I remember that, and...the events of that day..." Soarin started to express uncomfortable feelings. "They are still...clear in your head, aren't they?" Rainbow Dash asked. "They are." Soarin answered, "I just can't believe I fell for that nasty Wind Rider's tricks! Accusing you, threatening to ban you, after everything good that I knew you have done! Saving me twice when no creature else would..." "I don't blame you, you were just doing your duty, saying that you had no choice," Rainbow Dash assured. "But...you never deserved to be accused that easily by the Wonderbolts, especially after saving the team's commanders along with Misty Fly before, encouraged Ponyville to create that tornado to deliver water to Cloudsdale despite knowing that your chances of success aren't high, and...chose to reject my spot in a team that will surely win the Equestria Games, even though it meant giving up one of your greatest desires of all time: winning. I saw you abandon your own wishes for the sake of others, I should have known you would never do the opposite of that, but I still thought that...you could be the culprit." "I know it was awful, but you made up for it!" Rainbow Dash pointed out. "With some help. Making up to you was the only thing I ever wanted after the performance, I would just apologise, but since you saved my life more times than you have saved other Wonderbolts' lives, I figured that it will take more than that, so I went to Princess Celestia for advice. She advised me that actions speak louder than words, so I must do something to prove I'm sorry, not just say so." Soarin explained. "And, your make-amends gift was everything I could ever hope for! Besides being a Wonderbolt," Rainbow Dash excitedly said. Soarin chuckled, "Yeah, I figured that instead of just a Wonderbolt, you should be known as a more special Wonderbolt, even though you still got stuck with a nickname like the rest of the team. Back to the point, my apology make-amends gift for accusing and threatening you was..." "Making my history of saving the Wonderbolts before I became one known to all members and the future members as it was all written down in a book!" Rainbow Dash finished for him. "And decided to help you with endurance training because you said that you did not have the endurance to go long distances, at the dinner the night before the Royal Garden Opening." Soarin added one final detail. "Even though it did not go so well, I'm glad that it developed our relationship for the better," Rainbow responded, just as she and her husband heard Alkali announcing to the creatures. "Time's up, creatures! Now move on and proceed!" "Alkali, 'proceed' and 'move on' have the same meanings!" Volcano told his Best Friend. "Doesn't matter, they're going fine!" the hippogriff replied. "Hold up, every creature!" Luster suddenly stopped the crowd. "Figured that every creature could get hungry and thirsty," Krona announced. "So we're giving out these fruit snack packets and bottled drinks for you to bring along with you throughout the event!" Buffer added, as he, Luster and Krona distributed the food. "Why didn't we think of that before?" Sunshine Rays asked, watching from behind a corner. "Sunshine, try to look on the bright side, like Yellow Bright use to say. At least late is better than never!" Falcon Dive pointed out. "I'm sorry, I just don't want this event to be a disaster!" the pegasus explained. "Neither do any of us, especially when there's a very good reason behind it," Falcon Dive responded, "Don't worry, we have the support of royalty, I'm sure everything will be fine." After Luster gave out the last bottle, every creature automatically moved, causing the unicorn to be overwhelmed in a crowd (like her mentor did in the human world), stumbling her way out. Once she was finally out of the mess, she winded up bumping into a deer with a black coat, white antlers and underbelly, and green eyes. "Are you alright, Luster Dawn?" the deer asked, responding to the bump by extending his hoof out to her, pulling her up. "Thanks for the lift..." Luster thanked, before pausing as she did not know the deer's name. "No need to thank me, Luster. I'm meant to help other creatures, as a Canterlot Castle servant, and musician. By the way, I'm Nightfall Dusk, and it was nice meeting you," the deer responded, walking away to resume his work. "Nice to meet you, too..." Luster blushed, before her mentor came landing beside her. "Having feelings for some creature you bump into, my faithful student?" Twilight asked. "What?! I...well, maybe a little..." Luster struggled to respond, before the Alicorn chuckled. "Don't worry, Luster. Even your mentor developed such feelings; bumping into somebo...some creature when first met, then bumped into each other the next day at a cafe, then bumped again the the day on a stage, basically, lots of times." Twilight tried to hide blushed as she described, luckily for her, her student never saw it. "Really?" Luster asked, "How can I never know that?! I read a lot of books about your adventures when I was a student at the School of Friendship! None of them said something like that! Did I mis something..." Luster panicked, before Twilight assured. "Don't worry, my faithful student, not even your mentor knows everything about you, nor her mentor." After Twilight walked away, Luster got hit by a small pebble that was not even the size of a centimetre square. She turned to see two creatures trying to catch her attention. "Eclipse? Shapeshifter?" Luster asked, trotting towards them, "What are you two doing here? Shouldn't you be going around Equestria to let creatures know that you're no longer...immoral?" "We are, but we just finished on another area recently, Manehattan, the big city!" Shapeshifter answered. "And since our work there is done, we came here, to convince Canterlot residents that we are reformed." Eclipse nervously added. "But, Manehattan is so far from here! Why didn't you go to the areas near it before you come back here?" Luster asked. Eclipse took a deep breath and admitted, "Well, we heard about this Speed Dating event that you and your best friends came up with, that the Council of Friendship are helping with. Knowing that means you will be here, we came looking for you, because I have something I need hep with." "But, if you did have something you need help with, why didn't you just send a letter to me?" Luster asked. "We...I figured that now's the most comfortable time, since you and Princess Twilight are at the same place today, with all of your friends," Eclipse nervously chuckled, "But the point is, I am hoping that you can improve my relationship with Princess Twilight, especially when you organised this relationship-centred event and all..." "Wait, slow down, would you?!" Luster responded, "Now, this event is most likely trying to build romantic relationships between creatures, not just any relationships, but I'm sure I can make some time to help you." "Good, because I really could need some creature who...has never been evil...or something like that, to help me with improving my relationship with some creature I...double-crossed...three years ago..." Eclipse sadly stated, as a flashback began. In the flashback... "Alright unicorns," Twilight instructed the students of the School of Magic, "As you all know, for today's test, you all will be showing me and the rest of your friends the spells that you are confident of to show and impress us!" The unicorns cheered for a few seconds before their mentor cleared her throat, "Eclipse Instant, my star student, why don't you be the first candidate?" "Of course, your Majesty. Prepare to be amazed at what I can do!" Eclipse stepped forward and casted a spell to create a pony-sized sun that shone like the real sun, before creating a moon that was slightly smaller. She then levitated the sun to the top of the ceiling, followed by brining the moon slightly below it, and slowly moving it in front of the sun, creating an artificial solar eclipse, and a cheering crowd. "Spectacular performance, Eclipse! Now, shall we see the next student..." Princes Twilight commented, before calling the other students up. After every student had their turn, class was dismissed, with some of the students approaching Eclipse, "Hey, Eclipse! Your performance was a lot better than ours!" "It's about time some more creatures comment it, other than my mentor, of course!" Eclipse proudly declared/ "Do you think you can teach us how to do it? As in, how to perform the performance ou performed?" another unicorn asked. "It can be my surprise gift for my family and friends' birthdays! Even better, I can teach them how to do it!" a female unicorn exclaimed. "What?! Sorry, unicorns, but only the star student can know a spell like this," Eclipse arrogantly refused to teach the other students, trotting off, making them forget about their interest in learning her spells. Nearby, Princess Twilight Sparkle witnessed everything, and decided to confront Eclipse. As she was close to her star student's room, Twilight overheard Eclipse's voice angrily saying, "This tastes awful! You're fired!" A zap could be heard after the sentence was finished, making Twilight figure that it was best for her to use a splll that allowed the caster to see the other side of opaque objects. To the Alicorn's horror, she could see Eclipse on a golden throne, and serving the unicorn was small soldiers whom she treated as minions and servants. "Now where shall I put this statue of me? Probably somewhere every last one of my subjects can see it like the middle of Canterlot!" Eclipse told herself, levitating a miniature statue of herself to the middle of a model version of Canterlot. "I can feel it, as soon as I take on the throne, I will be the one and only creature with a relaxing life of getting everything I want!" Eclipse declared, a second before there was a knock on her door, as she could hear her mentor's voice. Quickly casing a spell to hide the throne, soldiers, and model of Canterlot, Eclipse had everything ready for her guest to see. Opening the door, she vowed, "Your Majesty," "Eclipse, there is no need to bow before me this moment, because there is something I have to talk to you about." Twilight insisted. "Anything, Princess Twilight," Eclipse responded. "Eclipse, did you create your own toy kingdom to rule over?" Twilight asked. "Sort of?" Eclipse answered, before the next question came. "Did you say something about taking the throne?" "What?! How can you think..." Eclipse protested, but her mentor asked one final question. "Did you say that you can be free to relax and get whatever you want?" "What are you saying?! Where did you get all those ridiculous ideas?!" Eclipse played innocent, but the alicorn knew everything. "Eclipse. I saw you act arrogantly towards the other unicorns, and came to confront you about such behaviour. I cannot have a star student like this, and was hoping that you can be a good example, but today, I am disappointed to see your true, impure heart. I saw and overheard wha you were doing in this room! I'm giving you a decision: change for the better and make friends. with others, or forever be alone." "Or maybe...option three, I can take you down!" Eclipse smiled wickedly, before sending a huge fireball at Twilight, causing the Alicorn to teleport herself out. Using a spell, Eclipse quickly located her mentor, and teleported herself to the same location the alicorn was. Eclipse then used her magic to teleport both herself and Twilight to the Everfree Forest, the one place no creature would be around to witness what they were doing. The unicorn constantly tried to destroy her mentor, but their duel caught Rainbow Dash's attention, who was leading the Wonderbolts on a journey to Appleloosa. Curious, Rainbow led her team to the commotion, and the pegasus gasped to see what she was seeing. "Twilight!" Eclipse shot dark magic fire out from her horn, that began burning the trees, distracting Twilight, who struggled to put the fire out. Eclipse took advantage and attempted to cast a spell on her mentor, shooting a beam at her. Fortunately, Rainbow Dash pushed Twilight down, and to safety, resulting in a tree to get hit by the beam, and turned to stone. The Wonderbolts surrounded Eclipse, causing her to furiously vanish within a flash of white. "Twilight, are you okay?" Rainbow asked with concern. Twilight was not alright at all, expressing sadness as all she could say was, "Eclipse..." The flashback ended, with Luster commenting, "I can't believe that happened a few weeks before I enrolled in the School!" "That's just half of the story you heard, now for the remaining half..." Eclipse sadly said, before another flashback began... In the flashback... "Really, Twilight? A day off, for me?" Spike asked his adoptive sister. "Yes indeed, Spike. After all, tomorrow is the Special Rainboom Connection Anniversary, the celebration that celebrates the anniversary of Rainbow's first-ever Sonic Rainboom, which happened on the day you were born! So it's the Special Rainboom Connection Anniversary, and your birthday. I can't think of any way to make you happier on the eve of the event, other than giving you a day of freedom from your Royal Advisor duties!" Twilight confirmed. "Yes! I can't wait to see Rarity and our kids, then go hangout with Big Mac and Discord, and experience a day in Ponyville!" Spike listed. "Better stop saying and get doing," Twilight told the dragon. "Oh right, goodbye Twilight, see you tonight!" Spike waved. "See you, Spike!" Twilight replied. Spike went out the door and left, but did not know that an invisible figure passed him and went through the door he opened before it was closed. As soon as Twilight was alone, she suddenly got zapped by a beam of magic, getting a shock as she felt herself shrinking and her alicorn wings vanishing. After the transformation finished within a few seconds, Twilight looked at her hooves, which turned greyish phthalo blue, and her mane was very light azure. "Royal Guards!" a voice commanded, catching Twilight's attention, as the voice was completely similar to hers. She turned and saw some creature with her actual appearance and voice. "It's Eclipse Instant! My treacherous former student! Seize her and lock her in the dungeon!" Eclipse Instant, in Twilight's body, commanded. Fooled by Eclipse's appearance and voice, the guards believed that she was their princess whom they had to obey, and seized the real Twilight, who was stuck with Eclipse's appearance and voice. "What?! No! You're making a mistake! Things are not what you think they are!" Twilight cried to the guards as they surrounded her, unfortunately, they did not listen to any of her words, as Eclipse subdued her(Twilight's) magic. "No! Let go of me! I'm telling you, I'm the real Twilight..." was the last thing Eclipse heard her former mentor say, before the guards took the real princess out of the Throne Room. "Lock her up real tight and deep inside the dungeon! We can't have any creature believing her lies!" Eclipsepse called, before turning back to the thrones and smirking evilly to herself. The flashback ended with Eclipse feeling even worse than before, while Luster responding, "Alright, I know that was not good, but look on the bright side, Princess Twilight must have forgiven you! She did help my Mum reform, even after what my Mum did! And helped Miss Sunset Shimmer reform, and helped Stygain reform...and most importantly, she forgave them all!" "I know she never locked me up when she could have after I was defeated, but how are you sure that she has forgiven me, and she no longer views me as...an enemy?" Eclipse sobbed. "Well, there is one way to find out your current relationship with her and its status..." Luster pointed out, "Which is none other than going up to her and talk it out." "What?! I never really had a good conversation with her ever since my betrayal! Most importantly, I wasn't so close to her anymore! I never dared to go near her, nor her family in the Crystal empire...so Shapeshifter and I never went to the empire nor Canterlot, because I am scared that Princess Twilight..." "Wouldn't want to see you ever again?" Luster asked. "Or even worse, never wanted to treat me as a friend ever again," Eclipse voiced out her thoughts. "What?! How can the Princess of Friendship want to remain enemies with some creature?" Luster asked. "Now that you put it that way, I...figured that...at least I can give facing her again, a try..." Eclipse responded, before Krona began calling, "Luster!" "Krona? Is something wrong?" Luster asked. "More than that! Every creature is still at stage one: No creature moved onto the second!" Krona explained. Luster gasped, "That can't be possible! Thirty minutes passed! At least one pair could have moved on, unless there's something wrong." "That's exactly what Krona is saying! There's something wrong because no creature is moving," Krona plainly reminded. "Sorry, Eclipse, I can't help you right now, but I will try as soon as I can!" Luster told the reformed villainess, before teleporting herself and Krona away. Meanwhile, Pinkie Pie and her husband Cheese Sandwich were chidishly playing with the games that were for the participants of the event. "Be careful, Madam Pinkie and Mr. Cheese!" Yellow Bright told the party ponies, "Don't forget that these games aren't yours to play with! It's for the participants! Who strangely haven't come to this part of the event," "Come on, Yellow Bright! They aren't even fragile!" Pinkie pointed out. "But Sunshine wouldn't want anything to go wrong, being the creature who started the whole idea..." Yellow Bright reminded. "Oh Sunshine Rays...." Cheese Sandwich slowly said, before immediately changing his tone and exclaimed,"that creature really needs to come here and join her own party!" "This 'party' is for the good of every creature with a huge meaning behind it! Don't you two know that, especially when you're party ponies?" Yellow Bright asked. "Sorry, Yellow. We just couldn't help but feel sorry for all these game equipments, not being played..." Cheese Sandwich apologised. "Maybe you two should find something else to entertain yourselves? I mean, perhaps...your relationship?" Yellow Bright suggested. "Oh! Right..." Pinkie Pie responded, before turning to her husband, "So, Cheesy, what should we talk about? All the good things? My family being alright to see me interested in you, our wedding going fine despite my mistake, having Lil'Cheese..." "How about the time we finally met in pony, Pinkamena Diane Pie?" Cheese Sandwich dramatically asked his wife in a romantic tone. Pinkie Pie gasped in delight before squealing, "Oh, Cheesy! That is what I was missing! I would love to talk about that!" "Even though things didn't go so well between us when you challenged me to a Goof-Off, that led to your poor friend Rainbow Dash not being happy, and you yourself deciding to quit." These Sandwich gradually got sadder as he recalled the day he and his wife physically met each other. "Yeah," Pinkie replied in a somewhat sad tone, before gradually changing her tone to a more positive one, "But look on the bright side! At least everything worked out good and well in the end! We made up, I figured out that you were never trying to steal my party pony job, we threw the party together, and you gave me Boneless, which was my Key of Laughter that helped defeat Tirek and grew the amazing Castle of Friendship!" "That is good to know and remember, Pinkamena Diane Pie," Cheese Sandwich dramatically told his wife in a romantic tone, making them both laugh. Yellow Bright watched the party pony couple from afar, happy to see them loving each other's company, a second before Evergreen called to him. "Yellow Bright! We have a problem! No participant is moving up the stages of the event! The rest of our best friends are waiting for us at the Balcony!" The scene changed to show most of the creatures and Princess Twilight at the balcony, looking at the crowd, just as the ten minutes timer went off. "Another ten minutes up! Please move onto the next table, gentle creatures and colts!" Volcano instructed, speaking through a megaphone. "Still no creatures going onto the next stage?" Sunshine Rays asked. "Sorry, Sunshine. I'm...we're afraid not." Buffer answered. "It's already been one hour! This is the sixth time in a row! What can be going on?!" the pegasus asked. "Maybe the creatures are too afraid to tell each other their love for each other," Yellow Bright suggested, upon arriving with Evergreen. "Actually...I can't disagree with Yellow Bright's statement! Maybe the creatures are too afraid to tell each other that they love each other!" Luster figured. "Like most times, creatures will fear being rejected by who they love!" Volcano opined out. "Even my parents are like that!" Alkali commented, "They told me and Acid about their love story of liking each other, but were too afraid to tell each other for years before they married." The mentioned example made Sunshine Rays panic, "Years?! We can't wait for years! We need births every year! Or the future will be in danger!" "Where is Sunshine going?" Krona asked. "To tell those creatures that they must not be such scary-creatures and tell the truth!" Sunshine answered, but she was stopped by Princess Twilight. "Sunshine, I understand how seriously you take this, but you can't just go forcing creatures into doing what you want them to do, that will make you..." "Immoral, I know. But how else am I going to get them to go forward and tell some creature that they love them?" Sunshine Rays asked. "All, as far as I read my books, declaring romantic feelings for some creature is a great step in a relationship development, so maybe they aren't ready for it," Luster explained. "And many are scared that doing that will risk their relationship with the creature they love," Buffer pointed out. "And going through really romantic things on the day they first met?" Nature Bloom added, "That's like taking an exam on the day they first studied!" "In other words, you're putting them a rate that is too fast for them," Evergreen explained. "I can't believe I never thought of it that way," Sunshine Rays sadly said. "And we can't believe we never thought of it that way until now!" Falcon Dive commented. "But it's still not too late, maybe we can change the rules and things for the better?" Nature Bloom suggested. "Like, tell the participants that they can go on to the next stage as soon as they found some creature they are good at communicating with, or some creature they are able to quickly befriend?" Yellow Bright suggested. "And maybe take the romantic settings down," Volcano contributed, "So no creature will feel uncomfortable." "Worth to try," Sunshine Rays replied, agreeing with her best friends. In the Canterlot Castle kitchen, Applejack and Caramel finished their cooking and covered the last meal with a silver lid. "That's the last of them!" Applejack announced, "And now we finally can take a break." "Good to finally stop working for a while, apple of my eye," Caramel told his wife, "We may not be able to participate in the Speed Dating since we are already married, but we still have each other, our daughter, and our happy Apple Family." Applejack chuckled, "Oh, Caramel, I'm so glad that we're an apple pie after all the unfortunate things we had in the beggining when we finally physically interacted and met each other." "Yes, Applejack, I remember all those events, and how hard it was for us to treat each other warmly when I stayed at your place until my house was rebuilt, but when we warmed up, it felt like we were together forever." "And when you comforted me, sacrificed and was willing to sacrifice yourself to save me, I knew you did care for me, for real." Applejack warmly said, looking at her husband with a grateful expression. "And I'm glad that we have a perfect family," Caramel responded, returning the expression, just before he and his wife heard some creatures galloping pass the kitchen. "Hey, Heroic Ten! What's the rush here? Shouldn't you be outside overseeing your event?" Applejack asked. "Long story and we can't explain it now, Applejack!" Buffer answered, before he and the others were out of sight. Outside of Canterlot, Eclipse was preparing her speech for when she finally interact with her former mentor again, with Shapeshifter disguising himself as the Ruler of Equestria, to help his friend practise. Stepping forward to her disguised friend, Eclipse said, what she was meant to say for her actual meeting, "Princess Twilight Sparkle, I am terribly sorry I turned on you and attacked you, three years ago, and this year, returned and imprisoned you for no good reasons. I am no longe the power-hungry creature I used to be, and I hope you can understand and forgive me completely." Shapeshifter transformed back to his regular form and praised his friend, "Well done, Eclipse. I think you have trained long enough, without Luster's help." A smile spread across the unicorn's face, as she just accomplished something without the aid of her talented heroine friend, a second before the smile disappeared when the doors nearby burst open and the Heroic Ten noticed the reformed villains. "Eclipse? Shapeshifter?" all of the creatures except for Luster asked in shock, before Princess Twilight Sparkle was heard calling, "Eclipse Instant." The unicorn gulped as her former mentor landed in front of her, towering over her. Summoning her courage, Eclipse spoke up, "Princess Twilight Sparkle, I'm so sorry for double-crossing you three years ago, and wrongfully imprisoning you, and switching bodies with you. I was awfully power-hungry, but now that I have friends that satisfy me, I'm no longer after power, and I will never do any of the things I used to do, I hope for your forgiveness," Princess Twilight Sparkle walked towards her former student, casting her shadow over the unicorn, before replying, "Eclipse, I have already forgave you the very instant you accepted friendship. I actually wanted to talk to you, but you were not in sight. If you did not hide from me, I would have already assured you that we are friends again." "I'm so sorry...Princess Twilight Sparkle, I was actually afraid of what our relationship will become, after what I did to you..." Eclipse apologised. "Eclipse, how will you know what your relationship with some creature will become, if you hide from them and not interact with them anymore? Relationships need interacting to develop, and the story of a relationship always moves on." "So...you are saying...that I have to move on and continue interacting with you, to develop our relationship?" Eclipse asked. "To help our relationship develop," Princess Twilight corrected, "So you shouldn't be afraid of facing some creature again, when you already have interacted with them, and relationships with them like you have with every creature." "Wait a second," Luster, who heard the conversation alongside her best friends, said her thoughts out loud, "move on, interact, face, helping relationships develop...that's what every creature needs!" "Say what now?" Falcon Dive asked. "We need to tell them that they can't fear their relationships ending because of one bad move, they have to move on, and continue interacting with the creatures whom they have relationships with! Just like we do," Luster explained. "Great! So we're just going to encourage them!" Alkali exclaimed. "Actually, there's more than that..." Sunshine Rays told every creature. The ten minutes timer went off once again, but this time, Luster made the announcement, "Every creature, we have some news! Since my best friends and I figured that you may feel uncomfortable going through something romantic so soon, we decided to make some changes: Instead of love at first sight, we decided that you should find some creature that you can get along with, in the first stage, before you make it to the second." "Don't worry, the games in the second stage are actually teamwork games, and not competitions," Yellow Bright added. "And instead of going to a restaurant together, we decided that you should choose which Buffet you would like to take food from, since you can only choose one among the two, a decision that two must make. In other words, th creatures must agree to go to the same buffet, as they are meant to go through the event together." Sunshine Rays explained. "And last but not least, a relaxing musical concert to listen to music. And not to worry, instead of sweetly romantic, the pieces will be happy, light, harmonious, or jazz, or, basically, anything except for extremely romantic for your comfort." Evergreen finished the description of the chances. "And one more information..." Alkali began, before being hushed by Volcano. "You mean, 'one more piece of information'! Information is uncountable!" the dragon explained. "One more piece of information: We also have decided, that to be moe friendly, we're allowing all creatures, married or not to participate in the event! And stage one will only be necessary for those looking for some creature of the opposite gender to get along with," Alkali announced. "But the main point is: You must not be afraid to ask your new friend to the next stage, nor be afraid to move on. If you made a mistake, you still can make up for it and continue interacting, moving on and helping your relationship develop, and not easily shunning out creatures because of bad things happening." Luster pointed out, "There are many examples of relationship stories that develop despite setbacks and tensions, as far as we go, there most likely never had been a couple with a perfect, no tensions, no setbacks, relationship. So you must not try to be so perfect, as it will just make you scared. And shunning out creatures might really put an end to your relationships with them, so you shouldn't do that as well." "And, because it is late morning, we have plenty of time to go back to the start and have you re-meet with all the creatures you previously encountered, so you can have a second shot." Volcano added. The sun was soon crossing the horizon and was about to set, making the sky orange-yellow. The Council of Friendship and the Heroic Ten listened to the musical performances, that was the final stage of the event. "Great music, isn't it every creature?" Krona asked her best friends. "Indeed," Buffer agreed. "The nicest I heard for the day," Nature Bloom commented. "I'm just glad that we can finally relax and enjoy the event after all we went through, right Luster?" Sunshine Rays asked, turning to the unicorn. To every creature's surprise, Luster was in a daze, staring at the performers and blushing. "Is she alright?" Fluttershy asked in a concerned tone. "Fear not every creature!" Discord told the creatures he was sitting with, "I, Discord, shall make Luster all fine again..." "No need, Discord, I believe I know what got Luster to be like this," Twilight told the draconneques. "Fine," Discord replied, before his wife assured him, "It's alright, Discord, I know that you wanted to help in a good way, and not the way you did before Twilight's coronation." "And I can assure you that I will never do such thing like that, ever again, every creature," Discord told his friends, before whispering to his wife, "Especially, you, my lovely Fluttershy." Fluttershy giggled before the performance ended, with every creature exiting the performance ground. On the way out, Luster bumped into Nightfall Dusk, by accident, again. "I'm so sorry,..." Luster began apologising, before noticing who she bumped into, "Nightfall Dusk, I'm sorry I bumped into you, again." Nightfall Dusk chuckled, "Luster Dawn, it's alright. We just got to stop bumping into each other like this. And, you can just call me Nightfall." "And you can just call me Luster," Luster Dawn replied, slightly blushing, before Thye parted ways. "That was so adorable!" Rarity squealed, making Luster blush in embarrassment. "You...all saw that?" Luster asked her best friends and the Council of Friendship. "The whole entire thing!" Falcon Dive confirmed. "But don't worry, we are not the teasing kind." Nature Bloom reassured. "I may not feel so comfortable about all of you knowing my feelings right now, but, as you all know, since we just talked about moving on, I'm going to move on, and not shun any creature out because of embarrassing situations," Luster told every creature. "Wonderful to hear that, my faithful student." Twilight responded, "And since it is clear to me that we all have learnt the lesson of moving on, continue interacting with others, and not shunning them out in fear of what your relationship will become after a mistake or unpleasant situation, I am certain that I don't need a letter from you today." "You may not need a letter, but a valuable lesson like this, is sure to go into the friendship journal my best friends and I keep and write!" Luster announced. The two groups of creatures walked pass Gallus, who was still in his guard attire, just before his wife Silverstream landed beside him. "I'm finally here, Gallus. And, sorry I had to miss the speed dating, since I got some errands. I'm really sorry I couldn't afford to be with you on a non-weekday like this." Silverstream apologised. "That's alright, Silverstream," Gallus placed his wing on his wife's shoulder, "Because no matter what unpleasant situation occurs, we have to move on." "And we love each other, and still love each other," Silverstream said in a quick, optimistic tone. "And it's only because of us allowing our relationship to develop," Gallus stated. "And as long as we interact, our relationship will be here..." Silverstream stated, before saying in unison with her husband as they held claws, "Forever." The couple then gazed up at the night sky, as the stars twinkle. 14. Find and ResolveAuthor's Note Find and Resolve serves as the fourteenth episode of the series. Summary: When Volcano's fury and words made Falcon Dive go missing, the heroes must search all over the skies to find their Best Friend, and resolve the problem. Featured Song: The Only Thing That I Would Ever Wish For Featured Characters: Amplitude, a pegasus named after the word amplitude, from Physics. Wavelength, an Earth Pony, the husband of Amplitude, and her working companion. Crest, a preteen pegasus, one of Amplitude and Wavelength's sons, named after after the highest point of a transverse wave. Trough, a preteen Earth Pony, one of Amplitude and Wavelength's sons, named after the lowest point of a transverse wave. Frequency, a teenage pegasus, the oldest child and only daughter of Amplitude and Wavelength. 14. Find and Resolve The sun was setting as seen outside of the Castle of Friendship. Many of its residents were returning from their work for dinner as usual. "Krona and Buffer home!" Krona announced, as she and her buffalo Best Friend returned from their delivering. "Came back from delivering, as always," Buffer added. "I'm back from helping Madam Fluttershy with some animals, again," Nature Bloom stated. "And I am back from Meditation Teaching," Evergreen contributed. "And I am back from helping Madam Pinkie Pie and her husband Mr. Cheese Sandwich with some...party things, obviously," Yellow Bright declared as he trotted in. Volcano then entered, looking around the area with carefulness, as he held an invention of his up close to him. But as soon as he was assured that the coast was safe and clear, he could hear Falcon Dive's voice calling, "Look out!" The next thing that happened, was Falcon Dive crashing into Volcano, destroying half of the dragon's invention, releasing a gas that was trapped in it, making the griffon's voice become high-pitched. "Falcon Dive!" Volcano angrily scolded. "I'm alright!" Falcon Dive replied in a very high-pitched voice, before asking, "Wait, why is my voice so high-pitched?" After the series' theme song intro played, Volcano resumed scolding the griffon, "Falcon Dive, do you know what the gas you just released by breaking the tank is?!" "Some very weird one that makes my voice squeaky?" Falcon answered, before noticing something, "Hey wait, my voice is back to normal!" "It's Helium! That gas is helium! And you're lucky that it is one of the stable, unreactive noble gas! Otherwise, it could be very harmful and hurt you with one of its reactions!" Volcano explained as he scolded the griffon, "But at the same time, you aren't very lucky...because that helium is collected by me! Through months of hard work! And you just ruined it by releasing it into the atmosphere, where it will float all the way up, until it reaches its limit as the second least dense gas currently known behind hydrogen." "Oh come on, we learn in Physics that helium may float all the way up to its limit and never sink back down, but it can never leave the atmosphere: It just floats up above all the gases denser than it, like when immiscible liquids are in the same container, less dense will be on top, denser at the bottom." Falcon Dive reminded in a calm tone, as if the loss of the helium was no big deal. "But...it's very difficult to gather helium! Especially from the atmosphere where I collected 999 moles of it! You got to fly several thousands of metres high to get it from the atmosphere! And I am exhausted from doing that every time I do so!" Volcano complained. "You can always get helium from helium tanks at party stores..." Falcon Dive stated. "If you have read the news, we are running out of helium here!" Volcano reminded, "Which is why I invented this Gas Collector to collect it as soon as it is sucked into the tank..." Volcano explained, before furiously roaring, "that you just broke!" Falcon Dive backed down a bit and realised why his dragon Best Friend was making a big fuss about the lost helium, responding, "I'm so sorry Volcano! I never knew that you take these things so seriously, and I obviously won't just destroy your things! I didn't know you and your invention were there! If I did, I wouldn't dive in like that! The point is: I'm sorry for the accident!" "Saying sorry doesn't fix the damage!" Volcano angrily stated. "Then what do you want me to do?!" Falcon Dive asked. "Probably use the Gas Collector, attached to a new, not-spoiled tank, to collect all the helium particles you've lost. Each and every last one of it! Number of moles times six times ten to the power of twenty-three, and that is number of moles times the number with six, followed by twenty-three zeroes behind it! And unless you can get them all back, never let me see you ever again! AND I MEAN IT!" Volcano roared. Falcon Dive gasped in shock before furiously huffing as he replied, "Fine! I need to go off to do something, anyway..." the griffon took the remaining, not destroyed half of the invention and flew off, leaving Volcano annoyed. Volcano then entered the Dining Room, and found that all of his best friends, with the exception of a certain griffon, was there, chit-chatting away. "Hey every creature, what are you all talking about?" the dragon asked. "We were talking about Falcon Dive!" Alkali answered. "Falcon Dive?" Volcano asked, confused. "Yeah! You know, your own Best Friend?" Yellow Bright reminded, "One of your best friends, that is." "He just wolfed down his dinner and flew off before you came," Evergreen added. "Saying that he has something to do," Krona remembered. "But he never said what it is, he just told us that he will be back soon," Buffer contributed. "I just hope whatever he's doing, he will finish it and put an end to our worries," Nature Bloom said her thoughts out loud. "I'm a bit more than worried; Falcon Dive barely does something like this! Do you guys think something's up?" Sunshine Rays asked. "He probably just figured to help one of his fellow creatures with something. You know him, Element of Selflessness, always caring about others more than he cares about himself, willing to abandon his own things to help them..." Volcano responded, as he inserted his spoon into his bowl of dinner and ate. "Are you sure?" Luster asked him. "Sure I'm sure! I'm the last creature to be alone with him today!" Volcano stated. "You better be friends or best friends or more basically, just friends!" Sunshine Rays pointed out. "Don't worry Sunshine, I know that morality, righteousness, ethics and all those virtues are important, so I'm never going against any facts, especially the ones learnt in Science, Math...but the main point is, I'm never going to go against those facts!" Volcano assured. "You better," Sunshine Rays responded. The outside of Castle of Friendship was shown as night turned into the next day MORNING. Alkali visited Volcano's bedroom to wake him up. "Volcano, Volcano! Volcano, wake up!" "Alkali, what are you doing? Today's a Saturday! We don't have to go to work!" Volcano reminded. "It's not work, Volcano. It's a crisis! Falcon Dive is nowhere to be found!" Alkali exclaimed in a panicked tone. "WHAT?!" Volcano asked as he got up. All around the Castle, the rest of the creatures were trying to look for the missing griffon. "Falcon Dive!" Sunshine Rays called as she flew through the hallway. "Falcon Dive!" Evergreen called by the stairs. "Let Krona try," Krona announced, before yelling like a yak, "FALCON DIVE!" Krona's voice echoed throughout then entire castle, the the creatures outside could hear it. "Does Krona's best friends think Falcon Dive heard it?" Krona turned to ask her friends, who were covering their ears. "If you didn't deafen him!" Luster could not help but say. "This is no use!" Nature Bloom sadly cried out. "Can you use your scan spell again?" Yellow Bright asked. "Yellow Bright? Remember? The spell can't last long without making the caster feel exhausted," Buffer reminded. "Well, one thing for sure of, I don't think Falcon Dive is here in the Castle," Evergreen stated "I looked all over Ponyville, but no Falcon Dive!" Nature Bloom added. "So Falcon Dive is missing?" Volcano asked. "We're afraid so," Alkali replied. "But we still have no idea why he wouldn't tell us where he's going. He should have known we will get worried!" Sunshine Rays stated. "And as some creature selfless," Krona began, before Buffer ended the sentence for her. "He will never do something like that!" "And since you were the last creature to have private time with him yesterday, you may know something that we all don't," Luster informed the dragon. "Like what?" Volcano asked. "You know, something about Falcon Dive?" Sunshine Rays replied. "As in, where he might be going?" Nature Bloom added. "Or what he's doing right now?" Evergreen contributed. "Or basically, what he will be doing today!" Yellow Bright clarified. "Because you're the last creature to be alone with him?" Buffer reminded. "So what did you two do?" Sunshine Rays asked. Volcano then stayed still for a moment as the events of the day before flashed through his mind: In the flashback... "Probably use the Gas Collector, attached to a new, not-spoiled tank, to collect all the helium particles you've lost. Each and every last one of it! Number of moles times six times ten to the power of twenty-three, and that is number of moles times the number with six, followed by twenty-three zeroes behind it! And unless you can get them all back, never let me see you ever again! AND I MEAN IT!" Volcano roared. Falcon Dive gasped in shock before furiously huffing as he replied, "Fine! I need to go off to do something, anyway..." the griffon took the remaining, not destroyed half of the invention and flew off, leaving Volcano annoyed. In the present moment after the flashback ended, Alkali called the dragon. "Volcano! Volcano, why were you still as a statue? We were only asking about what you and Falcon Dive did yesterday while you two were alone, nothing to be scared of." "Unless you're hiding something," Sunshine Rays figured, looking at Volcano as she expressed her suspicions. "You can just tell us! We're your best friends, we can help with whatever that's troubling you!" Yellow Bright cheered. "And don't worry, we will never make fun of you, nor any creature," Nature Bloom continued. "Although, Sunshine Rays can go mad if that secret is a bad one..." Krona honestly stated. "Not to discourage you..." Evergreen nervously responded after Krona's statement. "Well...I do have...some admitting to do..." Volcano answered, sounding nervous. "Don't worry, we will listen to every last word," Luster assured. "If you say so..." Volcano then began, "Yesterday...Falcon Dive flew in and crashed into half of my invention, destroying it. He released the helium stored in the destroyed half, and made me furious, because I spent months collecting that helium from the atmosphere! Falcon ruined my hard work in the process! I then snapped at him and told him to..." Volcano then finished the final part super quickly, "Go find and get back all the number of mols times six times ten to the power of twenty-three helium particles and never let me see him ever again if he does not. And ended with saying that I meant it." The scene immediately changed to show the outside of the Castle of Friendship, and a few creatures passing by as usual, until they heard Sunshsine Rays' voice booming like an explosion from inside the Castle, resulting their eyes to turn oval as they showed shock expressions, turning to look at where the noise came from. "YOU WHAT?!" The scene then changed back to inside the Castle, where Sunshine Rays could be seen shaking Volcano's body by pulling him back and forth towards her and away from her with her front hooves, while roaring at him, "YOU MONSTER! YOU MADE FALCON DIVE FLY AWAY! TO LOOK FOR A RIDICULOUS AMOUNT OF PARTICLES THAT CANNOT EVEN BE COUNTED?!" "I's number of moles, times six, times ten to the power of twenty three particles. Scientists made it possible, even though the mole number most likely is an estimation. Plus, my device that was handed to Falcon Dive would probably be able to detect a mol of helium." Volcano scientifically responded. "But still, MADE FALCON DIVE FLY AWAY?!" Sunshine Rays furiously shouted. "Sunshine! Going insane doesn't help!" Evergreen reminded. "Plus, it is already bad enough that we lost one of our best friends through a tension, we don't want any more lost best friends here..." Buffer stated. "And I'm sorry I snapped at Falcon for something like helium particles, and said such an awful thing to him! I didn't even think that my sentence can do this! I mean, make him fly away!" Volcano stated. "Well one thing now is you got to make it up to Falcon Dive!" Luster informed. "And get him to come back!" Alkali added, in a somewhat cheerful and encouraging tone, unlike Sunshine Rays. "But where do we start looking?" Nature Bloom asked. "Well, I did tell Falcon Dive that helium does not leave the atmosphere, it just floats up to its limit," Volcano recalled. "And its limit is..." Krona began, causing Volcano to finish the sentence for her. "About a few thousand metres up?" Volcano nervously responded, causing Sunshine Rays to react. "WHAT?! A few thousand metres up! You've gone too far!" "Sunshine, calm down remember?" Evergreen tried to convince the mad pegasus to stop the latter's rage, but it was interrupted and ended by Luster. "Every creature, let's just stop fighting and arguing and focus on finding Falcon Dive!" "But not all of us can fly!" Nature Bloom stated. "And we currently have lesser flyers than non-flyers, thanks to a certain creature..." Sunshine Rays added, as she angrily stared at Volcano. "Maybe we should take a hot-air balloon?" Yellow Bright suggested. "That's a great idea, Yellow Bright!" Luster complimented, before instructing, "And since I'm tired from casting those scan spells earlier, I'm going to ask my Mum to cast the spell that will enable us non-pegasi to walk on clouds like one." "And since you're too tired to cast the spell you used to find the author we were looking for, and Gloss Semblance the last times, I'm afraid that we're going to just spread out and find Falcon Dive," Sunshine Rays stated. "But cheer up! At least our best friends who can't fly are finally going to see the view from somewhere they can never go without flight!" Alkali pointed out. "You'd totally spent lots of time learning from Yellow Bright," Buffer could not help but comment. "Not to rush any creature, but can't we just go before Falcon Dive becomes even farther away?" Nature Bloom asked. "Or even harder to find?" Krona added. "Oh, right! Thanks for the reminder Krona and Nature!" Luster responded, before commanding every creature, "Come on, every creature! Let's go!" Soon, the creatures were in a hot-air balloon, attached to their flyers, Sunshine Rays, Volcano, Nature Bloom and Alkali, who wee pulling it like horses pulling a carriage. "Any sign of Falcon Dive?" Sunshine Rays asked. "Not yet, we got to keep looking," Evergreen relied. "But at least we're on the right level if we want to find Falcon Dive. I mean, this exactly where the less dense helium particles can be found!" Volcano stated, "I've came up here to collect helium, thousands out of times!" "But it's really...high!" Krona complained. "Don't worry Krona, we will go back down as soon as we can," Buffer reassured. "But first things first, as always!" Luster reminded. "And that is finding Falcon Dive," Sunshine Rays contributed. "Maybe we can ask the Pegasi for help!" Nature Bloom suddenly suggested. "What?!" Alkali asked. "Ask the Pegasi up here for help! We are around Cloudsdale," Nature Bloom explained. Every creature looked around and were amazed by their surroundings. "You're right Nature Bloom! Right about Cloudsdale and Pegasi being around us, and all kinds of other creatures," Luster stated. "I'll ask them," Sunshine Rays plainly declared. "Or maybe Alkali should do it, she is pretty cheerful and good at encouraging, there are more chances of her succeeding in getting every creature's help than the rest of us! No offence to any creature, really." Luster figured. "I am not offended!" Sunshine Rays replied. "Neither am I!" Evergreen added. "Nor I!" Yellow Bright contributed. "Krona's alright with it!" Krona declared. "So am I!" Buffer continued. "We are all mostly alright," Volcano pointed out. "And I know that we all would usually never want to offend each other," Nature Bloom informed. "Then Alkali, do your thing!" Luster commanded. "Sure would!" Alkali replied, stopping in the middle of the skies as she announced to the public, "Attention every creature! We need help finding Falcon Dive..." "Falcon Dive? Do you mean the griffon from the Heroic Ten?" Hoops, a pegasus and one of the bullies from Rainbow Dash's Flight School, asked. "Yup, that's him alright," Sunshine Rays answered. "He went missing..." Alkali began, before getting cut off by every creature's gasping. "He is missing?!" shrieked Dumbell, another one of Rainbow Dash's former enemies. "Well, he did not tell any creature where he is going..." Alkali stated, before being interrupted once again. "Why would he do that?!" Score, an old friend of Hoops and Dumbell, asked. Volcano nervously chuckled, "It's kind of a long story..." "And we figured that he will be up here at this level of the skies looking for helium," Alkali explained, "And he is probably most likely going to be using an invention Volcano made to collect the helium, so he might not be too difficult to recognise." "We know what he looks like!" Score stated. "Anyway, we the main point is, if you have free, available time, please help us find Falcon Dive and convince him to come home to Ponyville!" Alkali pleaded. "Don't worry, Falcon Dive and the Heroic Ten helped us lots of times, it's our turn to help him!" Hoops declared. "And we will not make fun of him, we salute," Dumbell promised. "I sure hope so..." Nature Bloom replied. "Anyway, thanks for the help! And please spread the word until Falcon Dive is found!" Alkali added. "We will!" the three stallions called in unison, as the heroes took off. After the conversation, Luster complimented Alkali, "Well done, Alkali! That was easier than I thought!" "That's probably why I'm the Element of Encouraging among us!" Alkali proudly declared. "I just hope we can knock some sense into our Element of Selflessness," Volcano sadly said his thoughts out loud. "And I hope that our Element of Diligence will be more careful with his words! Plus, be more concerned for living creatures than science particles!" Sunshine Rays angrily opined. "And I'm actually hoping that our Element of Morality can be more patient and calm," Evergreen contributed in a simple tone. "Oh, right. Sorry about that every creature, I just want to find Falcon Dive and have him back home," Sunshine Rays informed. "We all do," Luster pointed out. "So do I, despite that fight with him yesterday..." Volcano could not help but say. "What?! But Volcano...didn't Falcon Dive..." Krona began, before being cut off by the said dragon. "I know. But I never really meant what I said to him that made him fly away, I mean, he's one of my best friends!" Volcano stated. "We all are!" Yellow Bright reminded. "Yes, Yellow Bright," Volcano replied, slightly annoyed in his tone, before driving the focus back to the current situation about Falcon Dive, "Back to the main point, I can't believe all it took was those words to make him fly away!" "He must have really thought you meant it for real!" Buffer figured. "And you were really mad when you said those words!" Evergreen recalled. "And said, 'AND I MEAN IT!' to him!" Krona quoted. "Therefore he thought that you did mean what you said!" Luster contributed. "As some creature selfless, Falcon Dive probably wouldn't want to hurt nor upset any creature, even if his ideas aren't the best..." Nature Bloom pointed out. "And...he flew away...just to get the one thing he thinks that can please me after making me angry at him..." Volcano sadly said. "Falcon Dive does have the willingness to do whatever he can for the sake of others..." Alkali reminded. "Saving us from that rockslide before we saved all of Equestria and Beyond..." Yellow Bright remembered. "Tried to stop you from hurting every creature when you were blinded by your jealousy and rage, not to offend, really," Alkali stated, "And still, that is actually kind of my fault you got so jealous..." "I'm still the creature to blame, not telling any creature the truth, bottling up my emotions...then they really exploded like a real volcano..." Volcano reminded, "But the point is, Falcon Dive was really brave and selfless back there, willing to go close to me to stop me from hurting others, even though I'm bigger than him in size." "And...he saved me from a mob of creatures I enraged before I made it up to them with a nicer speech," Sunshine Rays added. "He always have a lot of good in him," Krona sadly commented. "Not to make you feel even worse, Volcano," Buffer assured. "I know, but I still regret what I did to Falcon Dive, and now, I don't even care about all those helium particles, I just want my Best Friend back," Volcano sadly told the other creatures, before singing. "After all this time that we have been together, being the best of best friends forever. But now, what I really cannot believe, is all it took was words to make him leave... How can this be?! It was that easy for him to think, that those nasty sentences I said were true? Doesn't he see?! That it makes our friendship shrink, him taking off to do what he actually doesn't need to do. Now the only thing that I would ever wish for, is his return, and our friendship being restored." In an instrumental verse, Krona suddenly shouted, "Look, every creature! Krona sees something! And it's black!" Sunshine Rays took a closer look in the direction Krona was facing and pointing at, the left side of the balloon, before telling every creature, "Sorry, but that is just a pegasus stallion with a black coat." "Oh...Krona sorry, every creature, she's just trying to help!" "It's alright, Krona, we know that," Buffer assured. "I think I can see the silhouette of a griffon with something in their claws! Up ahead!" Nature Bloom informed. The flyers pulled the balloon forward to take a look, but instead found a griffon whom they did not know, holding a pipe, causing them to sadly sigh. "Apologies, every creature," Nature Bloom apologised. "That's alright, we'll just have to keep looking," Luster stated, as the heroes continued their search, and Volcano resumed singing. "No matter how long we will take, I'm not going to stop for a break, finding him is all that matters to me now, and we're going to accomplish it somehow! How can this be?! It was that easy for him to think, that those nasty sentences I said were true? Doesn't he see?! That it makes our friendship shrink, him taking off to do what he actually doesn't need to do. Now the only thing that I would ever wish for, is his return, and our friendship being restored." After the song ended, Alkali comforted Volcano, "Don't worry, the Heroic Ten never failed! We'll find Falcon and get him to come back!" "And since you know that what you did is wrong and regret it, I can really identify your wishes to make amends for it, just like a moral creature would! So I'm totally starting to get warmed up with you, and will do as much as I can to help you make things right!" Sunshine Rays saluted. "We all will help," Nature Bloom added. "Both flyers and non-flyers!" Luster contributed. "Uh, every creature?! Building!!" Krona suddenly screamed. "What building?!" Yellow Bright asked, before he looked at what Krona was pointing at right in front of them. Since the creatures were too busy looking at Luster during the last conversation, no creature was watching where they were going! Every creature screamed as Volcano and Alkali called in unison, "Hang on!" The larger flyers flew the balloon down towards the cloud the building was on, and every creature was safe. "Well done, Volcano and Alkali!" Evergreen praised. "You two saved us!" Buffer added. "With your flying skills!" Yellow Bright added. "What can we say?" Alkali responded. "I guess that's what happens when you fly with Falcon Dive so often, doing all sorts of fling tricks and stunts that he knows, and sharing techniques with him..." Volcano said, missing the mentioned griffon. Luster hopped off the balloon and onto the cloud, trotting towards the building to take a look. "Uh, where's Luster going?" Krona asked. "Maybe some creature in this building can help. After all this building is a Lookout in the sky, the sign on top of the doors said so," Luster informed, as every creature looked at what she was talking about. "Oh, you're right," Evergreen responded. "Maybe just one of the non-flyers should go, rest of them stay here," Krona figured, ducking in the balloon. "You're still scared of what happened to your distant relative when Cozy Glow made all the magic in Equestria disappear within three days, aren't you Krona?" Buffer asked. "Krona admits that she doesn't want what happened to her distant relative Yona to happen to any more creatures!" Krona shrieked. "Alright, I will be the only non-flyer going in," Luster stated. "And in case those creatures need some encouraging, I'll go with you," Alkali added. "And I'll just stay here to keep our non-flyers company, as you can see, bigger flyers can carry more than little flyers, especially during an emergency..." Volcano nervously chuckled. "Volcano, you're very good in science, your knowledge can really be useful here! Come on, we need you!" Luster pleaded. "Can't Nature Bloom just transform and disguise herself as..." Volcano began to ask, before haling as he remembered something. "Sorry Volcano, but the rules say that changelings are not supposed to transform unless it is an emergency, a job, or a play," Nature Bloom reminded. "And I really don't like it when creatures go breaking the rules! Especially when they break the rules and deceive!" Sunshine Rays huffed. "Alright, every creature, I'll go..." Volcano gave in. "And don't forget to be positive! You need it!" Yellow Bright reminded. Luster knocked on the door, which was quickly answered by a female pegasus wearing a white lab coat. "Luster Dawn, isn't it?!" the pegasus squealed. "Yes it is," Luster somewhat nervously replied. "So that means your hippogriff and dragon friends here are Alkali and Volcano, right?" the pegasus asked once more. "Yup! As you know, most likely, I'm Alkali," the hippogriff declared, placing her front left claw on her chest. "And I'm Volcano, the dragon," Volcano added in a somewhat sarcastic tone. "I am pleased to meet all of you!" the pegasus exclaimed, before introducing herself to them, "By the way, I am Amplitude, named after the word, amplitude, meaning the maximum extent of a vibration or oscillation, measured from the position of equilibrium." "That is the amplitude learnt in the Physics Chapter Waves!" Volcano said his thoughts out loud. "Indeed it is! By the way, my family members all have something to do with waves, probably because they all have been named after something from that chapter in Physics..." Amplitude began, before being interrupted by Alkali. "No way! My family all have something to do with one common thing because of their names, too! And that common thing is water! Although, my little brother and I have names that might not be so obviously related to water, named after acids and alkalis respectively, and those only display their properties when dissolved in water, pls, mix and neutralise to form a salt depending on the type of acid and alkali, and water!" "Right, Alkali..." Amplitude responded, "Anyway, meet my family who works with me here!" The three heroes were shocked to see some of the creatures, as it was quite a rare sight. "Earth Ponies?! Up here working in a lookout in the middle of a sky, no where close to a station nor a lift?" Luster asked out loud. "Well, there is a secret vehicle that we use to take the non-flyers down and back up again, but we only use it when necessary," Amplitude explained. "I don't think we might need it," Volcano informed. "Alright, back to introducing you to my family," Amplitude returned to the topic, "Meet my husband, Wavelength, named after the word, wavelength and in Physics, the word means the distance between successive crests of a wave, especially points in a sound wave or electromagnetic wave. Our preteen sons, Crest, named after the highest point of a wave, and Trough, named after the lowest point of a wave. And our teenaged daughter, Frequency, named after the frequency that means the number of waves completed and produced in a second." "I know all that," Volcano commented. "Nice to meet you, Heroic Ten," Wavelength the Earth Pony greeted. "The Heroic Ten?!" the preteens asked, before racing over to the three heroes. Alkali giggled, "Yes kids, it is us, the Heroic Ten, even if not exactly all of us are here," "Aw, I was actually hoping to see Falcon Dive!" Crest wailed. "Falcon Dive?!" Volcano said out loud as he received a shiver. "Yeah, you know? Falcon Dive, the griffon from the Heroic Ten?" Trough clarified. "He's so selfless! Always willing to dive in and help others!" Crest stated. "Where is he anyway?" Trough added. "Well, all we can say is, he is currently not here, nor with us," Volcano answered, earning a glare from Alkali as she cleared her throat. Volcano gave a nervous smile expression, knowing what she was unhappy with, as Luster had a conversation with the children's parents. "So this lookout uses waves to detect things?" the unicorn asked. "It sure does," Wavelength explained, "Using both the transverse waves of light, and the longitudinal waves of sound, we detect things in the sky, mostly dangers, just in case." "I was hoping that you can detect creatures and inventions around here," Luster told the adults. "Of course we can detect those!" the teenaged pegasus, Frequency, uttered, "But why are you asking for something like that? Are you looking for some creature?" Volcano gave a shocked expression as he overheard the conversation, before asking the kids, "Can you please excuse me? I got to be with the adults right now!" After Volcano left, Alkali cheerfully announced to Crest and Trough, "Don't worry, boys! I got plenty of ideas we can try, to keep ourselves occupied!" Volcano approached the ponies and joined their conversation, "Alright, we need to find some creature whom we expect to be up here, at this level of the sky, looking for helium to collect from the atmosphere." "Um, wouldn't that be you, Volcano?" Amplitude asked. "What?!" Volcano asked in sock. "Yeah our scanners, radars and sonars keep detecting you up around this level in the sky, collecting helium particles from he atmosphere," Wavelength informed. "Well, I do it for a certain reason, and had invented a Gas Collector to do the trick. That invention basically sucks up the gas, and filters out the denser gases so only helium will remain, and store the helium in a tank attached to it," Volcano explained. "You ar very talented to be able to invent such thing!" Amplitude complimented. "Thank you for the acknowledgement, but we still got to find..." Volcano began, as his eyeballs slid to his right side, looking at the kids behind him playing with Alkali nearby, before continuing, "whoever has the Gas Collector! My Gas Collector! Or most likely, the half of it that sucks up the gas and has the filter to separate helium from any other gas like hydrogen?" "Volcano! Why didn't you say who you're looking for?! I mean, who we're looking for?" Luster asked in a somewhat annoyed tone, before Volcano hushed her. "Well, our radars and scanners have gotten used to picking up your invention's presence because of your visits to this level of the skies, Volcano," Wavelength informed. "I'm sure it can recognise it, even if some creature else has it," Amplitude added before asking, "But, who else can have it?" Volcano responded with a nervous chuckle, leading to Frequency to make a guess, gasping, "Could it be a thief who stole your invention?" "What?! No! No thief stole it! A friend of mine went off using it to collect helium particles, and I just came up here to check on his progress!" Volcano answered, manipulating the story. Luster looked annoyed when her dragon Best Friend lied, but the other ponies did not seem to mind. "Well, in that case, we suppose that you can wait long enough for our radars and scanners to detect him, like how they detect creatures and objects here, that we keep track," Amplitude told the heroes. "What?! Wait?! For how long?!" Volcano asked. "You can wait, can't you?" Frequency asked. "Well..." Volcano paused, trying to think of the right words to use for this scenario, "Well I can wait, but not for too long, because I don't have all day!" Outside the building, a bored Krona said out loud, "They're taking all day!" "And I'm starting to get tired of Yellow Bright's jokes!" Sunshine Rays added, before turning to the mentioned Earth Pony, "Sorry if I was offending you!" "That's alright!" Yellow Bright replied, "Even I'm starting to get tired from telling jokes, anyway." "I suggest that we can try to think of a game," Evergreen figured. "Like what?" Buffer asked. "A game that doesn't need running or moving around, I hope," Nature Bloom pointed out. The next second, the door opened, revealing Alkali, Volcano and Luster Dawn. "Guess what, every creature?!" Alkali began, before answering her own question in a sing-song tone, "We know where to look for Falcon Dive!" "Really?!" Sunshine Rays asked, with her face lighting up, "That's great news!" "Thanks to the sound waves, because they don't get absorbed by dull, black or dark colours, unlike light waves do! And what is really interesting is..." Volcano started, before he was cut off by Luster. "Volcano! If we don't move now, Falcon Dive can get even further away!" "Of, right! I almost forgot about that..." Volcano nervously chuckled as he scratched the back of his head with a claw. "We don't have a second to lose!" Alkali stated. "Let's go, every creature!" Luster announced. After a long journey, the flyers had flown the balloon to their destination, the skies of the Crystal Mountains. "I can't believe that Falcon Dive came all the way here!" Sunshine Rays told every creature out loud, as she struggled to fly through the snow storm. "How in Equestria and Beyond does helium particles get here?!" Yellow Bright asked. "Or maybe Falcon Dive just flew here to take a break from flying!" Alkali suddenly said. "What gives you such an idea?" Buffer asked the hippogriff. "Because there he is!" Alkali pointed her front right claw down to where she saw the creature they were looking for. "Are you sure that that's really him?!" Nature Bloom asked. "We don't want it to be another mistake!" Luster informed. "And that means not another creature with a black coat, nor another griffon!" Evergreen clarified. "Let's just go down and take a look," Luster figured, causing the flyers to fly the balloon down towards the mountain to land. Landing the balloon, the creatures got off, with Krona relieved. "Ground! Land! Sweet, sweet ground and land! Krona miss you so much!" the yak happily exclaimed. "With all this snow, you can barely see!" Volcano said his thoughts out loud. "I don't know if we can even recognise Falcon Dive," Buffer added. "Guys?!" a familiar voice asked. "What?! Who said that?!" Alkali asked. "If you can't see, it's your only griffon..." the figure emerged as he approached the nine creatures, "Falcon Dive!" "Falcon Dive!" Sunshine Rays exclaimed, with her face lighting up. She then rushed to hug the griffon, "There you are! We've been looking all over the skies for you! And were so worried!" "Wait, with changelings around Equestria and Beyond, we have to make sure that you're not an imposter," Luster stated, before asking, "So, name us some information that we will know about you!" Falcon Dive answered, "Well, I do know that the Map just recently had called you and Gloss Semblance, a friend of our younger siblings' friends, except for you, as an only child...but by the way, back to the main point, the Map called you and Gloss to solve a problem! Which turned out to be Gloss's lack of courage problem! And I know that yesterday I broke Volcano's tank and released the 999 moles of helium he had collected for months, and he told me that he meant it, and unless I can find them all, he never wants to see me ever again..." Every creature except for Falcon Dive glared at Volcano, just before turning back to the griffon. "Well, all that matters now is that we have finally found you!" Evergreen informed. "Even if it's in a really cold place!" Sunshine Rays added, shivering. "And Falcon Dive," Volcano said, walking towards the griffon, "I am really sorry that I got so angry at you over something like helium particles! And even said that I meant what I said when what I said was really awful! I actually never meant that! Can you please come back home with us right now?" Falcon Dive answered, "Thanks for telling me this, but I'm not so sure if I can just believe what you said completely, I mean, how will I know if you really do care about me more than your helium particles? Getting so mad at me over their loss and using such words like 'all' and 'never' back there? It's not that I don't trust you, I just have to know if you really do care about others, more than just...stuff." "So...you're not coming back?!" Volcano asked. "Not until I'm convinced," the griffon replied. "But, we really do mean it that we want you back!" Sunshine Rays told Falcon Dive. "We came all this way to find you!" Buffer contributed. "All day!" Krona added. "Told creatures to spread the word!" Yellow Bright added. "Went on for several hours," Evergreen continued. "Ever since Volcano told us what happened yesterday," Nature Bloom ended. "I already said that I really didn't mean it now, and I was the creature who said those harsh words! It was only because of me, that you're here! I want you back home, regardless of whether you can retrieve the helium particles or not," Volcano explained. "Sorry, every creature, but I have made my decision that I'm going to get back all the helium particles I have lost, and more, to make it up to Volcano for destroying his long-time hard work!" Falcon Dive declared. Sunshine Rays was about to get furious, which Luster quickly took notice and responded by telling Falcon Dive, "Well, Falcon Dive just give us a few minutes and we'll be back! Can you give us a few minutes?" "Sure! But I'm going to resume looking for particles!" Falcon Dive replied. "Wow, I have never seen Falcon Dive so unwilling to listen and believe us before," Buffer commented. "But that's not good!" Krona implied. "We got to do something, the day will be over soon!" Sunshine Rays added. "And the spell that enables non-pegasi to walk on clouds won't last for a long time!" Luster contributed. "Calm down, every creature, we need to think calmly," Evergreen advised. "Maybe we can ask Princess Twilight Sparkle for help! Since Falcon Dive won't listen to us, maybe he will listen to her Majesty, the Ruler of Equestria!" Yellow Bright suggested. "But Yellow Bright, Princess Twilight Sparkle and her Royal Advisor Spike are currently away at the Crystal Empire for a quick stay for two days, to spend time with their family!" Luster reminded. The scene quickly shifted to show what was currently happening in the Crystal Empire: Princess Twilight and Spike having a walk with Shining Armor, Cadence and Flurry Heart. "The Empire is still amazing and beautiful even without Mistmane doing her job for all this time!" Twilight could not help but comment. Shining Armor chuckled, "Well, Mistmane really does know how to ensure beauty can remind, Twily." "And the empire will still remember all you and your friends had done for it during Celestia's reign," Cadence added, before turning to Spike, "And of course, they will still remember how you saved it twice, Spike the Brave and Glorious." Spike turned to look at the alicorn, nervously chuckling, "So sorry, I was too busy looking around to listen!" "Well, here's something to listen to!" Flurry Heart flew to the dragon, "Family conversation and time is waiting for you!" "Alright, alright, I'm coming!" Spike responded, rushing over. "Come on Spike, you don't want to be like the dragon you were when I was Celestia's pupil after all these years, would you?" Princess Twilight asked in a somewhat jokingly manner. "What do you mean?" Spike asked, catching up. "We can talk about it somewhere where there is more privacy," Princess Twilight Sparkle figured. The scene zoomed back to focusing on the heroes and their current situation. "But the Crystal Empire isn't far from here! We can just go over and ask her!" Yellow Bright argued. "I don't think we should bother the princess when she's having time with her family, especially when it is so hard to get that time to do so!" Luster figured. "But the Council of Friendship will be in charge whenever both Princess Twilight and her Royal Advisor are out! Shouldn't we ask them?" Sunshine Rays asked. "I just hope that it's not too much pressure," Nature Bloom commented. "Why would we feel pressure?" Evergreen asked. "Well, not us, but the Council of Friendship themselves. I mean, running a kingdom must be a lot to do! We don't want them to have more problems, do we?!" Nature Bloom questioned. "Now that Nature Bloom mentions it, Krona and her best friends probably will try some other way!" Krona responded. "What are we going to do?! The day's about to end!" Buffer asked. "So is the time Falcon Dive will be here before taking off!" Alkali stated. "If only he can be convinced that I do mean it that I want him back, regardless if he can get the helium particles back or not," Volcano said his thoughts out loud. "We got to think of something!" Evergreen announced. "Too bad we can't make Falcon Dive see that he's more than important than helium particles!" Alkali commented. The hippogriff's comment gave Volcano an idea, "That's it! I have to sow Falcon Dive that he's more important to me than my Har work! And that means more important to me than helium particles!" "But, how are you going to show that?!" Sunshine Rays asked. "Saying something is one thing!" Krona reminded. "Showing is another!" Buffer contributed. Volcano thought for a while, before announcing his decision, "I have an idea, I'm going to destroy the Gas Collector, to truly prove to Falcon Dive that I do not value it like I value him!" The other creatures gasped to hear what they just heard from him. "But, Volcano! That's your own invention!" Alkali argued. "Seeing me destroy it without being upset is the only way I can think of, to prove to Falcon Dive that it is unimportant to me!" Volcano declared. "Are you sure you want to do this?!" Yellow Bright asked. Volcano stayed silent for a moment, before announcing, "The only thing that I would want, is my Best Friend back." Falcon Dive was about to take off, as he spread his wings. He stopped when he heard a disturbance. "Falcon Dive!" Volcano called, racing towards the griffon, alongside the rest of their best friends. "What do you want?" the griffon asked. "I would like to know how your progress is really going. Can I please have my Gas Collector invention or a second?" Volcano asked. "Sure, as your machine says, it is storing 50 moles of helium right now!" Falcon Dive informed. Once the invention was in his claws, Volcano quicklyused his fire breath to destroy it, giving Falcon Dive a shock. "Your invention!" the griffon shouted. After the burning was completed, Volcano said, "It's gone, for real." "But, the helium particles, they are gone! And you..." Falcon Dive began, before he was cut off by Volcano. "Those particles mean nothing to me, compared to my Best Friend." Falcon Dive smiled as he understood what his friend meant and did, "You sacrificed your things for me, to show me hat you do care about me more than anything else." Volcano chuckled, "Well, I should be showing the most concern about other creatures than things, like a real hero, and a friend should. By the way, I'm so sorry about yesterday, I promise that I will clean your room and things for you for as long as you want me to! To show you that making it up to you is what truly matters to me!" "I appreciate the offer, but I really don't need something as good as that. I'm already convinced that you do want me back more than those helium particles, and I'm goging home with you and all of our best friends!" Falcon Dive declared, causing every creature to cheer. "And I believe I got something to write to Princess Twilight," Volcano stated. "You can do that once we get home," Alkali informed. "And after we convince every creature who is looking for Falcon Dive hat they don't need to look anymore!" Sunshine Rays added. "Oh, right," Volcano responded. The scene then changed to show Volcano writing the letter on a scroll in his room in the Castle of Friendship, some time after everything unfolded. Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle, Recently, I got into a fight with one of my best friends, Falcon Dive, and made him think that I meant the harshful things I said to him. It took a long time to resolve the problem I caused, and convince Falcon Dive to come home. I eventually managed to show him that I do care about him more than I care about what caused me to get mad at him in the first place, through an action that can be as tough as a sacrifice. I have learnt from this experience that words may not be actions, but they can bring strong impacts, so we have to be careful what we say, otherwise we might cause such an unpleasant situation that might take such an action to fix. And, you can let every creature know that the problem is solved, Falcon Dive is back where he belongs, and a valuable friendship lesson is learnt. Signed, one of your faithful students, Luster Dawn's best friends, Volcano After the letter was completed, Volcano gave it to Luster, who used her magic to send to Princess Twilight Sparkle. "So, now that that's letter is sent, who's up for a game of Buck Ball in one of the empty rooms?" Falcon Dive asked, holding up the required ball for the mentioned game. "I may not be an athlete, but my best friends and other creatures are surely more important!" Volcano declared, "I am totally up!" "Oh, I actually can understand if you can't make it!" Falcon Dive assured. "I got time, and I don't care win or lose, as long as my best friends are there!" Volcano saluted. "That's he spirit!" Falcon Dive exclaimed, "Now let's go!" The griffon took off with Luster and Volcano following from behind. 21. Neurotic SituationAuthor's Note Neurotic Situation is the twenty-first episode of the series. Summary: Yellow Bright's younger sister had recently been obsessed with cleanliness to the point of becoming neurotic, being too scared to get herself dirty to some serious extent. Featured Characters: Rose Red, a red-coated Earth Pony mare, the mother of Yellow Bright and Purple Blend. Orange Fall, an orange-coated Earth Pony stallion, the father of Yellow Bright and Purple Blend. Acknowledgements: Definition of neurotic Google definitions: The definition of obsessed The definition of sure The definition of crisis 21. Neurotic Situation One fine day, Luster and her parents, Starlight and Sunburst, were enjoying the view and breeze on the Castle balcony in the daytime. "I'm so glad that we could spend at least a few minutes relaxing here, Mum and Dad." Luster told her parents. "We're glad, too." Starlight replied. "It's not even every week that we do something like this." Sunburst added, just before the family heard the delivery pony, Derpy Whooves, shouting, "Incoming!" The pegasus was about to crash land into the unicorns, but Luster managed to use her magic to freeze Derpy in a similar way to how Twilight froze her friends in 'Castle mania', but without freezing any creature else. "Phew, that was a close one." Sunburst heaved a sigh of relief. "That's our daughter! Talented in good ways as always!" Starlight praised. "Thanks Mum, but I don't really needed to be complimented all the time." Luster modestly replied, before turning to Derpy, "So, what do we have?" "A few letters..." was the reply, as Derpy took out a stack of them and placed it right in front of Luster. "You know what a few means, don't you?" Luster asked, before Derpy nodded and flew off. "Looks like the one on the top is for Yellow Bright." Sunburst pointed out, using his magic to levitate the later on the top of the stack towards him, before showing its cover to his family. "It is for Yellow Bright! And it looks like it's urgent!" Luster exclaimed. After the series' theme song played, the scene showed what happened that evening when all of the Castle residents returned home for dinner. "An urgent letter?! For me?!" Yellow Bright asked. "Don't get too excited. Because when it's urgent, it probably isn't something good..." Volcano apprised. "How are you so sure?" Buffer asked. "Why else will it be urgent?" Volcano responded. "What?! My little sister is obsessed with cleanliness?!" Yellow Bright could be heard shrieking as he looked at the letter. "Obsessed?!" Krona asked. "That is so not good." Sunshine Rays informed. "Indeed. Obsessed means preoccupy or fill the mind of someone continually and to a troubling extent." Volcano defined. "Huh?" Krona asked, confused. "Could you please give a more basic definition?" Nature Bloom asked. "Well...as basic as I can go, is when you're obsessed with something, like obsessed with cleanliness, you like cleanliness so much, that it becomes the thing that you love and care about the most, in not a good way, most likely." Volcano explained. "Take it from me, when you're obsessed with something, no matter what it is, being obsessed cannot be good." Sunshine Rays notified. "My parents said that my little sister is obviously obsessed with beauty recently, spending lots of time bathing in the bathroom everyday for a start!" Yellow Bright announced. "That isn't so bad, it's important to bathe at least once a day so you can clean yourself of all the bacteria you get while you are outdoors and...indoors." Nature Bloom stated. "Unlike a certain some creature I know. Who bathes so fast that I don't think he washed himself properly." Sunshine Rays said, glaring at Falcon Dive who nervously laughed at her comment. "Consuming 45 minutes to take a bath that is!" Yellow Bright read, immediately changing the others' positive views. "Alright...that is not so good..." Nature Bloom commented. "45 minutes?! Every creature should just take up a maximum of 30 minutes!" Sunshine Rays declared. "What about yaks?" Krona asked. "Alright, maybe yaks and creatures with longer manes, or hair, or larger in size, should take a bit more than 30 minutes..." Sunshine Rays figured. "She always wipes the table with table cloth and table cleaner alkaline solution..." Yellow Bright read on. "Alkaline solution?! I love alkaline solutions!" Alkali exclaimed uncontrollably. "You love anything that's alkaline..." Volcano responded. "She cleans her table, once every hour?!" Yellow Bright read in shock. "What?! That will consume loads of table cleaner alkaline solution per day!" Alkali cried. "Subtracting the time she isn't around, and taking only the hours that she can afford to do that...according to my calculations, that will be...8 times of cleaning the table for weekdays...and 14 or 15 times for weekends, if she never went out on weekends, that is." Volcano told every creature. "Cleaning tables many times is a good thing...but not that many times!" Sunshine Rays claimed. "The School of Friendship only cleans the table after school and before! Not as many times as once an hour!" Luster added. "She doesn't want to get her soft, smooth, comfy pillows, blankets and bed dirty so easily, so she bathes before bed, meaning that she bathes twice a day!" Yellow Bright went on. "Twice a day?! Doesn't she know how much water she will consume?!" Falcon Dive asked. "And the fact that water is a very valuable need to even creature that should not be wasted that way?" Sunshine Rays added. "While you're worrying about water, I'm worried about how bathing before sleep can affect her. I mean, isn't it difficult to fall asleep after a bath because getting your face wet make you less sleepy, which is why teachers tell sleepy students to wash their faces?" Nature Bloom asked. "Not underwater, obviously..." Alkali commented. "But in most cases, washing faces do make you less sleepy." Volcano notified. "But when it's bedtime! Creatures got to be sleepy!" Krona exclaimed. "Not sleepy, not easy to sleep." Buffer added. "And if it isn't easy to sleep, she might wind up sleeping even later at night!" Evergreen apprised. "I know I like cleanliness, but not obsession with it that takes some creature too far!" Sunshine Rays informed. "And she washes the dishes with a lot of detergent, consuming lots of water to wash off the soap..." Yellow Bright continued. "That will cost lots of bits!" Nature Bloom gasped. "Is that all?! I cannot take all this hearing that some creature is wasting things out of wanting to do so!" Falcon Dive complained. "Well, for short, it's obvious that my little sister is obsessed with cleanliness." Yellow Bright stated. "To a serious point that has got to be stopped!" Volcano pointed out. "And we are the creatures who will stop it!" Luster announced. The scene changed to showing the train on its way to Manehattan, Yellow Bright's hometown. "We're almost at your hometown, Yellow Bright!" Evergreen told her earth pony Best Friend. "I know, it's been a while since I last came home!" Yellow Bright responded. "You are not the only creature who hasn't visited home in a while!" Falcon Dive reminded, hang heard Yellow Bright and Evergeen's conversation since he was sitting right in front of them with Sunshine Rays. "Anyway, I love the Hayburgers and breakfast specials in one of the restraints here! And the yoghurt, and the donuts..." Yellow Bright listed. "We get it, there's so many delicious food to love here!" Sunshine Rays responded. "Food! Yaks love food! And smashing! And music! And..." Krona started listing. "Back to talking about Manehattan, I'm sure it's as great as we last saw it, Yellow Bright!" Evergreen commented. "Are you sure you're sure? Because when you are sure, you are completely confident that you are right. In other words, without a doubt!" Volcano defined from behind with Alkali. "Thanks for the definition, Volcano." Evergreen responded. "We're here, every creature!" Luster announced, when the train stopped at the Train Station. "Manehattan, the famous big city in Equestrian!" Buffer exclaimed. "Madam Rarity loves this place, as much as she loves Canterlot, I assume." Luster recalled. "Especially when she got her Key of Generosity from a friend here." Nature Bloom added. "Let's not forget why we're here, every creature." Volcano reminded. "Yeah, my sister's obsessed with cleanliness!" Yellow Bright informed. "And it's not good!" Sunshine Rays added. "And we came here to stop the obsession!" Luster declared. "But which way to her home?" Krona asked. "Allow me to lead the way, every creature. I may not have visited for a months, but I am sure I haven't lost my memory that I gained for more than 1 and a half decade!" Yellow Bright claimed. "More than 1 and a half decade?! Yellow Bright, saying that means that you remembered things since you were 0!" Volcano apprised. "In that case...more than a decade..." Yellow Bright corrected. The scene changed to show Yellow Bright knocking at a rainbow-coloured door. "Love the door, it's very colourful." Krona commented. "Thanks for the compliment, even though many other creatures say that when they visited." Yellow Bright responded. "I think your family is quite fortunate to have members with the colours of the rainbow." Nature Bloom informed. "You mean the colours of regular rainbows and not the one we made when we defeated Eclipse. I mean, regular rainbows do not have peach nor gold! While cyan is just a lighter version of blue, so it'd probably be in a rainbow that is zoomed in to pay closer attention to its tones and shades and..." Volcano began explaining, before the door opened. "Yellow Bright! It's so good to see you again!" an orange-coated Earth Pony stallion greeted. "And it's great to see that you've brought all of your friends!" a red-coated earth pony mare added. "It's a pleasure to see that you welcome us, Mr. Orange Fall and Madam Rose Red." Evergreen greeted her earth pony best friend's parents. "Evergreen! We never remembered you being the most respectful out of Yellow's friends." Yellow Bright's mother responded. "You got to thank Nature Bloom for that, because I learnt respectful words from her!" Evergreen apprised. Nature Bloom nervously laughed as the older ones approached her. "Nature Bloom! you're still as sweet and nice as we last saw you!" Yellow Bright's father commented. "Yes...I am..." Nature Bloom softly answered. "Can you please teach us how to use respectful words, too?" Rose Red asked, before an impatient Falcon Dive interrupted. "Enough on the small talk! We came here because of urgent crisis!" "I don't think 'crisis' is the word to use in this situation. It means a time of intense difficulty or danger or a time when a difficult or important decision must be made..." Volcano began defining, to the other creatures' annoyance. "Maybe you could tell us more about the word later?" Alkali suggested. "I believe you should use 'can', as in 'you can tell us more about the word later'." Volcano corrected. "Don't mind Volcano, he loves correcting things, defining words, calculating, telling us science information..." Luster told Yellow Bright's parents before the Earth Pony mare laughed in a friendly manner. "Don't worry, we hard that he's a teacher who teaches all subjects, so correcting mistakes must be a habit of his." "It sure is." Krona responded, looking at Volcano. "Anyway, let's continue the chatting inside." Orange Fall figured, allowing all ten creatures indoors. "Wow, this place is a lot cleaner than I last came here." Yellow Bright commented, looking around. "Which is a good thing, because it's better to be clean and hygienic, than the opposite, which is dirty and unhygienic!" Sunshine Rays notified. "But it isn't so good, I mean, not as good as you think," Orange Fall apprised. "It is because of Purple Blend, her fear of dirtiness gave us no choice." Rose Red added. "Fear of dirtiness? That is so not her! I mean, she's an artist! he loves drawing, colouring and painting since little! And she usually gets herself covered with paint before a bath!" Yellow Bright recalled. "But isn't that still cleaning herself?" Krona asked. "I believe that is cleaning herself, but also not afraid to get dirty, as she was alright with the possibilities of getting covered in paint." Volcano explained. "If she's afraid of getting herself dirty..." Evergreen began, before Alkali finished for her. "Does that mean she doesn't paint anymore?!" The Earth Pony couple did not say anything, but their nodding meant something the creatures could not believe was happening. "She doesn't paint anymore!" Buffer gasped. "This is obviously not good." Luster added. "Taking cleanliness too far to the point of becoming neurotic!" Volcano added, causing every creature to look at him in confusion. "That means afflicted by neurosis, describing mental, emotional, or physical reactions that are drastic and irrational. Some common traits are basically negative thinking, resulting in negative emotions..." Volcano began explaining, making Yellow Bright more uncomfortable as the explanation went on. Evergreen quickly noticed the impact Volcano's explanation brought on her Earth Pony Best Friend, quickly responding by telling the dragon, "Volcano, stop! I don't think Yellow Bright is comfortable hearing your explanation!" "Sorry about that, I was just defining and explaining what every creature else doesn't know!" Volcano apologised. "Because he couldn't help himself but do so!" Alkali added. "That's what happens when you diligently read books and try all sorts of things!" Volcano finished. "I'm sorry, I just can't stand the thought of a family member of mine being so...negative..." Yellow Bright admitted. "Just like I can't stand the thought of immorality or anything that isn't good!" Sunshine Rays could not help but comment, before correcting herself, "Except...you don't go crazy like I do." "And don't go on making loads of rules and strict measures to ensure no creature breaks those rules?" Falcon Dive added, as he turned to look at Sunshine Rays. "Should we go back to the main subject?" Buffer asked. "Sorry about the interruption," Nature Bloom apologised. "My sister may not be as positive as I am, but I never thought that she'd become this negative. Before I left, I remember her helping to take out the trash." Yellow Bright informed. "That means she wasn't afraid to get dirt back then." Evergreen figured. "That's very obvious from the description!" Krona responded. "And after taking out the trash, she would wash up, knowing that when you can get clean, you shouldn't be afraid of getting dirty...And when you are dirty, wash up and get clean, that's something positive I taught her..." Yellow Bright went on. "We get it, you're disappointed that what you taught her faded away." Sunshine Rays responded. "Don't worry, we'll just teach her again, and hopefully the lesson will remain a permanent influence," Evergreen assured. "Are you sure permanent is what you want? Because permanent means..." Volcano was about to define the word, but Falcon Dive beat the dragon to finishing the sentence. "Forever. We know!" "Actually, it means last a long time." Luster stated. "Right..." the boys said in unison. "So, where do we start?" Alkali asked. "Probably finding where the creature in need of our help is. You can't help some creature without being in the same place." Luster figured. "Actually, there are cases when creatures can help other creatures without being in the same place. Like substitute them when they cannot do what they are supposed to do?" Krona pointed out. "Krona does have a point, but that's another case." Buffer told the others. "Alright, in some cases we have to be in the same place as who we are helping." Luster corrected her last sentence. "You're in luck, because Purple Blend is at home right now!" Yellow Bright announced. "That's odd. I remember you said that she likes hanging out with her best friends from school!" Evergreen commented. "And once in a month or an occasion, hang out with our younger siblings." Nature Bloom added. "Plus Gloss Semblance, the younger sibling of one of our former schoolmates!" Falcon Dive contributed. "Maybe I should check on her before the rest of you come into her room, or go close to her...because..." Yellow Bright began, before Volcano interrupted. "Ten biologically in young adult ages creatures can be overwhelming to just one preteen? We probably know that." "That's right..." Yellow Bright responded. "Alright, Yellow Bright. You can go first, if it doesn't work out, we all will come in." Luster informed. "But if it does, what do we do?" Alkali asked Luster. "Better not say go home. I don't like trips that are not worth it! Especially when we spent bits and time!" Sunshine Rays complained. "Can't believe I'm saying this, but maybe we could spend spare time looking around at the sales." Falcon Dive suggested. "Or meet the members of Yellow Bright's family that didn't attend the latest birthday parties this year!" Krona added. "Sorry, but other than Yellow Bright's parents and little sister Purple Blend, the rest of his family don't live here anymore. They moved out to their final schools and got jobs in other parts of Equestria!" Evergreen apprised. "That's what happens in a society like this!" Buffer stated, "Growing up, leaving home to get a job after finishing school." "Can you all just quiet down and give me a little support here?" Yellow Bright asked. "Sorry, just got...distracted..." Nature Bloom apologised. Pushing the door open, Yellow Bright stepped into his sister's room. But when he step hoof onto the floor... "Yellow Bright! Did you take a bath?!" Purple Blend asked in a shriek. "Aah! Purple Blend!" Yellow Bright screamed, being startled from hearing his little sister shriek. "Sorry, big brother, but didn't Mum and Dad tell you that I like being clean? And having my room clean?" Purple Blend asked. "Yes, they did..." Yellow Bright responded. "Then did they tell you that I don't allow any creature, not even myself, step into the room or enter it without bathing here first?" Purple Blend went on. "I don't want any of those bacteria from outside in here!" Purple Blend shrieked, scaring her brother out of the room. "Alright, alright, I'm out of here!" Yellow Bright told his sister, retreating and closing the door once he was out. Once the older Earth Pony was out, Purple Blend took out an anti-bacteria spray and spayed it around the area Yellow Bright stepped on. "She did what?!" Yellow Bright's best friends asked him in unison. "Chase me out because I didn't bathe using the showers here, before stepping into her room. And, shrieked at me to get me to back off." Yellow Bright explained. "That is so not her!" Luster claimed. "She's usually nice like I am!" Nature Bloom added. "Not to mention that the reason behind it was she did not want any bacteria from outside to get into her room." Yellow Bright went on. "What?! Doesn't she know that bacteria can move?! So even if the bacteria was outside her room on the walls, it can move onto the door and into her room." Volcano explained. "Volcano, don't talk so loudly that clean-lover and bacteria-disliker can hear you!" Alkali hushed. "Sorry, I was jus explaining what I know! I teach science!" Volcano responded. "Purple Blend isn't like this the last time I saw her, she really changed a lot." Luster commented. "In a matter of time!" Nature Bloom contributed. "What could have caused this?" Yellow Bright asked, before the ten creatures could hear Yellow Bright's father suddenly saying out loud, "WHAT?! Water shortage?!" "Water shortage?!" Krona repeated, as the Heroic Ten rushed to the living room where Orange Fall was reading a newspaper. "What is it, Dad?" Yellow Bright asked, galloping over to his father. "Appleloosa is running out of water! The reservoir water level is going down!" Orange Fall informed, showing them the newspaper cover page. "My family depends on that water! It's their water source!" Buffer gasped. "And not just Buffer's family depends on that water, all the creatures living in that area, too!" Falcon Dive added. "We got to do something!" Luster declared. "But what about my little sister?!" Yellow Bright asked. "Alright, half of us will go to Appleloosa, and the other half will stay and try to fix Purple Blend." Luster instructed. "Fix Purple Blend?" Krona asked. "As in, try to stop her new neurotic character and change her back to the way she was before becoming neurotic?" Luster clarified. "That makes more sense!" Krona responded. "So, who's going and who's staying?" Sunshine Rays asked. "Krona, Buffer, Volcano, Alkali and Falcon Dive's help could be used in Appleloosa, so they should go, while every creature else stays. "Alright, we'll go!" Buffer replied. "Race you to the Train Station!" Falcon Dive called. "Be careful!" the four other creatures that were selected to go to Appleloosa told the griffon in unison, as they rushed off. "Do you think we can handle Purple Blend?" Nature Bloom asked. "Don't worry, with some creature moral, nice, patient, positive and a great leader, we can do it!" Luster assured. "Or maybe it is safer to say that our chances of success are not slim, because when you say we can do it, it's like you're confirming that we can by a hundred percent." Sunshine Rays apprised. "Sunshine, are you checking vocabulary like Volcano would?" Luster asked. "What?! As some creature moral, I have to be careful what I say, and be careful what others say." Sunshine Rays responded, just before they got another interruption from hearing Orange Fall's voice. "Rose Red! We should start watching out how much water we are using!" "Wow, just learning the news that Appleloosa is facing water shortage immediately got him to change." Evergreen commented. The comment made Sunshine Rays get an idea. "Wait, did you just say 'made him change'?" the pegasus asked. "Yes, I said that the news made him change as he said that they should start watching out how much water they use, which mostly meant that they never did so before..." Evergreen replied. "The newspaper influenced him! It affected him to change!" Sunshine Rays exclaimed. "What does that have to do with the problem with my little sister?!" Yellow Bright asked. "Don't you get it?! She must have been influenced to care about cleanliness so much, that she doesn't want to get dirty at all! What else can be the reason she changed?!" Sunshine Rays explained. "You're right, Sunshine! Usually other than maturing, creatures won't change to become so different from themselves before the change, naturally. They must have been influenced by something! Like how the comprehension in your exam influenced you to become moral, when you were fourteen!" Luster exclaimed. "Right...and every creature is kind of lucky that I had been moral ever since, although I still haven't been moral for longer than how long I was immoral...fourteen years..." Sunshine Rays answered. "So, my little sister had been influenced by something to become the neurotic creature she is right now, but what?" Yellow Bright asked. "Don't ask us, Yellow Bright. We know that Purple Blend is old enough to go around the neighbourhood without a grown-up accompanying her, and we have been letting her visit the shops and public places without us, so she can be influenced by anything!" Rose Red informed, walking into the living room. "So we have too...search the entire neighbourhood for the influence?" Nature Bloom gulped. "That can take ages! Even if the other half of the Heroic Ten were still with us!" Sunshine Rays dramatically exclaimed. "Calm down, every creature, let's not just jump to something big, especially when it can be unnecessary." Luster told the others, before turning to asking Rose Red, "Since when did Purple Blend started to show signs of becoming neurotic as she is scared of getting dirty?" "Since last Monday." Rose Red answered. "I get what you're doing, you are looking for more details!" Nature Bloom figured. "So you don't have to search so far!" Yellow Bright added. "And do so many things you could have not do if you went on a huge search!" Evergreen went on. "Exactly!" Luster responded to her best friends, before turning back to Rose Red, "Did she go anywhere after school?" "Well, she did go to the Cafe near the school to spend some free time with her best friends at school, like she usually would before going home." Rose Red explained. "Anything else?" Sunshine Rays questioned. "She did take a little longer than usual to come home for a bath. And after that, she started cleaning up." Rose Red answered. "Is that all?" Luster asked. "That's all I can recall," the earth pony mare nodded. "Alright, so this is all we know; whatever influenced Purple Blend must be encountered last Monday, before she reached home." Luster explained. "Are you sure 'must' is the word to use? Because if you're wrong, or still have chances to be wrong, then the correct words to use is 'most likely' as in 'whatever influenced Purple Blend most likely was encountered last Monday before she reached home." Sunshine Rays corrected. "Wow, you really are becoming like Volcano, so careful and concerned about vocabulary," Nature Bloom told the pegasus. "I do it because of being moral." Sunshine Rays stated. "Alright, so the influence was most likely encountered last Monday. So we have to search the cafe, and the area around, and the places along and around the trail from the school to the cafe, to home." Luster figured. "That is still a lot to search!" Nature Bloom commented. "Look on the bright side, it's still a lot lesser than all of Manehattan!" Yellow Bright pointed out. "Yellow Bright, Evergreen and Nature Bloom, you all stay here and try to help Purple Blend, plus examine the apartment, just in case the influence is here." Luste instructed. "Alright." Evergreen replied. "Sure thing!" Yellow Bright saluted. "Indeed," Nature Bloom nodded. "Sunshine, you know influences as well as you know morality, you are undoubtedly fit for searching the streets for the influence with me." Luster declared. "My pleasure Luster." the pegasus replied. "I'm going too, you mares haven't been to Manhattan much, you might get lost!" Rose Red apprised. "Alright, you can come too, just please don't go far from us." Luster informed. "Uh, Luster? I know that you are 10 years older than your chronological age, but Yellow Bright's Mum is still older than you, by both biological and chronological ages! So I figure that the ones that shouldn't go far away from who is..."Sunshine Rays hushed. "Oh, right..." Luster responded, before correcting her sentences, "I mean, don't worry, we'll stay close to you..." After the three mares left,Nature Bloom asked, "What are we going to do to help Purple Blend?" "Well...we can try to reason with her." Evergreen figured. "But I already told you, she won't let any creature who didn't bathe here enter her room!" Yellow Bright cried. "So we all have to bathe here?" Nature Bloom asked. "Or maybe we instead of trying to go inside her room to get to her, let's try to get her to come outside her room to get to us..." Evergreen suggested. In the streets of Manehattan, the mares were on their way to the Cafe, using the shortest route since it was the route that Purple Blend always used unless she had to take another path. "Manehattan is actually very amazing, you and your family must be so lucky to live here, Madam Rose Red." Luster said, looking around. "Indeed, Manehattan is unique in its own way of being a big, busy city." Rose Red replied. "Wait a second, if we want to find the influence, we shouldn't just walk pass the stores! We should look inside them! In case Purple Blend went in to take a look and encountered the influence!" Sunshine Rays claimed. "But, not all of us are expects like you, Sunshine! What if we did see the influence, but not know that it is the influence, and leave it?" Rose Red asked. "You have to think. That's one of the most important parts of being moral, and helps you identify right and wrong." Sunshine Rays answered. "But, Sunshine, it isn't right or wrong, but what can be the influence, that we're trying to identify!" Luster reminded. "I'm just telling her that we have to think to identify what the influence is, or can be! Like, if Purple Blend is influenced to become so scared of bacteria and getting dirty, then whatever influenced her is most likely something related to dirtiness, or bacteria, or even them themselves!" Sunshine Rays explained. "Sunshine, we cannot even see bacteria unless we have a microscope or cast a very difficult spell. And I haven't mastered that super difficult one..." Luster informed. "True, but maybe Purple Blend read, or got a peek in a book or saw a poster that described bacteria in a super scary way that scared her into being neurotic!" Sunshine Rays pointed out. "Are you sure you didn't write or make such things as the creature who scares immoral beings into stopping their wrongdoings by becoming Moonshade Fright?" Luster asked. "WHAT?! I didn't do that! I actually haven't thought of hygiene situations, but that's not important right now! Let's just find the influence or whatever we think that can be the influence!" Sunshine Rays responded. "That's what we'll do. And don't forget to ask the creatures who work there for information. Number one question should be asking them if they saw a preteen female purple-coated Earth Pony last Monday afternoon." Luster reminded. "But wouldn't it take a long time to go into every store along the way and around the area and ask?" Rose Red asked. "It will, but not when we split up and get it done in one third of the time!" Luster figured. "But, what about not getting too far away?" Rose Red asked. "We won't be far if we keep checking the stalls that surround this road, and meet up at the Cafe." Sunshine Rays assured. "And to make sure that we really do cover more stores by not have two or all three of us going into the same store, we should plan out who goes to what store, and I already got it worked out: I will check the first store, which is the first one on the left, Sunshine will check the second store, which is the first one on the right, and Madam Rose Red, you will check the third store, which is second on the left." Luster explained. "In case you didn't see the pattern, it goes horizontally and diagonally across the road. Odd number positions on the left, even number positions on the right, you cross the road horizontally to get from odd to the even number that's 1 more, and go diagonally across from even to the odd that is just 1 more." Sunshine Rays stated. "And another pattern, but I think I'll just tell you your part so you won't get confused, or have to risk messing up calculations. Madam Rose Red, since you will start with the third store, which is the second on the left, your next store will be the sixth, which is third on the right, and then the ninth store which is the fifth on the left. We left you with the perfect multiples of 3 to check." Luster explained. "Thanks, mares, but are you sure you can handle this?" Rose Red asked with concern. "Of course we can! We've been through a lot of challenges in new, unfamiliar places like this! Just go on!" Sunshine Rays assured. "Alright, see you mares at the cafe!" Rose Red replied, walking away. "Alright, so you understand the pattern?" Luster asked. "Sure thing! Since I start with the second store, my next store will be the fifth, then eighth! I will go in the pattern of multiples of 3 then minus 1." Sunshine Rays stated. "Good. That leaves me checking out the first, fourth, seventh, tenth and so on in the multiples of 3, then minus 2!" Luster declared. Meanwhile, in her room, Purple Blend was cleaning her table when she heard her brother calling, "Little sister! Guess what's outside your room waiting for you? Your favourite piece of Blueberry cake from your favourite Bakery in Manehattan!" In the living room, the three creatures were waiting for the bait the yellow-coated Earth Pony bought to lure their target. "Are you sure this will work?" Nature Bloom asked. "Most likely will, I know my little sister, she loves this cake more than any other dessert!" Yellow Bright claimed. "And you took a trip to get it!" Evergreen added. "Thank you big brother..." Purple Blend began, as she galloped towards her older sibling, before screeching to a halt, asking, "Did you wash the hoof you are holding the cake on?" "Of course I did! And washed the plate with the cake on it that I'm holding!" Yellow Bright replied. "Because he's being a thoughtful big brother, knowing that his little sister couldn't stand any dirt or bacteria from outdoors..." Evergreen went on. "Right..." Purple Blend replied, before walking off to the sink in the kitchen, while telling her older brother and his best friends, "Well, none of your not washed hooves or body parts should touch the cake nor the plate not even for a millisecond, while I wash my hooves before consuming that!" "A millisecond? Is she that serious?" Nature Bloom asked. "Maybe it's just an expression so she doesn't literally mean it?" Yellow Bright asked. "I sure hope so." Evergreen added. "I literally mean it!" Purple Blend announced, as she returned from the kitchen, walking with three hooves as she came, leaving her front left hoof available for lifting the plate with the cake on it. Once she got the plate and the dessert from her older brother, she continued, "Don't even think about touching the table with your not washed body parts!" "Don't worry, we won't do that!" Evergreen assured. "We probably won't do that to any creature's table." Nature Bloom added. "So, little sister, now that you got your favourite treat, would you please talk to us while we're not so physically close to you, and not so far away?" Yellow Bright asked. "Sure, but be quick." Purple Blend answered. "Be quick? What's the rush?" Nature Bloom asked. "Nothing's the rush, I just wanted to get back into my clean room as fast as possible." Purple Blend answered. "Volcano would have corrected that 'fast' into 'soon', as in 'I wanted to get back into my clean room as soon as possible'." Yellow Bright imitated Volcano. "Oh wonderful, when Volcano isn't here, the other Heroic Ten members correct sentences that used the wrong words?" Evergreen asked. "Well, the more is usually the merrier." Nature Bloom figured. "So, Purple Blend, little sister, don't you remember that you can always clean yourself up after getting dirty?" Yellow Bright asked. "Sure, but it still isn't so good getting dirty out of wanting too!" Purple Blend argued. "Yellow Bright's point isn't to encourage you to get yourself dirty on purpose! He's just telling you that you can't expect yourself to stay clean all the time! There are certain activities that you have to do, with no escape from getting dirty!" Evergreen tried to reason with the preteen Earth Pony. "Well I'll just tell whoever tries to get me to participate in such activities that I'm not going to participate because I got an illness!" Purple Blend snapped. "Maybe I should handle this, I'm usually the one creature who knows the nicest and least hurtful words." Nature Bloom suggested. "Anything that can help!" Yellow Bright pleaded. "Alright, Purple Blend, can you please reconsider and think of all the water, soap and resources that you are consuming because you are always cleaning once every now and then?" Nature Bloom asked in a soft-spoken tone that was very similar to Fluttershy's. "I'm sorry, I just don't want to get dirty..." Purple Blend responded in a normal tone, unlike the tones that she used earlier that day around the visitors. "I know how much we all like being clean, but there's a line between enough and too far. So will you please cut down your excessive cleaning and go back to a routine of cleaning once a day?" Nature Bloom asked. "Uh, Nature? There are a few things that needed to be cleaned more than once everyday..." Yellow Bright reminded. "Like the Dining Table, it needs to be cleaned before and after usage!" Evergreen stated an example. "You heard them, just clean whenever there's a need to, not a desire to!" Nature Bloom turned back to Purple Blend. "But, what if the bacteria multiplies before the next cleaning? And, forms...germs?" Purple Blend asked as she shivered when she was saying her last sentence out loud. "I kind of wish Volcano was here, maybe he knows how germs and bacteria work." Yellow Bright stated. "And tell us with one of his full of details explanations." Evergreen added. "Purple Blend, will you please tell us what made you so scared of germs, bacteria, and dirtiness?" Nature Bloom asked in a concerned tone. "I actually...am too afraid to even say it!" Purple Blend cried, running into her room after she finished her cake. "Well, at least we talked a little sense into her, didn't we?" Yellow Bright commented after watching his little sister race off. At the cafe, the three mares regrouped to tell each other the latest thing they knew. "I checked all the stores on my list, and nothing can be the influence, because Purple Blend never went in last Monday, nor any other day that's close!" Luster reported. "Asked, checked and looked all around, but nothing can be responsible for the neurotic behaviour!" Sunshine Rays informed. "I got nothing too, and I'm thirsty!" Rose Red said, wiping her forehead with her front right hoof. "Did you wash your hoof before you wipe your forehead like that?" Sunshine Rays asked. "Sunshine! Not you too!" Luster cried. "What?! I'm not affected! I advise that we all should wash our hooves whenever we want to wipe sweat off our faces and foreheads! Claws and wings are also the same story as in, using to wipe off sweat from faces and foreheads! It's good hygiene, not obsessed with cleanliness, nor neurotic." Sunshine Rays explained. "Tell you what mares, I'm buying some tea from the Cafe for a little while, do you want a drink, too?" Rose Red asked. "Well...I could use some liquid like healthy tea." Luster responded. "I guess I'll have the same thing, because I am not very picky, and can't think of anything else." Sunshine Rays added. "Alright, then three cups of healthy tea it is!" Rose Red said, walking to the counter. "Quick, examine the place! Maybe the influence is around here!" Luster told Sunshine Rays. "There's nothing here that can be the influence, I mean, it's usually very clean thanks to the 3 cleaners that work around here..." Sunshine Rays stated, looking around, "Except for that shelf full of magazines! Maybe Purple Blend saw something that scared her into being neurotic!" "Let's check it out!" Luster declared, galloping to the shelf and using her magic to levitate the magazines. "You sure are lucky that they haven't ordered magic-sealing defence system here, or you might not be able to levitate the magazines." Sunshine Rays stated. "Very funny, Sunshine. Just help me look through these magazines, do any of them have something related to dirtiness, bacteria and germs enough to be the influence?" Luster asked. "Not any so far through these pages...hold on, what's this?" Sunshine Rays asked as she stopped at one of the pages in a magazine, reading the title out loud, "Zombie Outbreak?! All begins in a very dirty place that isn't the dump nor the sewers. Thanks to a careless scientist, who threw his useless potion out the window and into the area full of germs and bacteria, the germs and bacteria were mutated into a living germ that the eyes can see without a microscope.The germ made a pony sick, then the pony, losing control of his own body and mind, sneezed on others to spread the disease...as they become...zombies..." "That sounds extremely scary!" Luster cried. "I may find scaring immoral creatures into stopping their wrongdoings somewhat amusing, but this kind of scare is not the kind I like! Plus, even though I do like fantasy, there's no way I'd like to write something like zombie outbreaks or vampire invasion or...anything like those!" Sunshine Rays exclaimed. "And look, this story is in a cartoon magazine! According to Yellow Bright, his little sister is still a fan of cartoons despite her age." Luster added. "So there are very high chances that this magazine was what she looked in last Monday, and saw that outbreak story which scared her!" Sunshine Rays figured. "I'll ask her, and will be right back!" Luster declared, teleporting herself away. "Where did Luster go? I thought she wanted healthy tea." Rose Red asked, approaching Sunshine Rays. "Don't worry, Luster will be back. And the tea is obviously still hot because you can see steam coming out of them! It's probably just served, and too hot for drinking! We might just as well wait for Luster to come back before drinking, the tea probably would have cooled when that happens!" Sunshine Rays suggested. "Come on Purple, there's nothing to be afraid of! Even when the micro-organisms multiply, it won't be as dirty as obvious when you clean it once a week or every 5 days!" Yellow Bright called through the closed door to his little sister's room. The next second, Luster teleported herself right behind her best friends. "Luster, you're back!" Evergreen responded. "Yes, and I think Sunshine found out what the influence was, and I came back to make sure." Luster answered, before calling through the door, "Purple Blend, did you read a cartoon magazine last Monday at the cafe?" "Yes! Like I always do!" Purple Blend answered. "Did you read anything about a scary outbreak caused by a scientist who carelessly threw a useless potion into a dirt area with germs and bacteria?" Lusetr asked. "DON'T ASK THAT!" was the response. "Where did you get that idea?" Nature Bloom asked. "It's not an idea, there's a story about that in a cartoon magazine that Sunshine Rays found on a shelf full of magazines for the customers of the cafe to read." Luster explained. "And Purple Blend's reaction does support the theory that what you found in that magazine was the influence." Evergreen stated. "Then it's got to be it! That magazine's story is the influence!" Yellow Bright exclaimed. "Maybe we can write a letter to the writers of this magazine, and tell them to not put this kind of scary thing in magazines that youth most likely will read." Luster suggested. "That sounds like a good idea to stop such things from happening again." Nature Bloom commented. "But what about Purple Blend? She's still affected!" Evergreen asked. "And train to take us home will be here in less than an hour!" Yellow Bright cried. "I'll get Sunshine and Yellow Bright's Mum! We'll be back in a flash!" Luster declared, teleporting herself away. Luster returned with Sunshine Rays and Rose Red after a few seconds, causing Yellow Bright to comment, "That was fast." "How are we going to convince Purple Blend to stop being neurotic?" Rose Red asked. "I remember a technique I used to prevent myself from getting affected by things that aren't good influences after becoming moral. Maybe that can help." Sunshine Rays stated. "What is the technique?" Luster asked. "It's zero!" Sunshine ays answered. "Zero?!" every creature else asked in unison. "You know, when you have zero of something, you have none! And if Purple Blend tells herself that there are zero outbreaks like the one she read about in that magazine, she might calm down, because zero means not a single one!" Sunshine Rays explained. "Do you think it will work?" Nature Bloom asked. "It better, because we're running out of time!" Yellow Bright cried. "Quick! Get Purple Blend to talk to us!" Luster instructed the yellow-coated Earth Pony. "Purple Blend!" Yellow Bright called as he knocked on her door. "What do you want?!" Purple Blend asked. "Just answer this question for a stat; what is the number for nothing?!" Yellow Bright responded. "It's zero!" was the answer. "Then whenever you are scared of something in a story that's not real, just remind yourself, there are zero of that thing in reality!" Yellow Bright called. "You don't need to be afraid, the Heroic Ten will be writing some letters to the writers of that magazine!" Evergreen added. "To tell them not to put such a scary thing in such magazines ever again!" Nature Bloom went on. "And you got loads of heroes to protect you; the Council of Friendship, their graduated top six students at the School of Friendship who helped defeat Lord Tirek, Queen Chrysalis and Cozy Glow, and the newest heroes, the Heroic Ten, including your own older brother!" Luster contributed. "And good always triumphs over evil, some way!" Sunshine Rays ended. "Purple Blend, just think of all the needs and bits you are consuming out of being neurotic! Don't you want to save more and spend less because you want to be selfless and care about others? Don't you want to do what has to be done like some creature moral? Don't you want to cooperate with others and listen? Don't you want to be positive like your big brother? Be the Element of Positivity in your own group of friends?" Yellow Bright asked, starting to get through to his younger sister. "Remind her what you used to say about getting cleaned after getting dirty!" Luster whispered. "And if you want to be positive, here's a quote that you probably need right now; If you get dirty, you can get clean, and it makes more sense to clean yourself after you are dirty, instead of all the time!" Yellow Bright called through the door. "But you still got to clean yourself with a bath, once a day minimum!" Sunshine Rays reminded. "And think about all the things you won't do if you continue being neurotic!" Evergreen contributed. "No more painting, for a start..." Nature Bloom began. "No more going out because you're scared of the germs and bacteria out there!" Luster went on. "No more playing, not getting to see any of your friends, not go to your favourite places..." Sunshine Rays listed. "And you'll be very bored, it's not worth it staying in your room, nor your apartment and never leaving. If you continued being neurotic, all those not so good things might happen! So will you please think again and stop being neurotic? There's actually nothing to be scared of!" Yellow Bright called one last time, before the door opened. "Yellow Bright, I'm so glad that you're here." Purple Blend said, hugging her brother. "What? But, little sis, I went out and didn't bathe here!" Yellow Bright cried. "Now that you mentioned it, Purple Blend sure didn't touch any of us this whole time!" Evergreen recalled. "Only because I was neurotic like what you all were saying, and I'm really sorry about how I acted, and what I did all because I was scared." Purple Blend apologised. "That's alright, we forgive you." Nature Bloom assured. "But, what made you change and get over your neurosis?" Luster asked. "My brother!" Purple Blend happily answered. "What?!" Yellow Bright asked. "You never gave up on me, and I could sense how upset you were to know that I was neurotic by hearing your voice, and your speech was very convincing." Purple Blend commented. "aw...thanks little sis..." Yellow Bright responded, warmed up by his success. "I know this sounds a little extreme, but maybe we should write a letter to Princess Twilight Sparkle, telling her that it might be a lot better if she gave more cleaning jobs out to creatures who needed jobs, and had them to mop the floors and scrub the walls to make sure that they're even cleaner, because it is good to be hygienic and clean, but not too much of it." Sunshine Rays suggested. "Are you sure reading that outbreak story really didn't affect you?" Luster asked. "Of course not! Just thinking that maybe that way, Purple Blend will feel a lot safer, and the same goes for any creature else who was affected like her!" Sunshine Rays stated. "Maybe we should do some research and double check whether we have those or not before we write. Anyway, I believe some creature learnt something about cleanliness, neurosis and positivity." Luster responded before turning to Purple Blend upon referring to the preteen Earth Pony. "Write a letter to Princess Twilight Sparkle, the Ruler of Equestria?" Purple Blend asked. "Don't worry, trust heroes are right around you!" Yellow Bright assured. "Tell you what, I will write what you learnt today." Luster assured the purple Earth Pony, before saying out what she was writing on the scroll she was levitating, "Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle, one of my best friends, Yellow Bright, has a family member who learnt something valuable today. She learnt that..." "It is good to be clean and hygienic, but not to the point that you clean yourself countless times in a short period of time, as you will be consuming needs unnecessarily! Another thing that was learnt was, it really isn't good to be neurotic, as it will prevent you from doing lots of things, and could make you very bored! Last but not least, one more thing learnt was how amazing positivity can be, as it might be enough to convince some creature neurotic to change, especially when you show concern for them at the same time. That's all I got for now, hopefully I will learn more valuable lessons to share with you." Purple Blend said out loud. "Signed, your faithful student, Luster Dawn." Luster ended, before sending the letter away with her magic. "I hope that you can completely recover from that scary outbreak thing's effects, Purple Blend." Yellow Bright told his younger sister. "Don't worry, I've already started recovering, thanks to you and your best friends." Purple Blend replied, hugging her brother once more. "Maybe in just a few more days, she'll recover and get over completely!" Nature Bloom figured. "Depends," Evergreen reminded. "Thanks for getting Purple back to her regular self," Rose Red thanked the Heroic Ten members that were there. "We're just doing what we should have done upon knowing what was happening." Luster answered. "And you've really saved our water supply. I mean, I can't take how much water we've been using to clean this place recently!" Orange Fall said, walking towards every creature. "Dad! Where have you been this whole time?" Yellow Bright asked. "Trying to save our water, and find out how much we have been using! Can you believe how much we used?" was the response. "No thanks, we got to catch a train!" Sunshine Rays informed. Just then, a scroll from Princess Twilight Sparkle arrived, delivered by magic. "Dear Luster Dawn, the last letter told me something good to know, and here's something good for you to know; your best friends Falcon Dive, Alkali, Volcano, Buffer and Krona helped every creature in Appleloosa solve the water problem, and taught us all to think twice, and taught us how every one of us counts and makes a difference. With the problem in Appleloosa solved, you and your best friends visiting Manhattan can just return to Ponyville." Luster read out loud. "Really? They solved the problem?" Sunshine Rays asked in disbelief. "Without us?" Nature Bloom added. "But how?" Evergreen asked. "We'll ask them once we're home." Luster announced, walking towards the door to exit the apartment. "Goodbye!" Yellow Bright's family waved, as the visitors left. After closing the door, the five creatures headed to the Train Station. Along the way, they had a conversation stated by Yellow Bright. "So, once we're home, what are we going to do when we see the others?" the yellow Earth Pony asked. "Tell them that your sister is alright now?" Sunshine Rays asked. "And ask them how they solved the water shortage problem?" Evergreen went on. "Whichever way it is." Luster figured. "And any chance we'll come back here and visit my favourite places with all of you?" Yellow Bright went on, as the scene faded black.
2. How the Magic of Friendship Grows, Part TwoPreviously on My Little Pony... "How am I supposed to be like Princess Twilight, if I start learning about friendship in a super different environment?" Luster asked. "Relax, Luster, you have friends right here! Us! We'll help you go through the day and night!" Alkali assured. "I don't think I can learn friendship here." Luster sadly told her friends. "Here, I kept getting special treatment because of being the daughter of the Heads, students keep overwhelming me with their attention and care, and I'lll barely get to have some creature who likes me for who I am and not because of my position, just like a friend would!" "Luster," Sunshine approached, "I know it's hard for you, being the one student here with the most attention, but don't forget; you already have tons of friends by your side, us!" "Princess Twilight Sparkle!" Luster greeted. "Luster Dawn! How can you forget to bow before me?!" "Princess Twilight Sparkle just acted a little...mean to me today," Luster told her friends, "I think something's wrong." "If something's weird or causing you to get suspicious, you should trust your feelings," Buffer reminded Luster, before turning to her friends, "So if Luster thinks that there's something odd with Princess Twilight Sparkle, we should at least try to make sure everything's fine!" "This plan is going perfectly!" 'Twilight' sneered to herself, "Tomorrow, when every creature comes to that silly event, after Rainbow performs her rainboom, I'll cast my spell on them all, making them all my loyal subjects, and they will only have me to adore! Making me in complete and total control of all of Equestria and beyond!" Following where the events of the first episode left off, the ten creatures watched in horror as 'Twilight' laughed evilly as the green brew bubbled. Luster started to show despair as her round oval eyes turned into trapeziums, as tears started to form. She could not believe it; her mentor, her idol, the famous heroine and Ruler of Equestria...turned out to be evil?! This could not be! "Please say I'm having a nightmare," Luster told her best friends. "You're having a nightmare?" Yellow Bright asked, doing what Luster just said. "This cannot be happening!" Luster whispered in disbelief. "I can't believe it, neither!" Sunshine Rays added. "How can any creature believe it?!" Falcon Dive asked. "Princess Twilight can't be evil!" Luster claimed. "But you heard her plot!" Volcano argued. "She's going to control all of Equestria and beyond!" Evergreen added. "Tomorrow!" Buffer continued. As the creatures began an argument, 'Princess Twilight Sparkle' overheard the growing noise and soon discovered them, and responded by using her magic to freeze them, levitating them in front of her. "You creatures are nothing but fools! Thinking that you could get away with spying on me, the Ruler of Equestria?! Well, you are all lucky that my cauldron is reserved for tomorrow, but that doesn't mean that you are all really lucky! Because I can't have you ten out and about, now that you've discovered my plans..." The creatures whimpered as 'Twilight' expressed a wicked look and made her horn glow. The next thing they knew, 'Twilight' casted a spell that sent them sinking below the throne room... Opening up her eyes, Luster found herself, and her best friends in a crystal cave, with the four walls and ceiling and floor all around them, trapping them. "Where are we?" Krona asked. Luster gasped, "The catacombs underneath Canterlot!" "You mean, the same place Queen Chrysalis imprisoned Princess Cadance during the royal wedding?" Volcano asked. "Yes, it is, and it's still abandoned even after the Legion of Doom imprisoned Twilight's friends on the day her coronation is supposed to happen," Luster recalled. "Speaking of Princess Twilight Sparkle," Sunshine Rays said, "I can't believe what we saw her do last night!" "How can she be...evil?!" Alkali asked. "And how can she be power-hungry?" Buffer asked. Luster could not help but express sadness whenever she heard her best friends mention her mentor being bad, before Nature Bloom asked, "You alright, Luster?" "NO! I just can't believe that my mentor is...evil..." Luster cried. "We can't believe it, neither," Evergreen admitted, "But we can't let it affect us," "Yeah, we're the only creatures who know about her evil plot, so it's up to us to stop her!" Falcon Dive announced. "But how are we supposed to do that?!" Buffer asked. "Well, I may not want to face my mentor, but I don't want Equestria suffering even more. I'm in with all of you to save every creature," Luster declared, "Krona, try to use your strength to smash the walls," "Krona's BEST when it comes to SMASHING!" Krona proudly claimed, before charging at the wall, destroying it as she stormed through. "Well done, Krona!" Luster praised, before leading the team, "Come on, every creature! Let's go!" While running, Buffer asked Luster, "Um, Luster? I know that I told you that it's best for you to not use teleportation, but in this case, can you please try using it to get us out?" Luster stopped, causing the whole team to do the same, "Oh my gosh, I forgot! Thanks, Buffer!" The ten gathered around as Luster's horn glowed, but unfortunately, Luster discovered something they all forgot; the catacombs were magic-sealing catacombs that prevented all uses of magic. "Oh no, we all forgot! The catacombs can seal off all magic! That means no dragon breath, no changeling transformations, no Kirin turning into a Nirik, no hippogriff turning into a seapony, and no unicorn spells!" Luster sadly announced. Every creature gasped to discover their many disadvantages, before Evergreen calmed them down,"Calm down, every creature, panicking never helps!" "But...but...but..." Falcon Dive started, "We have no idea what time it is! Plus, Princess Twilight's going to control all of our friends and fellow creatures if we don't stop her!" "We need to hurry!" Volcano added. As every creature dashed through the tunnels, Evergreen told them, "Alright, we have to hurry, but stay calm at the same time," "And how are we supposed to do that?" Buffer asked, before bumping into Yellow Bright, Nature Bloom and Alkali. "The tunnel's getting narrower!" Luster exclaimed. "Well, look on the bright side, we can still go through, just...not all together at once!" Yellow Bright pointed out, before racing through the tunnel, followed by Alkali, who raced after him. "Every creature, STOP!" Krona suddenly shouted, freezing Yellow Bright and Alkali. "What is it, Krona?" Buffer asked in a concerned tone. "Krona don't think that she can follow her creature friends," Krona told the group, speaking in third-creature as usual, "Tunnel's so narrow, Krona can't fit! Friends should go off without Krona, for the sake of Equestria." "But, Krona! Friends will never leave friends behind!" Nature Bloom pointed out. "Yeah, for all the time in the School of Friendship, we always learn what true friendship is like, and what true friends do," Volcano added. "But Equestria need saving! You should save every creature and not choose trying to help Krona over them," Krona sadly told her friends. "Krona, are you sure you want to be left behind?" Luster asked, approaching the yak. "Krona does not want to be left behind," Krona admitted, "But Equestria's really a lot more important than Krona, friends should choose it over her. Go, Krona doesn't want every creature hurt because of her!" Krona urged. "No way, Krona!" Falcon Dive protested, "The School of Friendship has taught us students to be loyal to our friends, and we're not leaving any one of them behind! We're taking you with us!" "But how? Without any magic or super power, all we can do is try to squeeze her through the tunnel's," Sunshine Rays pointed out. "Or maybe we can try it a different way," Volcano suggested, "Krona, can you lie down, flat on your back?" "Of course Krona can!" Krona proudly replied, before doing as told. "Good, now, please don't react until I say you can," Volcano instructed, as he and the rest of their best friends flipped Krona side way, with her right side in contact with the floor, in order to drag her through the tunnel without the problem of her getting stuck. Once they were at the end of the tunnel and in an open cavern, Volcano allowed Krona to flip herself back up, as the group resumed their journey, with Luster telling Krona, "Krona, I can't believe that you were willing to say that you think that we should leave you behind. I mean, it's against everything the School of Friendship taught you!" "Krona does not like going against what she learnt at friendship school," Krona admitted, "But Krona knew that it was for the better in that situation!" "So, you're not scared of us possibly telling our teachers what happened?!" Sunshine Rays asked. "Especially since we got Honesty Class?" Buffer added. "You could get sent back a grade or worse!" Volcano added. "Or worst of all, get all of us into trouble, if we left you behind!" Falcon Dive concluded. "Krona was just telling the truth," Krona told every creature, "If she didn't, she'd probably get stuck in that tunnel and made things worse for every creature!" "Even if it's showing something that can...ruin your studies and reputation?!" Nature Bloom asked. "Even if it's crazy, Krona knew that telling the truth is the right thing to do!" Krona proudly declared. "That's pretty great, but...we still got all of Equestria and beyond to save!" Yellow Bright reminded, causing the whole group to race through the caverns and caves. Not long after their conversation about Krona's willingness to tell truths that could ruin things for her, the group encountered a second obstacle; multiple tunnels to choose from. "If we go down the right one, we'll get out." Luster stated, "But go down the wrong one...there's no telling what horrible things can happen." Nature Bloom whimpered, "How are we going to find the right tunnel?" "Step aside, every creature, I know Physics can get us out of this," Volcano declared, "All we need is a really loud sound, send it through the tunnels, and listen for the echo. If we hear a loud echo, it means that it's a dead end, but if we don't hear it, it means that there's a long tunnel down." "Or maybe we should just smash the dead end with Krona's brute strength," Falcon Dive suggested, "I mean, shouldn't we worry that a tunnel that doesn't lead to a dead end can actually lead us to more tunnel trouble?" "Or, maybe we should try to fly Krona up the ceiling and have her smash it?" Alkali asked. "But I figured that..." Volcano began, only to be cut off by Falcon. "Your way is the best? Come on, Volcano! We can't risk getting even more lost!" "And a really loud sound can be a little dangerous," Luster added, "We might risk making the whole catacombs shake or collapse as particles vibrate, plus, even deafen ourselves." "So we should just smash the ceilings!" Falcon exclaimed, before he was stopped by Sunshine. "Falcon, are you crazy?! We might risk causing the catacombs to collapse by doing that as well!" "Oh, so know you're telling me that there's no way out?!" Falcon asked. The creatures then started a huge argument about how they were supposed to proceed, before Buffer broke it up by shouting, "QUIET!" Everycreature was silent as they turned their attention to Buffer. "Every creature, I know we all want to get out of here as fast as possible, and not get lost, but arguing is not helping. We should be listening," he told his friends. "But, we all have different opinions!" Alkali reminded. "And we can only make one choice out of all the choices," Sunshine Rays added. "How do we know who to listen to?!" Falcon Dive asked. "By letting every creature clearly state their opinion, and point of view, and most importantly, listen." Buffer explained, "So, Falcon thinks that we should just get Krona to smash our way out, but Sunshine says that it would risk making the whole catacombs collapse on us. Volcano suggests listening for echoes, which can be a lot safer." "But if the sound's too loud, it will still risk making the catacombs...collapse." Nature Bloom whimpered. "So we need a sound that is just right." Buffer declared, before asking, "Would Krona's shouting be enough?" "As long as it's not too loud," Volcano replied, before stepping aside to let Krona send her voice down the tunnels, and listening for the echoes. After finding a tunnel that barely had an echo, the group rushed through it, while thanking Buffer for his good listening knowledge and skills. "If it weren't for you, we'd probably still be arguing!" Yellow Bright commented. "Or do something foolish with one of our ideas," Alkali added. "Or worst of all, lose our friendship," Nature Bloom whimpered. "Don't worry every creature, I know listening at the back of my head," Buffer claimed. At the end of the tunnel, the creatures' eyes widened as they looked around in disbelief. They had found a huge cavern filled with all the treasures a rich creature would have; shores of gold, piles of gems, seas of jewels, chests of pearls and more. Overwhelmed by the great opportunity together rich immediately, most of the creatures could not help but charge at the treasures, with the intentions of taking it with them. "STOP!" Sunshine Rays shouted, causing her friends to halt."We should not take any of these treasures, if we did, we're doing something wrong!" "But, we're not just going to help ourselves," Falcon Dive protested, "We'll help others by donating all these treasures!" "But the treasures don't belong to us!" Sunshine Rays pointed out, "If something does not belong to us, we should not do whatever we want with it, like we were its owners! We should leave it the way it is, and that means leaving each and every bit of these treasures alone." "Thanks Sunshine," Luster approached the pegasus, "For...preventing us from doing what's wrong." "That's what true friends do!" Sunshine Rays replied, "Remind each other the right thing, and ensure they do what is right." The ten creatures left the treasures alone and resumed their journey, before stopping in front of a huge boulder that was equal to their sizes combined. "Can Krona smash it?" Alkali asked. "Krona may be strong, but even she knows that she can't smash a boulder like that." Krona replied. "Or maybe we don't have to smash it," Volcano suggested, "Since gems are usually harder than rocks, and dragons can eat and chew on gems, I suppose..." "That you can...eat it?!" Yellow Bright asked in a shocked tone. "Not exactly eat it, but chew, bite and spit it out, until I create an opening for all of us to go through." Volcano explained, "But it's going to take a while." "It will take ages!" impatient Falcon Dive complained. "Now, now, Falcon. Remember, complaining never helps," Evergreen reminded. "But all of Equestria is in danger!" Falcon Dive argued. "Keep up your work, Volcano, I'll keep every creature in check," Luster told her dragon fiend. While waiting for Volcano to clear the boulder, the rest of the creatures started playing small games such as tic-tac-toe or 'guess what I am describing', or even the well-known scissors, paper, stone. After what felt like forever, Volcano announced that he had finished creating an opening big enough for every creature. After helping the flightless creatures up the opening that halved the boulder, the group complemented Volcano's hardworking spirit. "That was really impressive, Volcano!" Luster praised, "I mean, none of us, nor any creature else would have the heart to do what you just did!" "Yeah, we'd probably give up on the first minute, or decide that we don't want to do so," Falcon Dive sarcastically added. "If we had your ability, that is." Buffer added. "Volcano's very hardworking!" Evergreen told the others. "In both studies and non-studies," Volcano proudly added, before they heard a loud, terrified scream. "What's wrong?" Luster asked. "THAT!" Krona pointed a hoof at a huge spider that was the size of a bed, and had the colour of the crystals in the surroundings. "A Crystal Cave Spider!" Nature Bloom exclaimed, "I usually read a lot about animals and plants outside of regular Biology education, and of course, read about spiders." "Who cares?! Let's just get it to leave us alone!" Falcon Dive declared, charging at the spider. The spider responded by shooting sticky substance at the griffon, causing him to retreat. Seeing the spider attempting to hurt their friend caused Luster to instruct her friends, "Alright, every creature! Let's give it a little motivation to back off!" The creatures charged at the spider, but was stopped by Nature Bloom who prevented them from hurting the beast by placing herself in front of them, "WAIT!" After the others halted, Nature Bloom told them, "Don't hurt the spider!" she then turned to the Crystal Cave Spider that her friends tried to attack, "It's alright, calm down. I'm really sorry about my schoolmates and what they did to you." Feeling ashamed of themselves, Nature Bloom's best friends backed off and watched her communicate with the spider, ending the talk with, "Thanks you for the understanding, and hopefully no creature will ever bother you again." "What did it say?" Luster asked her changeling friend. "She said that she forgives you all, as long as what you did to her does not happen again," Nature Bloom answered. The creatures expressed guilt for their actions as Sunshine Rays apologised, "We're really sorry...for what we did." "It's alright," Nature Bloom assured, "All is forgiven, plus, the spider told me the way out to thank me for saving her from... all of you." "About that..." Falcon Dive scratched his head, "Really sorry for starting the whole attack thing." "Don't worry, it's over now," Nature Bloom told every creature, "Just remember to not judge others by species, you should at least try to be nice to them before doing something like...what you did." "And we got to get out of here ASAP!" Luster reminded, leading her friends through the caves. As they ran, Nature Bloom was starting to get overwhelmed by her friends complements for her amazing animal taming skills. "You were just like the School of Friendship's former Kindness Teacher, Professor Fluttershy!" Alkali commented. "We really are lucky to have you in our group!" Yellow Bright added. "That taming was really awesome!" Falcon Dive exclaimed. "Maybe you all should stop talking and save your breath," Nature Bloom suggested, trying to avoid unwanted attention. The group screeched to a halt as they noticed a dead end in front of them. A deep canyon with a bottom that was a hundred metres below them stared at them, to Nature Bloom and Krona's horror. "What now, Nature Bloom?" Luster asked. "The way out is at the bottom of this canyon!" Nature Bloom whimpered. Falcon Dive claimed, "No big deal, we can easily fly all of our friends down and out." "Um, not all of our friends." Buffer pointed out, turning every creature's attention to himself and Krona. "Krona can barely fit through the canyon's walls, unless she slides down the slope." Luster explained. "Slide?!" Krona asked, while shivering. "Are you scared?" Evergreen asked in a concerned tone. "Krona admits it; she's scared of heights!" Krona announced for the whole group to hear. "Come on, Krona!" Alkali cheered, "Think of it this way; it's just a while, and it's a super fun slide!" To further encourage her friend to slide, Alkali slid down the slope with her wings closed tight, so she could not use flight. "You'll so regret not doing this, guys! It's fun!" Alkali shouted to her friends, who were watching her from above. Encouraged, every creature decided to slide down the slope after Alkali, with Krona being the only creature who had yet to slide down. Realising that her Best Friend needed more encouragement, Alkali flew back up and told Krona, "To really give you enough encouragement, I'll slide down with you, and all of our friends will help by being there to ensure that you reach the bottom safely." Assured and encouraged, Krona closed he eyes and slid down, with Alkali right beside and squealing. Slowly opening her eyes and finding things fun, Krona happily exclaimed, "SLIDING DOWN IS BEST!" Once the girls reached the bottom, Buffer approached his best friends, "You made it!" "And sliding is great!" Krona exclaimed. "And fun!" Alkali added, approaching Krona. "Thanks, Alkali, for showing Krona that sliding is fun!" Krona thanked her hippogriff friend. "You're welcome, Krona. I knew that all you needed is a little encouragement." Alkali replied. "That's sweet, guys, but we really need to move on!" Volcano reminded, "Equestria's in danger!" "And we got to save it!" Luster added, before leading the group on another run. As the creatures stampeded through the caverns, they suddenly heard crystals colliding, looking up, they watched in horror as the crystals on the ceiling were loose, threatening to fall on them. Fortunately, Evergreen managed to respond quickly, telling her friends, "Every creature, freeze!" As their attention faced the Kirin, the creatures were not moving, causing the crystals to stop. "The crystals are fragile," Evergreen explained, "The vibrations caused by our movement and noise caused them to move, so we must be very careful, quiet and gentle while walking through here." "But Equestria..." Falcon Dive begun, before Evergreen cut him off. "As long as we gently step on the floor, and do not hurry, we'll be fine. Calm down, and think of soothing thoughts." The creatures followed Evergreen's instructions as they travelled through the cavern, while she looked up at the ceiling, when there were no more crystals above them, Evergreen announced that they could resume their run. "Thanks for helping us get pass the crystals, Evergreen." Nature Bloom thanked her Kirin friend. "Yeah, we might have been goners if it weren't for you!" Yellow Bright added. "She totally learnt about crystals from me!" Volcano pointed out. "Yes, I did." Evergreen confirmed, "But it wasn't just me; all of you cooperating with me and being calm helped. Sometimes, you have to be patient, calm down, and accept the facts." Suddenly, a loud snap could be heard. The creatures looked down and gasped, they were stepping on a skeleton body! Looking around, more skeleton bodies were seen, making the group huddle together in fear. "Skeletons are the remaining of dead beings," Nature Bloom said her thought out loud, "And if there are many skeletons here..." "Many creatures died here!" Volcano added. "But why?!" Sunshine Rays asked. "Come on, every creature!" Yellow Bright announced, "Let's just look around and be careful of things and just carry on our journey!" "Yellow Bright! Are you crazy?!" Krona asked. "We have no idea what caused so many deaths here, and if we don't take it seriously, we might suffer the same fate as all of these dead creatures!" Luster added. "We should take it seriously, without letting fear overwhelm us," Yellow Bright pointed out, "Come on, guys, maybe these skeletons are fakes, or, the remaining of creatures that passed away elsewhere, but moved here." "But there's still a chance that these skeletons are real!" Alkali whimpered. "We should be really, very careful!" Evergreen pointed out, "Even when we're positive." "Don't worry, every creature! I know that we have to be positive, but not too positive that we don't take any cautions or precautions. I'm only saying that we should try to fill our minds with positive thoughts to calm down, not negative thoughts that make us scared." Yellow Bright explained. "That is most likely the right level of positivity." Sunshine Rays commented, before Yellow Bright went on with a list of positive things to tell his best friends. Listening to Yellow Bright, the group calmed down, walking out with barely any fear. Soon, they were out of the cavern filled with skeletons, all in one piece. "Hey, there aren't any skeletons around!" Alkali exclaimed, noticing that the surroundings were clear of bones. "We're finally out of those awful, terrifying caves!" Nature Bloom heaved a sigh of relief. "Thanks, Yellow Bright, you really helped us stay calm." Evergreen complemented. "You would say calm, while I would say positive!" Yellow Bright proudly declared. "That's great," Falcon Dive commented, "But what is even more great is...the entrance is just over there!" Every creature turned to look at the opening that Falcon Dive was pointing at. "Finally!" Sunshine Rays exclaimed. Overjoyed to see that they were finally getting out of the caves, the ten creatures raced towards their destination, unintentionally causing a rock slide as the rocks nearby were set loose due to the vibrations caused by the creatures' running. "ROCKSLIDE!" Krona screamed, causing the whole group to scatter in different directions, trying to avoid getting hit by the falling rocks. Falcon Dive, being the fastest member of the group, dashed around the scene, scooping up his friends and bringing them to the entrance for safety, one by one. After saving Nature Bloom, Falcon rushed back into the cavern to help one last creature; Krona. Unable to lift Krona out, Falcon Dive bravely kicked the falling boulders that threatened to fall on his friend away. Once every creature was out, Luster thanked Falcon Dive, "Falcon, thanks for saving all of us. That was really brave of you." "Especially when you could have just save yourself," Yellow Bright added. "No need to thank me, every creature, I'm just caring about others more than I would care about myself." Falcon Dive proudly declared. "For some creature impatient, you are surprisingly heroic." Evergreen commented. "For once, I finally worship your selflessness, Falcon." Sunshine Rays added. "Thanks, Sunshine Rays. At least there's something I'm good at, and good for: Being selfless, and I know that its definition is concerned more with the needs and wishes of others than with one's own, but I can tell that it's more than that, it's about being able to sacrifice your own good for every creature else's." Falcon Dive replied, a second before the sky turned dark. "Oh no," Luster Dawn whimpered, gazing at the dark sky. "Is this supposed to happen?" Nature Bloom asked. "No, it's afternoon, so the sky should not be dark right now." Volcano stated. "Maybe some dark clouds got loose from the Weather Factory?" Yellow Bright asked. "No, it's dark magic." Luster explained, "We got to stop Princess Twilight!" With her unicorn magic back, Luster teleported herself and her best friends to the opened field near Ponyville, where they scream in shock to see the crowd silently watching 'Princess Twilight Sparkle' casting a spell that changed the sky's colour. Worst of all, their screams were easily heard, turning every creature's attention towards them. 'Princess Twilight Sparkle' ordered the brainwashed crowd to capture the ten not brainwashed creatures, starting a battle. "Princess Twilight's forcing us to battle every creature we know, love and care about?!" Nature Bloom asked in a horrified tone. "And fight in a super unfair war of ten versus ten thousand?!" Sunshine Rays added. "Are you sure there are exactly ten thousand of them?" Krona asked. "It's an estimation," Sunshine Rays clarified. "Uh, guys? Maybe we should talk less for now, because they're coming!" Buffer pointed out, as the army of brainwashed creatures charged at the not brainwashed. Luster quickly used her magic to create a force field to protect her and her friends, but the brainwashed yaks attacked the field with their Brute Strength, forcing Luster to teleport the group to safety in her dorm at the School of Friendship. "That was close," Evergreen commented. "I'm glad that we didn't hurt our friends," Nature Bloom heaved a sigh of relief. "But they were attacking us!" Krona pointed out. "Only because they're being brainwashed!" Sunshine Rays explained. "Um, Luster?" Falcon Dive asked, approaching to the friend he mentioned. "Are you alright?" Alkali asked in a concerned tone. "No. We were too late to save Equestria!" Luster cried, "Worst of all, it was not just Equestria we failed to save: all of Equestria's allies from beyond were there, brainwashed as well. We doomed the world!" "I would not say so, it's not our fault that Princess Twilight brainwashed every creature," Buffer stated. "But we could have stopped her! But we didn't." Luster sadly explained, "And now, all of our friends...our families...our neighbours...every creature we ever knew...all brainwashed and controlled to serve a tyrant." "Maybe we can still survive somehow?" Yellow Bright asked. "No, Yellow Bright. We have to save every creature!" Falcon Dive pointed out. "Yeah, we came so far, we can't just give up now!" Alkali added. "But what can we do? We're no match for all of those creatures. And there's no doubt that Princess Twilight's looking for us to brainwash us!" Luster asked. "We find a way as we keep on thinking hard!" Volcano answered. "Like, think of how to deal with them?" Buffer asked. "Most likely." Sunshine Rays told him. "Well, I know a trick or two in areal combat, and that trick actually requires at least two creatures capable of flight, as they lead their opponents into crashing into each other while the trick performers just move out of the way in time." Falcon Dive stated. "And I have been doing smoke tricks and improvising them for quite some time now," Volcano added, "I bet that can help." "And I can turn into a Nirik, and use walls of fire to trap non-kirins." Evergreen contributed. "Krona can only smash, but that won't be good against yaks," Krona stated. "But it will be good against another one of our opponents," Luster pointed out, having been encouraged by her friends' conversation, "Your suggestions and every creature else's have encourage me to make a plan and save every creature!" "That's wonderful!" Nature Bloom commented. "So, Luster Dawn, what's the plan?" Alkali asked. "Well, we all know that we are heavily outnumbered," Luster began, before Nature Bloom added, "And none of us have the intentions of attacking or hurting the brainwashed army." "Right." Luster responded, before explaining, "But there's something we all have that the brainwashed army does not..." Some time later...'Princess Twilight Sparkle' was standing on top of a hill, explaining her plan to conquer every inch of the world to all her brainwashed minions. A second later, the ten creatures returned for a second battle, with Luster catching their attention, ""Hey, every creature! Do you want to know something better than power? It's friendship!" 'Princess Twilight' laughed, "Oh, please! You ten have made a big mistake catching my attention like that!" she then pointed her hoof at Luster's group, ordering her minions, "GET THEM!" The ten heroes bravely split up, dividing the army in the process, as the brainwashed creatures chased each one of Luster's friends. Nature Bloom used her shapeshifting magic to transform into a younger Rainbow Dash, and used the famous pegasus' speed to outfly the real Rainbow Dash and the Pegasi. Falcon Dive was just as fast as Nature while she was transformed, flying in all sorts of directions to confuse the minions. On the ground, Volcano used his smoke to prevent some of the brainwashed creatures from seeing everything, while Evergreen, having transformed into a Nirik, used her fire to trap a portion of the army. Luster used her magic to turn the ground that an army of brainwashed creatures were standing on into sticky sap. Krona used her smashing to prevent some brainwashed unicorns from performing spells. Buffer and Yellow Bright led two separated groups of brainwashed minions towards the area perpendicular to where Falcon Dive, Nature Bloom, Alkali and Sunshine Rays made the brainwashed fliers crash into each other, so the falling creatures would land on the brainwashed non-fliers. "We're so sorry and we are actually trying our best not to hurt you!" Nature Bloom called to the brainwashed creatures, after changing back her regular form. Luster then used her magic to subdue the brainwashed unicorns temporarily, while teleporting Krona to the group, as they regrouped around their leader. Luster then teleported her and her friends right underneath 'Princess Twilight Sparkle' surprising the said pony, while knocking her off the ground. "Princess Twilight! What's gotten into you?! You have always been satisfied and grateful for the Magic of Friendship, all these years! How can you turn on everything you've learnt about it now and be so...power-hungry?!" Luster asked, trying to reason with her 'mentor'. "The 'Magic of Friendship' is a little filly's tale! Why would you want it when you can have all the power in the world?!" 'Princess Twilight' protested, "I've always been so powerful inside with my magic, there's no need for ridiculous friends to share everything with!" "Seriously, after everything you've been through with them, that's what you call them now?" asked Falcon Dive. "Oh, come on! Would Princess Celestia and Princess Luna want their successor to be like this?!" Krona asked. "Evil and power-hungry?" Sunshine Rays added. "And nasty?" Nature Bloom ended. Enraged by being called 'nasty', 'Princess Twilight' made her horn glow as she glared at the creatures, "You creatures are troublesome enough! I shouldn't brainwash you...I should destroy you ALL!" 'Twilight' released a huge magic beam at the ten creatures, attempting to finish them. Luster quickly responded by creating a force field, but her force field was starting to weaken as she started to get exhausted, while her 'mentor' continued the attack. A second after Luster's force field shattered, 'Twilight' sent a huge beam at the ten creatures, who quickly responded by gathering around Luster, embracing what was presumed to be their final group hug... Thinking that her enemies were gone, 'Twilight' laughed evilly before gasping in shock as she realised that the creatures were unharmed: Luster had conjured up a new force field that protected them. Realising something, Luster gasped, "I get it now!" "Get what now?!" 'Princess Twilight' asked. "The magic that protected me and my friends did not come from me, it came from my friendship with them," Luster Dawn explained, "The Magic of Friendship did not come from the Elements of Harmony, the elements were just symbols. The real magic has always been in those who possess true friendship. Each of my friends has a unique good value that they showed to the rest, helping the whole group out of the caves, and maintain their friendship. Being able to get pass all those obstacles together have proven their friendship strong. And the more they show and understand friendship, the stronger they are, both individually and together." During Luster's explanation, she and her friends glowed and floated up before 'Twilight', to her shock. The moment Luster finished explaining, the Magic of Friendship empowered her and her friends, changing their appearances: Krona's lighter stripes on her fur and mane turned bright strong red, with the same going for the spots on her clothes. Volcano gained lighter orange lines on his body while his wings grew larger with the same pattern on it. Buffer received peach streaks on his fur. Yellow Bright's mane had thin yellow stripes and changed shape as it flowed. Sunshine Rays' mane flowed and her wings grew to match those of Celestia's, with streaks that were strong, bright green. Evergreen's mane developed bright cyan stripes. Falcon Dive's wings expanded and received strong blue stripes. Alkali's mane received indigo stripes. Nature Bloom's wings grew to look like those of a butterfly, while her hooves gained a violet flower pattern. Luster Dawn grew taller to look like Princess Celestia, with her mane gaining additional shiny golden streaks while flowing. The very next second after their instant transformations, the ten creatures used the Magic of Friendship to create a magical rainbow with the colours of red, orange, peach, yellow, green, cyan, blue, indigo, purple and shiny gold, that rose into the sky, before it charged down at 'Twilight', hitting her and releasing a magical rainboom of the same colours. The rainboom undid all the spells 'Twilight' had casted as it passed by the surroundings, releasing every creature from her control. The crowd watched as Luster and her friends changed back into their original forms and approached a fallen pony who was not Twilight at all. "Princess Twilight Sparkle?" Luster asked, a moment before she heard some creature behind her saying, "I am here, Luster Dawn, my faithful student." "Princess Twilight Sparkle?" the ten creatures asked in shock, turning to look at where the rainbow hit 'Twilight' and left a unicorn weakened, before turning to see where Twilight was that moment. "What is going on?!" Luster asked, confused. "Eclipse Instant, my former star student at the School for Gifted Unicorns, had casted a spell to switch my body with hers." Twilight explained, "She fooled the guards into locking me up in the dungeon and subduing my magic by impersonating me. I was horrified and worried about Equestria ever since, until I heard a loud explosion and suddenly turned back to normal." "So...the pony we faced...wasn't you?" Luster asked. "It really wasn't." Twilight confirmed, causing Luster's eyes to widen as a smile grew on her face. "Thank goodness you're always the good, great pony I know you are!" Luster exclaimed, happily hugging her real mentor. "Of course I always am, and will be, Luster." Twiliight assured, embracing the hug, before she turned to her fallen former student, "Eclipse Instant, it's been three long years since I tried to reason with you; power makes you hungry for even more, you should make some friends and learn true friendship instead. More importantly, power ultimately isn't as satisfying as it seems, it does not give you what friendship can. You can seek friendship out, or forever be on your own, against all of us." With tears in her eyes, Eclipse Instant cried, "I'm so sorry! I really am! I didn't know and never thought of it this way!" "The Magic of Friendship does not belong to just me and my friends," Twilight pointed out, "Any creature can have and share it, and that 'any creature', meant every creature." "But, now that I've done something horrible to every creature, how am I supposed to even make a friend?" Eclipse Instant sadly asked. "I believe that my friends and I are more than willing enough to give you a chance," Luster Dawn declared. "Totally! The more friends, the merrier!" Alkali cheered. "And the past does not matter anymore," Krona added. "For most cases," Sunshine Rays corrected. "And this, is definitely one of the most cases," Volcano confirmed. "Because who you are now is what matters," Nature Bloom explained. "We must be willing to accept the fact that we made mistakes, and not wish that they can be deleted," Evergreen added. "So, will you accept friendship, this time?" Luster asked Eclipse, reaching a hoof out to the remorseful villainess. With a tear flowing out of her eyes, Eclipse Instant placed her hoof on Luster Dawn's, accepting the offer. "Luster!" Starlight called, as she and Sunburst, approached their daughter. "What happened back there?" Sunburst asked. "It's a really long story..." Luster told her parents, "With some interesting elements and values that I would like to share with every creature." "Take it away, my faithful student." Princess Twilight Sparkle warmly instructed. "Every creature in this crowd, I've been learning friendship at the School of Friendship for a while, learning the values of Honesty, Kindness, Laughter, Generosity and Loyalty, taught by the teachers. But today, during my adventure with my best friends, each of them showed a new value that they have." Luster announced, before explaining each of her friends' values, making them feel proud. "Krona showed her integrity, when she told the truth about what she was thinking, despite it being against what she learnt about friendship, in order to prevent an unfortunate outcome that would happen if she did not." "Buffer showed his listening skills when he stopped an argument between his friends by listening to what each of them had to say, and identifying who should be listened to." "Sunshine Rays showed her morality when she prevented us from taking the treasures that we found, which is something wrong as the treasures did not belong to us." "Volcano showed his diligence, when he was hardworking enough to clear a boulder that could take days to clear." " Nature Bloom showed her niceness, when she warmly approached a Crystal Cave Spider and respected it, despite its earlier attack." "Alkali showed her encouraging spirit by giving Krona the hope and motivation she needed to slide down a slope." "Evergreen showed her patience throughout the journey, staying calm and not complaining much, and most importantly, helped all of her friends be patient enough to walk through a cavern filled with fragile crystals slowly and carefully." "Yellow Bright showed his positivity, by helping his friends think positively, when they were overwhelmed by few and negative thoughts." "Last but not least, Falcon Dive showed his selflessness, when he bravely saved every creature at the risk of his own life." "And Luster Dawn, who led us through the adventure, and the battle against Eclipse Instants's brainwashed army and Eclipse Instant herself, showed that she, Luster Dawn, is a great leader." Luster's best friends announced, "Therefore, Luster showed us her leadership!" "And they are all wonderful good values to show and know," Princess Twilight commented, "Such a shame that they had to be named individually or simply called 'Luster Dawn and her friends' values' when we would like to mention them all." "Can you please give us a second, your Majesty?" Luster asked politely, before Twilight nodded, allowing the unicorn and her friends to have a huddled up discussion for a few seconds. After the short discussion was over, Luster Dawn announced, "My best friends and I have decided, that we would like to be known as 'The Heroic Ten', from now onwards. And, the good values that we showed, shall be known as 'The Elements of Purity', inspired by the Elements of Harmony." "And we are all honoured to have them known far and wide, and celebrate the victory of our new heroes, on their Graduation Day!" Princess Twilight added, followed by the loud cheering of the crowd. "Graduation Day?!" the Heroic Ten asked in a confused tone. "You all have proven that you have learnt enough about friendship at the school," Princess Twilight explained, "By introducing new elements that can help strengthen and maintain friendship to all of Equestria and beyond, you have shown that you no longer need the school's lessons: You are all ready to learn friendship, on your own." "Thank you so much, Princess Twilight Sparkle!" Luster thanked, while letting out a tear of joy. "And it's about time! We've waited forever to graduate!" Falcon Dive complained. "Um, Falcon? Remember, patience..." Evergreen reminded. "And niceness," Nature Bloom added. "Sorry, every creature. Looks like I need to learn some more patience and niceness from my best friends," Falcon apologised, causing every creature to share a laugh. Rainbow Dash performed another Sonic Rainboom for every creature to watch that day, this time for the newly named Heroic Ten's celebration. Luster was glad that she got to see a Sonic Rainboom for the first time in her life, and share the moment with her best friends. Rainbow then landed beside her husband Soarin, and their ten-years-old twins, Sonic and Rainboom. Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich, alongside their son Lil'Cheese shot confetti out of their party canyons. Discord summoned his wife Fluttershy's bird choir so she could conduct their music. Spike held up a chest that his wife Rarity opened with her magic, revealing graduation gowns in it, before levitating the gowns and placing them on the Heroic Ten. Applejack and her husband Caramel gave the creatures a scroll each, before Princess Twilight Sparkle used her magic to levitate ten graduation hats, and place them on the ten heroes' heads. After Starlight and Sunburst declared, "The Heroic Ten has graduated from the School of Friendship!" Twilight approached her star student. "Now that you and your friends aren't students at the school anymore, I am allowing you all to move into my former residence, the Castle of Friendship. And please, take Eclipse Instant with you, and ensure that she changes for the better." "Don't worry, Princess Twilight, we will." Luster assured. "And, whenever you learn or discover something about friendship, please kindly send a report to me." Princess Twilight added. "Just like you used to do when you were Princess Celestia's student!" Luster Dawn stated. Twilight chuckled, "Of course, Luster Dawn, my faithful student." Luster smiled, in response. The scene then shifted to the evening in front of the Castle of Friendship, where Luster, who had changed out of her graduation gown, slowly strolled alone as the background turned black, with a spotlight shining on her. For the very first time, the series' theme song was introduced: A flashback begun as Luster Dawn reflected on her time in Canterlot as Princess Twilight Sparkle's student, studying hardly, avoiding every creature around. Luster Dawn lamented, "For my whole life, I've always been only focused on my studies. Never thought of making friends, and avoiding all the parties. Strongly believing that friendships were a waste of time, and ultimately fade." Flashing back to the scenes in the future setting of the 'The Last Problem'. Luster Dawn sang,"But then Princess Twilight Sparkle proved that friendships can be maintained. She then sent me off to Ponyville, to be with the friends I've made!" Luster was shown wandering around Ponyville like a tourist, looking around before she looked at her best friends during the verse. Choir sang, "My little pony." Luster Dawn sang, "I never knew what friendship really is." Choir sang, "My little pony" Luster Dawn sang,"Until my best friends showed me its magic and bliss." Krona sang, "Telling the truth," Buffer sang, "Listen to each other." Sunshine Rays sang, "Do what is right," Volcano sang, "Working hard and together." Nature Bloom sang, "Treat others with respect," Alkali sang, "Give hope, support and motivation!" Evergreen sang,"Able to accept," Yellow Bright sang, "Looking on the bright side of the situation!" Falcon Dive sang,"Put others before you," All sang, "That is all so true." Luster Dawn sang,"Oh, and how I used to never..." Choir sang, "Ah...ah...ah" Luster Dawn sang,"Know what friendship really is!" A montage with footage from the previous episode and this episode showed the Heroic Ten as's greatest moments of showing their friendship, ending with them defeating Eclipse Instant with the Magic of Friendship, and the reformed villainess accepting Luster's offer of friendship, during the verse. All sang, "This is where the magic happens, (where the magic happens.) this is where the magic lives. (where the magic lives) Our friendships weave together, stronger. The bonds grow deeper, lasting longer. And the greatest spell we'll know, (we'll know) Is how the Magic of Friendship grows." The Heroic Ten gathered close for a group photo that Eclipse Instant magically took using her magic to perform one of her highest-level spells, before sending the photo to Princess Twilight Sparkle, who was sitting in her throne with her Royal Advisor Spike beside her. Receiving the photo, Twilight smiled, and sang the final line. "How the Magic of Friendship grows."
4. Jealous TeacherAuthor's Note Jealous Teacher serves as the fourth episode of the series. Summary: Unable to get his students' attention, Volcano recruited Alkali to be his teaching assistant to secure the students' interest. But when the students praise and give credit to Alkali and not acknowledge that he was the one reason Alkali could teach the right knowledge, Volcano started becoming jealous of his Best Friend. Some of the educational subject information are copied (or sort of copied) from videos or their descriptions. The videos are: Animal Cell posted on Youtube on Aug 8 2015 by It's AumSum Time, a video which is 9 minutes and 45 seconds long, for the Biology lesson. Map Skills-Calculating Bearings in a Geography Examination posted on Youtube on Nov 10 2017 by Geographer Online, which is 6 minutes and 35 seconds long, for the Geography Lesson. Featured Characters: Principal Calligraphy, a female white-coated cat with multi-coloured hair, and violet eyes, inspired by Principal Celestia. She is a former resident of Klungetown, who moved to Canterlot where Improvement Academy is. She is the school's principal and founder who started the school a decade ago during Princess Twilight Sparkle's reign. Like her inspiration, she is kind, wise and forgiving. Volcano and Alkali's students, many different species of teenagers who disliked Volcano's classes until Alkali went with him. Royal Guards, two identical pegasus males who resemble most of the royal guards during Celestia and Luna's reign. 4. Jealous Teacher One afternoon, in the Castle of Friendship, Luster was in the library practising some spells with Sunset Shimmer, a moment before Volcano entered. "Oh hi, Volcano!" Luster greeted, before asking, "So, how did your Teacher Exam go? Past with flying colours?" "NO!" Volcano cried out loudly, "I got A star for the knowledge, but F minus for the teaching!" "What?! How can you get F minus?! You're a famous hero now!" Sunset asked. "How can the students not want to learn from a famous hero who just saved them and all of Equestria and beyond, not so long ago?!" Luster added. "They gave me a whole lot of bad comments, with all of those comments saying that my lessons are boring!" Volcano replied, showing the unicorn mares a paper that was filled with lots of different claw, mouth, wing or hoof writings. Luster read the first comment out loud, "Is Professor Volcano an all-subjects teacher, or a boredom teacher?! The only thing he can teach us is how to be bored!" Sunset read the second comment, "How can his friends not fall asleep whenever he is around?! Is he only interesting and not boring when he is not talking?!" Luster read another comment, "How can some creature like Professor Volcano be a famous hero who stops villains? Maybe he made everything so boring that the villains changed their minds and wanted to surrender?!" "I am not anything like that! And I totally don't teach boredom, I teach all subjects! And I can separate them just fine! My lessons aren't boring!" Volcano angrily declared. "Maybe they aren't boring for you, but are for the students." Sunset replied, making Volcano give out a nervous chuckle. After the series' theme song intro played, Volcano responded to Sunset's words, "I never thought of it like that. I was only focusing on my point of view, that I was not focused on what my students' points of view could be!" "So, what do you think that they find that's boring?" Luster asked. "I think...everything..." Volcano chuckled nervously, before a series of flashbacks began: During English Lesson... "Words in the adverbial form are used when describing an adjective. In the sentence, 'The road ahead is dangerously unstable', the adjectival form is used when describing something or some creature. Reversing time is impossible. The word 'impossible' is the adjective here. Continuous Tense is used when an action occurs simultaneously with the prior action, or any other action..." Volcano wrote what he was saying on the blackboard, not paying attention of how uninterested his students looked. During Math Lesson... "All non-zero digits are significant. Zeroes that are in between non-zeroes are for sure, significant. Such examples include 105, 200, 4.006 and many more. Zeroes in between non-zeroes and decimal points are also significant, and such examples include 11.04, 2.05 and 300.06. For zeroes that do not have a non-zero digit before them, they are surely insignificant. Such examples include 0.1, 0.01,0.001, 0.0001 and more. Now for zeroes at the end of the number, they can be either significant or insignificant, like 100 has two zeroes, and you can choose to have both of its zeroes significant, or the one in the middle significant while the one at the end insignificant, or both of them insignificant. Moving on..." The students started getting bored, followed by yawning, before falling asleep as Volcano wrote down what he was saying chunked in one huge paragraph. During Biology Lesson... "The Animal cell is surrounded by a semi-permeable cell membrane. The cell membrane allows only specific materials to move in and out of the cell.The different parts of the cell are called organelles. Nucleus, Mitochondria, Endoplasmic Reticulum, Golgi Apparatus, Lysosomes. The cytoplasm is a jelly like substance. Cytoplasm provides a surface for all the organelles in the animal cell. Nucleus being the control center of cell decides and controls most of the functions going on in the cell. Mitochondria are the sites for cellular respiration in cells. They are the powerhouses of the cell because they release energy rich compounds called ATP. ATP is needed for the functioning, growth and maintenance of the body. The endoplasmic reticulum is a large network of membrane bound sheets. They help in transporting and exchanging materials between the various regions of the cytoplasm.The endoplasmic reticulum is of two types: The smooth endoplasmic reticulum. The rough endoplasmic reticulum. The smooth endoplasmic reticulum helps in the formation of lipids. Lipids are essential components of the cell membrane. The rough endoplasmic reticulum has ribosomes. Ribosomes help in building proteins in the rough endoplasmic reticulum. The protein is..." Volcano's long description was making the students fall asleep as he went on. During Geography Lesson... "Bearings actually tell us in what direction something is in, and bearings are more accurate than using compass points. We must always measure the angle clockwise from the North. It is important to always pay attention to the direction you will be the taking the bearing from. Finding the bearing from point A to Point B is actually different from finding the bearing from the Point B to Point A. To find a bearing, mark the north line of the point you are finding the bearing from, then draw the line connecting the points, then measure the angle clockwise from the North line to the point. Remember, the degree must be in three-digits. So if it is a number less than 100, for example 45, you have to write your answer as 045. Now, for the other way around, which is finding the bearings from the other point to the original point..." The students yawned as Volcano continued writing. During Equestria and Beyond History Lesson... "Before the era of Princess Twilight Sparkle, most weddings in Equestria have the newly weds, the chief witness, the flower girl, and the best mare. This went on until Rainbow Dash and Soarin's wedding in Cloudsdale, when Rainbow wanted her first non-pony friend, Gilda, to be the best non-mare, or technically, the position of best mare, without being a mare. After the wedding, all of Equestria and beyond decided that they should no longer just call a wedding's best mare best mare: They changed it into best creature, to respect every creature and give them a chance to serve regardless of species and gender." The students looked a bit interested only when the captain and co-captain of the Wonderbolts' names were mentioned, before gradually becoming bored again. After the flashbacks ended, Luster commented, "Those explanations were really long...I can see why your students dislike them so much." "What am I going to do?! Those are not just any students! Those are students at Improvement Academy!" Volcano explained, "The one and only school in all of Equestria for the students who are the poorest in their studies! They need my knowledge!" "But how are you supposed to get them to know what you know?! They don't like your lessons, and don't listen to you." Sunset pointed out. "The word 'listen' gives me an idea..." Volcano replied. The scene immediately changed from inside the castle of Friendship library to outside the castle, where Volcano had a conversation with Buffer. "Sorry, Volcano. I may be the listening expert, but not even I can make sure every creature will listen!" Buffer told the dragon, "But I know some creature who can!" "Who?" asked Volcano, in a confused tone. "One of our best friends, and a member of the Heroic Ten." Buffer replied. "I'm sorry Buffer, but I don't get who you are talking about." Volcano responded. "Alkali, of course! She's the encouraging expert. She'll totally know what your students like, and I'm sure she will get your students' interest as she encourage them..." "Alkali?! You got to be kidding me, Buffer! She's the one creature in our team to know everything about having fun, and nothing about being serious! And she may cause confusions if she came along for Chemistry lessons." Volcano cut Buffer off. "Why would you say that?" Buffer asked in a confused tone. "Because she is named after alkalis! Alkalis from Chemistry! Alkalis that turn red litmus paper blue! Alkalis that react with acids to form salt and water as they neutralise!" Volcano explained. "But other than that, she'll be fine! Plus, she isn't her little brother, Acid." Buffer pointed out. "But...she is always the kind that makes things fun! She'll totally dislike classes and lessons that aren't fun!" Volcano pointed out. "Or maybe, she can make them fun and interesting enough for your students to learn." Buffer told Volcano, in a positive tone. "Are you sure you're not Yellow Bright in a buffalo's disguise?" Volcano asked. Buffer chuckled, "I am not Yellow Bright, I just learn from his positive things and positive sayings." Later that day, in the Castle of Friendship Throne Room, Volcano told Alkali all about his decision to make her his teaching assistant. "Really?! You think I can be a teacher?!" Alkali asked. "Technically, a teaching assistant. My teaching assistant who will help me teach the students." Volcano clarified. "Thanks, Volcano! Now I'm finally getting a job! With a job, I can earn some bits for all of us for the rest of our lives!" Alkali exclaimed. "If you made it. I may know all the right information, but I can't get my students to absorb it. They think my teachings are boring!" Volcano told the hyperactive hippogriff. "Don't worry, Volcano! I can assure you, your students will not find your lessons boring with me around!" Alkali declared. "Good. Now, all I have to do is to teach you at least some of the basic information you need to know as a teaching assistant. If you can show the principle that you know the basics, you'll totally get in!" Volcano announced, taking out his notebook, "Here's the notebook I had written before I became a student at the School of Friendship. It contains all the information I ever needed, including some additional ones that aren't so important. Now, all you have to do in this one hour time period, is to write down the notes in your own notebook, before writing down what you know in front of me without any reference!" "That's...a lot." Alkali commented. "If you can't make it, I'm sure I'll figure another way to convince Principal Calligraphy to let you in as my teaching assistant." Volcano assured. "Never mind Volcano, I have to at least try to help one of my best friends here." Alkali told the dragon. "If you say so, I'll be back to check on you once one hour is over!" Volcano replied, closing the door. One hour flew by and Volcano returned to check on Alkali, "Alright, one hour is up! Now, write down everything you can remember on these sheets of paper." Alkali did as Volcano told, much to his surprise, as he never thought that Alkali could remember so much in a short amount of time. His eyes turned wide oval as he scanned through Alkali's words. All of them were so newly arranged and the same as his notes. "How did you do that?! I mean...not even I can remember that much in an hour!" Volcano asked in disbelief. "Well, I may not be serious, but I can still do things. I totally copied your notes, but made a few alterations in my notes..." Alkali replied, showing Volcano a new bow of scrapbooks she made. "Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Additional Mathematics, Elementary Mathematics, Geography, Equestria and Beyond History? How did you remember all of those details, or more importantly, write that fast?!" Volcano asked. "Well, I actually wrote your basic information down only, figured that the additional ones should be reserved for later. And unlike you, I made some cartoon characters to help me remember! Plus, used coloured pencils instead of just plain pencils made of graphite." answered Alkali, as she opened her scrapbook for Volcano to see. "You are so...amazing...Alkali...I guess I was wrong about you." Volcano scratched his head. "Wrong about me? What is it that you're wrong about me?!" Alkali asked. "Nothing. But we still have to make sure that your name does not cause any confusion for Chemistry lessons. Especially when we mention alkalis." Volcano pointed out. "Alkalis?! Ooh, they are my most favourite part in all of chemistry!" Alkali squealed. "You are named after them, because all the colours you have are the colours strong alkalis' pH values have when they are represented on the pH scale." Volcano explained in a plain tone. "And they feel soapy, and soaps are made of them, and soaps can make bubbles, which are fun to play with!" Alkali continued. "Did I forget to mention that alkalis taste bitter?" Volcano sarcastically asked. "I know that, but I sure am not bitter, and I still love them!" Alkali exclaimed. The next day, Volcano brought Alkali to Principal Calligraphy's office. "Good morning, Principal Calligraphy, as I told you, since I can't get my students to be interested, I figured that I had to bring a friend of mine with me, to get the students to be interested. And, she is not going to be a teacher, but my teaching assistant, once you see her methods and approve her." Volcano greeted the principal. Principal Calligraphy placed a file that she was holding aside, revealing her appearance to Alkali The principal was a cat with white fur and hair flowing down her head, which had the colours of Princess Celestia's mane. "Wow, you really look like Princess Celestia if she was a cat!" Alkali commented, before getting hushed by Volcano. "Alkali, she's the principal, show some respect!" "That is actually alright, Alkali. I understand that you are new, and you have never worked at a school before as one of the staffs. I hope that you can and will be the teaching assistant that the school needs." Principal Calligraphy told the newcomer in a tone that strongly matched Princess Celestia's usual tone. "I totally will do as you say, Principal Calligraphy," Alkali saluted. "Good, now would you please show me how you will teach, as in, the way you will teach what you know?" the principal asked. "Totally!" Alkali replied, "But I am going to need three creatures for my enactment to explain covalent bonding, so I need your help." "Alkali! She's the judge...I mean...examiner...I mean...principal! You cannot ask her for help in..." Volcano told the hippogriff, before being cut off by the principal. "Don't worry, Volcano. I can see that Alkali believes that things will be a lot clearer for the creatures involved. Taking part in her enactment will give me clearer knowledge of what the students will learn from her methods." "Thank you for participating, Principal Calligraphy, and I hope that you will not be offended by my decision of casting you and Volcano as the oxygen atoms as you two walk on two legs, while I play the carbon atom as I am different and walk on four..." Alkali began, before being cut off by Volcano, "Alkali! Are you out of your mind?! Giving yourself a position that is more special than the one you give to the principal?! You totally..." "It's alright Volcano, I'm sure that if this method is more effective the way Alkali planned, I accept it." Principal Calligraphy assured. "Alright, now to make this enactment more interesting and clear, you're going to have hole hoops and dots and crosses!" Alkali announced in a cheerful tone, unpacking her bag and taking out the said equipment. "What?! Seriously, this is what you bring to teach?!" Volcano asked. "It is to teach, in a fun way." Alkali told her Best Friend, before explaining, "Now, the oxygen atoms need eight valence electrons..." A few hours passed, and after Alkali's final presentation, the principal commented, "Alkali, all those methods are extraordinary, and way beyond what the other Teaching Assistants do. And since they are very interesting, fun and enjoyable, I am sure that they will be absolutely beneficial to the students here. You are approved and therefore, you can be Volcano's Teaching Assistant." "That is great to know, Principal Calligraphy." Volcano replied, before telling Alkali, "Come on, Alkali! Now to see if you really are the teaching assistant that I needed." The teenaged students in the classroom were busy chit-chattering amongst themselves, a moment before they heard footsteps headed their way. Stopping all conversations, the students rushed back to their seats before their teacher entered. "Good afternoon, students." Volcano greeted, "Today, I have brought my teaching assistant, an old Best Friend of mine for over two years, to help you all learn better. Meet Miss Alkali." "Hi, every creature!" Alkali cheerfully greeter as she entered, "I am indeed..." "Alkali from the Heroic Ten!" the students exclaimed in unison. "What?! But...I am from the Heroic Ten, too! I helped the whole team through the catacombs by diligently clearing up that giant boulder until I created an opening for all of them to fit through!" Volcano pointed out. "Now, now, every creature, I am not here for all of your love and attention, I am here to help you all learn your education lessons so you will pass your tests!" Alkali told the students in a Pinkie Pie-like tone. The students groaned after hearing what their heroine had to say, with a yellow changeling commenting, "I though we were going to have fun." "Especially after Professor Volcano's descriptions made us so bored, that we fell asleep!" a grey-green Kirin added. "Don't worry, every creature! Because we are going to learn things...the fun way!" Alkali announced in a hyperactive tone, followed by the students exclaiming in unison, "YAY!" In a montage, Volcano tried explaining the lessons his way, as usual. But every time he finished the sentence, Alkali repeated it in her hyperactive, cheerleading tone, as she encouraged the students to repeat the sentences with different tones and voices. Alkali's methods were indeed, very effective, as the students started liking their lessons and were able to remember all the details they needed to know. At the end of the day, a few minutes before dismissal, the students were cleaning up the classroom without annoyed, unsatisfied expressions on their faces. "Wow, Alkali. I have never seen these students so willing to learn or clean the classroom before!" Volcano told his Best Friend, "You really encouraged them in ways no creature else could!" "What can I say? I am the encouraging expert, and I always know how to encourage!" Alkali replied, before the school bell rang. "Dismissal time!" the hyperactive hippogriff announced in a singing tone, but to the heroes' surprise, the students seemed reluctant to go. "What's wrong? You students are always begging to go home!" Volcano asked the class. "That's only because Miss Alkali wasn't there to make things fun." a female griffon student replied. "Now that she's here, we love lessons and classes more than ever!" a male blue Earth Pony stated. "Because lessons that she teach are fun!" a male yak student declared. "Alright, since you all like lessons now, can you promise me that you will all come to class, like you should?" Alkali asked. "We sure will!" the students replied, before rushing out of the classroom. "Wow, with you around, they really changed." Volcano commented. Soon, not long after Alkali became his teaching assistant, Volcano was in the hallway that contained the rooms he and Alkali teach their students in. In an unpleasant, annoyed tone, he mumbled to himself, "With Alkali's loud, singing, cheerleading and playing methods going on every time she's around, the other classes may never get the silence they need! Good thing I know how to install vacuums in the walls. As Physics stated, sound waves can only travel through mediums, and therefore, they cannot travel through vacuums." After he finished his sentence however, Volcano could hear voices that did not belong to him, saying, "Miss Alkali is so cool! She made learning a trillion times more fun than it can ever be!" Knowing that the vacuums would prevent any sound from entering and leaving the classrooms, Volcano knew that some creature else was in the hallway, headed towards him. Hiding in the nearest classroom, he hid from the passers, while leaving a tiny opening in between the door and wall, so he could still overhear the conversation. "I wish I was in Miss Alkali's class, she's like the best teacher around!" another voice claimed, making Volcano gasp. "But...but...but Alkali's not really a teacher! She's a teaching assistant! My teaching assistant!" Volcano said to himself, before listening to more voices. "That's because she is the best teacher around! She makes everything fun!" the first voice declared. "Her Bearings Game was so interesting an enjoyable! I can't wait to show you now it goes!" a student told her company. "Her rearranging of sentences in all sorts of ways helped me remember information clearly." a male student contributed. "Her Chemistry Balancing Equations enactment made us remember the basics clear as day!" another student added. "Her Equestria and Beyond enactment made us remember the whole story super well!" a male student stated. "But, she would never know any of that super well herself, if it were not for me to be there to ensure she got all the facts right!" Volcano complained, only for himself to hear. "I cannot wait to nominate her for the upcoming Monthly Award Ceremony as the Best Teaching Staff!" a female student declared, making Volcano's eyes turn wide oval. "Now that you mentioned it, I can't wait to nominate her, too!" one of the students exclaimed. "I totally will nominate her, as well!" another student joined in, contributing to the growth of Volcano's fury and jealousy towards Alkali. After the students' voices could no longer be heard, Volcano stepped out of his hiding place and back into the hallway, with his face darker than ever. "Alkali...so bubbly, cheerful and lovable...just wait till the awards come!" That evening, during dinner time at the Castle of Friendship, Volcano was unhappier than ever, barely showing a smile as he ate his meal. Nature Bloom quickly took notice of her best friend's expressions and asked, "Um, Volcano? Are you alright?" "Sure. Why wouldn't I be?" Volcano answered in an unpleasant tone. "By listening to your tone and observing your expressions, I can identify that you are not telling the truth, Volcano." Buffer pointed out. "What?! How can you lie, Volcano?! You just graduated from the School of Friendship less than a month ago!" Krona asked. "Sorry, it's just that I am not in the mood for telling the truth about a certain something lately." Volcano replied. "What is that something?" asked Evergreen. "We totally understand if you are not comfortable about telling us, but cheer up! We're your best friends! We won't make fun of you!" Yellow Bright told Volcano in a cheerful tone. "Some friends would like teasing their friends, but we obviously are not those kind of friends," Sunshine Rays assured. "So, what's the problem?" asked Falcon Dive. "It's no big deal, guys. I am not a teenager anymore, I am a young adult older than nineteen, and I can handle things by myself." Volcano told his best friends. "It is not that we care about you like we re taking care of you, Volcano." Luster explained, "We are your best friends!" "And that is true, best friends!" Sunshine Rays added. "Because we really care about you!" Falcon Dive contributed. "Each and every little thing about you," Nature Bloom continued. "Or anything that have something to do with you," Evergreen filled in. "We all care about them!" Buffer resumed. "Like true friends would!" Krona declared. "And if you're facing a problem, we will help in any way we can!" Yellow Bright finished. "Thanks for your care and support, every creature, but this is something that I should be handling...by myself." Volcano told the creatures, before poring his dinner into his snout, chewing it and swallowing it, as he left. "Are you sure this is the Volcano we know?" Falcon Dive sarcastically asked his best friends after the dragon's departure. "Well, we've been with Volcano for over two years at the School of Friendship..." Nature Bloom stated, before Luster cut her off. "Technically, most of us have been with Volcano for over two years at the School of Friendship." "Of course Luster," Evergreen responded, a moment before Alkali entered the dining room. "Hey, every creature!" she greeted in her usual cheerful tone, "Where's Volcano?! I thought he's joining us for dinner, as usual!" "He did, but he wolfed down and gobbled up his meal in five seconds flat," Sunshine Rays sarcastically stated. "And then he left," Yellow Bright concluded. "That's...so...not him!" Alkali commented, "Could he be replaced by an imposter?!" "I am not replaced nor impersonated!" Volcano's voice called, "I am just feeling a little grumpy, and wanted to take a break, as soon as now! And in case you that isn't enough, here's my knowledge as proof: I went to the School of Friendship because I had nothing else to learn about education! At the rare, once in a blue moon, New Students Welcoming Fair, I first met Alkali at the Magic of Science booth, where we watched some interesting science experiments! Then, we went to the Make A New Friend Event where we parted ways and made new friends! Alkali met Evergreen, I met Yellow Bright. Soon, after talking and sharing facts with our new friends, we moved onto the Multiple Friends Section, where we had to make and accept another friend. Buffer joined Alkali and Evergreen, Nature Bloom joined me and Yellow Bright..." "Alright, alright! That's enough, Volcano!" Alkali called to him, "You totally proved that you'e the real you." "Great! Now I'm going to rest!" Volcano called back. "So, how did teaching go?" Yellow Bright asked. "Teaching was fun! Or mostly, because I teach it in a fun way!" Alkali answered, "The students loved my sentence rearranging games, cheerleading and singing methods to help them remember, and my enactments that I allowed all of them to take part in!" "Wow, for some creature fun-loving, you really got teaching potential." Evergreen commented. "You are not even Volcano, but you really know how to teach!" Nature Bloom added. "Probably because I know how to encourage!" Alkali replied. "Wow, now I really wish that you were my teacher back in the school I was in, before the School of Friendship." Falcon Dive commented. "Who wouldn't? Fun Teachers are BEST!" Krona exclaimed. "I knew that you were the right choice to be Volcano's teaching assistant!" Buffer gratefully told Alkali. "And the students are making progress, and they like class, and they keep on cheering on me! Or, cheering for me? Or, whatever. But the main point is, classes are fun and lovable!" Alkali cheered, with her hyperactive tone transforming into a singing tone at the end of the sentence. Unknown to the nine creatures, Volcano overhead their conversation, and got even more jealous of Alkali getting all the love and praise. He angrily groaned before storming off to his room. The next day, Volcano and Alkali returned to Improvement Academy to teach their students, as usual. But not everything was as for usual, as Volcano began trying to make his lessons interesting like Alkali would. Only, instead of cheerleading, singing, and enactments, he tried using flash cards and trivial games to teach, in hopes of getting the students' love and praise. Unfortunately, things did not go the way he hoped at the end of the day. "Alright, every creature. It's almost dismissal time, so, before you go, is there anything you would like to say about how my lessons are today?" Volcano asked the students. "Professor Volcano really seems to finally decided to teach us the fun way," one of the students told his classmate. "But since he only started being like this after Miss Alkali came, he mostly got that idea from her!" the classmate responded. "Did you change your ways, only because Miss Alkali inspired you to do so?" a male teenaged light grey-coated pegasus student asked. Knowing that his best friends would never like dishonesty, Volcano told the truth, "Well, you can say inspired, but I would say, copy. I figured that if I were like Miss Alkali in the way I teach, you will finally...like me the way you like her." "Nice confession, Professor Volcano," the female griffon student told her teacher, "But we are still interested, and will give the credit to Miss Alkali." "Because if it were not for her, we would still be falling asleep during your boring lessons! And you would never change if it were not for her!" a male, teenaged minotaur concluded, before he joined the other students, thanking Alkali as they went out of the room. Volcano watched in jealousy before marching after every creature. In a montage, as the days flew by, Volcano attempted to make his lessons more interesting, but Alkali kept beating him in earning the students' love and praises. Whenever Alkali made a mistake, Volcano pointed the mistake out by mentioning the actual fact, but unfortunately, the students still praise Alkali, never acknowledging what Volcano always do for them. The actual teacher's jealousy towards his teaching assistant grew with each passing second, to the point that he would try to avoid having meals with her, even when the rest of their friends were around. One evening, Luster Dawn asked the rest of the Heroic Ten, with the exception of a diligent dragon and an encouraging hippogriff, about Volcano's odd behaviour around Alkali. "Does any creature find it strange that Volcano is acting really bitter around Alkali? I mean, he kept on trying to avoid her for these few days!" "Now that you mentioned it, it is kind of...strange." Nature Bloom responded. "Not strange, but something's up, for real." Sunshine Rays added. "So...what is that something that is up?" Falcon Dive sarcastically asked. "I don't know, but it cannot be good." Sunshine Rays answered. "How are you so sure?" asked Evergreen. "She's concerned for every creature's personalities, basically for their morality." Buffer replied. "And all kinds of other things," Yellow Bright added. "Volcano seems to be very grumpy lately, and since he kept on wanting to avoid Alkali...I figure..." Sunshine Rays began a theory, making Krona gasp. "Sunshine Rays figured that Volcano does not like Alkali?!" "But, they are best friends for two years plus now!" Luster pointed out. "I'm afraid that not every friendship goes so smoothly after it is formed," Nature Bloom stated. "But, how can Volcano start disliking Alkali?" Falcon Dive asked. "That is something we need to investigate," Sunshine Rays answered, "If Volcano won't tell us, and Alkali being somewhat oblivious, we have to find out ourselves," "Should we warn Alkali?" Yellow Bright asked. "We better, but not make her freak out," Sunshine Rays replied. "Understood," Luster responded, before instructing, "Evergreen, Nature Bloom, you two will go find Alkali and warn her!" "Roger that!" Evergreen replied, striking a posture. "We'll try to use the least scary words we can think of," Nature Bloom added, before trotting off with Evergreen. "So...what about the rest of the Heroic Ten?" asked Krona. "We have to investigate, and I think I know where we can start." Sunshine Rays announced. Gentle with their steps and wing flaps, the six heroes bravely snuck through the hallway, until they reached the door to Volcano's room. Using one of her latest spells, Luster created a magical vortex that revealed what was on the other side of the door, without letting any creature inside see them. Seeing that Volcano was asleep, the heroes quietly snuck in and picked up all sorts of things in his room, trying to find a clue. Falcon Dive eventually found something that the others figured was a strong clue. "Guys, I found Volcano's record book, and it seems to have all the details of what Volcano is like at Improvement Academy, Falcon told his best friends. "That's great, Falcon! We can totally find out what was happening between Volcano and Alkali by reading it!" Sunshine Rays stated. "But it's pretty long...and it's a record of what is happening to Volcano at Improvement Academy over twenty-eight days." Falcon pointed out. "That's a lot!" Krona complained. "Reading that could take hours!" Buffer added. "But not if you're a super fast reader," Yellow Bright figured, causing the others to look at Luster. "Well...I may be a fast reader, but I think it is safer, if I read a copy of the actual book," Luster responded. "But, we don't have a copy!" Sunshine Rays pointed out. "Just watch," Luster told her best friends, before levitating the record book in front of her, and sending a beam to zap it, and create an identical duplicate. Noticing that Volcano seemed a bit startled from his slumber by the noise, Luster quickly gave Falcon the real record book to return, while she and the others quietly rushed out. After the book was placed back where it was found, Luster teleported Falcon to the team, who silently closed the door and make their getaway with the copy. The next morning, all kinds of creatures went to Improvement Academy to attend the Monthly Award Ceremony. Alkali waited nervously as she sat in alongside the other teaching staff, looking around for Volcano , The dark orange dragon showed up eventually, and sat far away from his Best Friend, looking away from her, shocking her. Despite being warned earlier by her friends about Volcano's attitude, Alkali flew towards her long-time friend. "Hey, Volcano. I'm so sorry I had breakfast and left before you, it's just that...our best friends told me that it was for the better." "Great job for your listening skills, listening to them, Alkali. I really needed some space from you," Volcano negatively replied. "What?! But...but why?" Alkali asked, in a hurt tone. "It's not worth talking about right now, the ceremony is about to start!" Volcano pressurised her, just before the room turned dark, proving his words true. "Thanks for the reminder, Volcano!" the hippogriff said, before rushing back to her seat. "Great. Now some creature finally thanked me." Volcano sarcastically said to himself. Principal Calligraphy stepped onto the stage, underneath the yellow spotlight, where she began her speech, "Every creature in this crowd, we are gathered here today to witness and acknowledge several of our school's best creatures and what they did that makes them the best for this month." Meanwhile, in the Castle of Friendship, Luster was writing down the most important details she could find, while the others examined the details. "Uh, we are never going to find our answers by looking at all this!" Falcon Dive complained. "Patience, Falcon. Remember, complaining never helps!" Evergreen reminded. "Plus, you can be positive, and try to think of some possible bright sides and good things like me!" Yellow Bright added. "Well, I think we are getting somewhere by reading all these; we figured out that Volcano was trying to earn the students' love and praises," Nature Bloom pointed out. "But the students kept on liking Alkali over him," Sunshine Rays stated. "And, Volcano had pointed out Alkali's mistakes for Math Lessons! Look, 8 x 60 = 8 x 6 x 10, but 3 x 14 is not equal to 3 x 10 x 4!" Krona read. "The same thing goes for Biology Lesson when he pointed out that chloroplast and chlorophyll are not the same! The chloroplast is a cell organelle where photosynthesis takes place, while the chlorophyll converts the light it absorbs into chemical energy!" Buffer mentioned another example. "And Volcano pointed out a major notice that the students should take note of. The students must never answer chemistry questions about the change of state with the knowledge from Physics' Internal Energy lessons." Evergreen stated. "But he never got any praises or credit nor anything he did!" Nature Bloom pointed out. "The students kept on only liking and praising Alkali!" Falcon Dive contributed. "And Volcano kept on expressing some really awful expressions, watching Alkali get all the students' love." Buffer added. "I may look on the positive side very frequently, but do you think that Volcano is...jealous?" Yellow Bright asked. "Now that you say it, I think Volcano is jealous! Jealous of Alkali!" Luster gasped, causing the whole room to gasp. "Calm down, every creature! Panicking does not help!" Evergreen told her friends. "Calm down?! Do not panic?! We're having a crisis here!" Falcon Dive complained. "Volcano jealous of Alkali! He can do anything to her, and that anything is. Not. Good!" Krona declared. "There's an award ceremony today, what if Alkali wins an award?!" Nature Bloom asked. "And Volcano does not?" Sunshine Rays continued. "He'll go from jealous, to jealous Evil Queen from the Pony Tale!" Yellow Bright dramatically exclaimed. "Are you talking about The Evil Queen from the Pony Tale, 'Snow White and the Seven Foals?' "Buffer asked in a normal tone. "Guys, we got to do something!" Luster announced, "If we don't, who knows what Volcano will do?!" "Something really awful?" Nature Bloom replied. "We got to get to the ceremony in Improvement Academy, right now!" Luster declared, teleporting the team out of the castle. "Um, is this the School Hall where the Monthly Award Ceremony is taking place, or what?! I don't see any students, families of the school staff, teaching staff, or principals!" Yellow Bright asked, looking around the area the team teleported themselves to. "Of course it isn't!" Sunshine Rays told the Earth Pony, "We're not even in the school!" "We are outside Improvement Academy, and in front of the main entrance." Evergreen pointed out. "The school has magic-absorbing protection!" Luster gasped, "So no creature can use magic to get in!" "Then how else are we going to get in?" Nature Bloom asked. "Um, we can walk, or fly?" Falcon Dive sarcastically answered. "It won't be that easy," Krona stated, pointing at two white Pegasi in Royal Guard attires, "Royal Guards over there are just going to prevent us from entering so easily." "Maybe we should just tell them the truth?" Buffer suggested. "Great idea, Buffer! That's what we'll do." Luster praised, before trotting towards the entrance. "Excuse me, Royal Guards?" Luster asked, approaching them before she cleared her throat, "I am Luster Dawn, as you know, Princess Twilight Sparkle's star student. And, my best friends and I really need to pass this entrance so we can attend the Monthly Award Ceremony right now." "So sorry, Miss 'Luster', but we cannot just let any creature in, without a security check." one of the Royal Guards responded in a strict tone, using his wings to prevent Luster from entering. "You don't recognise the leader of the Heroic Ten?" Buffer asked. "The famous heroes who just saved you and all of Equestria and beyond, a month ago!" Falcon Dive added. "And the heroes who introduced the Elements of Purity?" Yellow Bright finished. "Of course we know what Luster Dawn and the Heroic Ten look like," the other Royal Guard begun, before his companion finished the sentence for him. "But in the aftermath of Eclipse Instant switching bodies with Princess Twilight Sparkle, we had to conduct security tests to check every creature's identity, and never fall for any imposter's tricks." The Royal Guards gave the creatures a blank paper each, instructing them, "Write down everything that is about your identities, including full name, species, gender, birthday, birth place, parents/guardians...." "Urgh! The Heroic Ten actually do not have time for this!" Krona declared. "Our Best Friend Volcano is getting really jealous of Alkali!" Nature Bloom stated. "Who knows what he will do if Alkali won this month's best teaching staff award?" Sunshine Rays pointed out. "Please, let us through! It is very urgent!" Luster pleaded. "Sorry, miss. We cannot make any exceptions. Not even for famous heroes or royalty." one of the guards replied. Luster Dawn groaned, "But, I am Luster Dawn! The star student of Princess Twilight Sparkle! As well as the biological daughter of Head-mare Starlight and Vice Head-stallion Sunburst of the School of Friendship in Ponyville, even though they could not and did not raise me, sending me to Sire's Hollow to be raised by their parents so they could run the school!" "Sorry, young lady, but every creature knows that." One of the guards responded. "I grew up not knowing anything about friendship, and was still anti-social after I performed an irreversible age spell on myself that makes me a decade older than I chronologically am, when I got into the School for Gifted Unicorns. I was soon sent to Ponyville, where I made friends with Falcon Dive, Yellow Bright, Evergreen, Alkali, Nature Bloom, Volcano, Sunshine Rays, Buffer and Krona! We got through everything together, especially when we defeated Eclipse Instant with the Magic of Friendship we possessed." Luster stated another fact that she knew. "Every creature knows that, too." the other Royal Guard stated, "So sorry, miss. But the only way you can prove yourself is to fill up this paper with your identity description. The same goes for your friends." "Uh!" Falcon Dive groaned and face-clawed himself. "And now, for the award we are all waiting for...the Best Teaching Staff Award!" Principal Calligraphy announced, "Without further ado, let us welcome the winner of this award, who is surprisingly one of the two newest teaching staffs, as well as one of the two heroes of Equestria who work here! And that creature is..." Alkali looked nervous while Volcano looked extremely interested, but not in a pleasant way. "Miss Alkali!" the principal announced, making the crowd cheer, while Alkali was overwhelmed. "What?!" Volcano said to himself, as he watch his Best Friend walk up the stairs and onto the stage. His face turned from dark orange to red, as the events unfold. "Congratulations, Miss Alkali," Principal Calligraphy told the hippogriff, presenting the latter a golden trophy. "You really are inspiring, and something Improvement Academy has never seen before! You are the first-ever teaching staff to win the Best Teaching Staff Award, on their very first Monthly Award Ceremo..." Before the principal could finish her sentence, she was interrupted by Volcano's enraged growl, as he leapt out of his seat, rose into the air, causing every creature to gasp in horror as they watched. "Volcano?!" Alkali asked in shock, before he charged down towards her and the principal. Fortunately for the girls, Falcon Dive flew in and used his pushing force to change Volcano's direction. "Alkali! Volcano is..." Falcon tried to warn the hippogriff, but he was stopped by Volcano, who flipped over, sending the griffon towards the empty seats. Following Falcon's 'defeat', Sunshine Rays and Nature Bloom tried tying Volcano up with rope, while Luster approached the confused girls on stage. "Alkali! Principal Calligraphy! Volcano is jealous of a certain indigo hippogriff, and now he is super mad." "Volcano is jealous of me the whole time?!" gasped Alkali, "But, why?!" "Long story summarised!" Yellow Bright explained, "Volcano actually has a lot of contribution to what you've been teaching, Alkali, by pointing out your mistakes, ensuring that you teach the right information!" "But, unfortunately, the students love you so much that they don't give him any credit," Evergreen added, "He even installed vacuums in the walls to prevent your loudness from disrupting the other classes, but no creature seems to acknowledge that!" "No creature acknowledges what Volcano does!" Krona pointed out. "And they kept giving you all the credit, including the credit that he actually deserves, being the one reason you can teach the right information!" ended Buffer. "In that case, Volcano deserves the award as well!" Principal Calligraphy claimed, just before Sunshine Rays and Nature Bloom were thrown aside. "Volcano, I have made a new decision, and I would like you to know, that Alkali is not the first-ever teaching staff to win the Best Teaching Staff Award on their first Monthly Award Ceremony anymore." the principal told the furious, out-of-control dragon, calming him down. "You and Alkali have won the Best Teaching Staff Award, as the very first pair of winners in the history of Improvement Academy!" "Wait, what?!" asked Volcano, in a confused tone. "Alkali could not have taught the right information to the students, if it were not or you to check on her! Teaching the right information is just as important as being able to teach, and therefore, I consider you two an official team. From now on, you both will get to win awards, together." the principal declared. "Thank you so much, Principal Calligraphy! We really are so lucky to have you as the founder, and principal of our school." Volcano thanked, before he turned to Alkali, "Alkali, I am so sorry I got so jealous of you, and never told the truth. I bottled my emotions up, and became a disaster! And...I'm really sorry about how I acted these few days." "I'm so sorry, too, Volcano." Alkali apologised, "I was so overwhelmed by the students' love for me, that I never thought about you! I was so oblivious to you until...some creature made me notice. I should have cared about you, checked on you, like all our best friends would!" "It looks like you two have learnt something about friendship!" Luster Dawn pointed out. "Indeed, we totally have!" Volcano responded, before he and Alkali wrote a letter to Princess Twilight Sparkle. Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle, We may have graduated from the School of Friendship a month ago, but we just forgot some tips about true, good friendship, until we learnt a valuable lesson about it. True good friends will never stop being concerned for their friends, and they will never bottle up their emotions and not admit the truth until disaster strikes. They should always care about each other for as long as they remember each other, and tell each other the truth about any unpleasant emotion they have at the start. This valuable friendship lesson is indeed, a good lesson that we will always remember. Signed, two of your faithful student's best friends, Volcano and Alkali "That's a really good moral!" Sunshine Rays commented, catching every creature's attention. "But are there any ones that teach you that you should not do nothing about tossing your friends at the walls?" Nature Bloom added. "Or the empty seats!" Falcon Dive ended, showing up. Volcano let out a nervous chuckle, "Whops, I am really sorry about all of that. Why don't I make amends for that by cleaning up your rooms for the rest of the year?" "Sure, but you still got to keep your words!" Sunshine Rays demanded. "I totally will," Volcano responded. "And now, we got a ceremony to finish." Principal Calligraphy declared. After all the damage was fixed and the return of the audience, Principal Calligraphy announced Alkali and Volcano the first pair of winners, and the first official team in the school, as she gave them both the golden trophy that they raised up high with their claws for the crowd to see, cheer and applaud.
5. Best vs Most PopularAuthor's Note Best vs Most Popular serves as the fifth episode of the series. Summary: The Heroic Ten help the author of the most popular story in Equestria and beyond for the moment, create a new book that is truly the best while trying to show that it is better to choose the best over the most popular. Featured Song: The Real, True Best Featured Characters: Grandeur, an earth pony with a grey coat with light amber eyes. He resides in Our Town and creates books under his author nickname, G.R Floor. The Heroic Ten set out looking for him in order to convince him to write better, beneficial books, and not uncommon genre books that are popular but not a good influence. Moonshade Fright, the scary alter-ego of Sunshine Rays. Whenever Sunshine needed to point out serious consequences to creatures who would not be bothered to stop their wrongdoings, she would put on a costume that make her coat look black, her eyes look evil red, her mane look dark blue, indigo, dark purple, and her cutie mark look like a blood red moon. As Moonshade Fright, Sunshine's tone would be a lot scarier, and mysterious-like. Despite wielding her keyboard in its regular appearance, she plays the sound of an organ as she switched to organ option, to make her even scarier. 5. Best vs Most Popular "I can't believe that all of Equestria and beyond have new columns in every bookstore and shop that features the newest and most popular books!" Luster told Sunshine, as the two mares entered Ponyville's Bookstore. "I may have decided to come along, but I'm not really here to be a fan of new or popular books." Sunshine told the excited unicorn. "Of course you aren't," Luster responded, "As some creature moral, you have to check on everything you know that exists." "Especially what every creature is doing." Sunshine finished, looking at the columns. "Ooh, a new non-fictional book about more recently discovered Biology!" Luster said her thoughts out loud, "A new Geography Guide, a new Math Tips Revision book? New fictional books about Romance, Slice of Life and Comedy?! And one about some amazing heroes..." "WHAT?!" Sunshine Rays shrieked all of a sudden. "Sunshine, no need to fuss, the heroes in this new book aren't us; it's some creature's imaginary characters." "Luster, that is not what I'm fussing about." Sunshine explained, holding a book in her hooves, "It's this!" "Grogar, the Most Feared Ruler and Emperor of Equestria in History, and his Point of View?!" Luster read the title out loud, in a tone that transformed from normal to shocked. "And that's not all." Sunshine told Luster, before pointing towards the column the book was from. Luster gasped to see that it was placed in a royal position: The top of the shelves, in a golden shelf, meaning that it was the number one most popular! After the series' theme song intro played, Sunshine Rays voiced out her thoughts, "How can something like this be the number one most popular?! It's awful! No offence, really." "Now, Sunshine, remember what Nature Bloom always say: We must be nice and not judge any creature, nor animal, or basically, never judge anything by their background. The School of Friendship taught us that as well, we must keep this lesson in our hearts and at least try to believe that it's not as bad as we thought upon knowing the background." Luster told her Best Friend. "So, you're saying that we should not judge it by how bad its background is, and still...take a look inside?" Sunshine asked. "Maybe it's the most popular for being surprisingly interesting in the inside," Luster suggested, opening the book with her magic. To the girls' horror, the chapters were about how Grogar grew up being wicked and cruel, and an abuser of power. "Alright...we really got a bad start, but maybe the chapters aren't as bad as their titles..." Luster began, flipping the pages with her magic, before she dropped the book in horror, screaming in fright alongside Sunshine. "So, what's the positive side now, Luster?" Sunshine Rays sarcastically asked. "There is no positive side, Sunshine. I should have known." Luster sighed. That afternoon, the Heroic Ten hosted a team meeting in the Castle of Friendship. Well, more precisely, the meeting was hosted by Luster Dawn and Sunshine Rays. "This is not good, every creature!" Sunshine Rays stated, pacing back and forth in front of a pony-sized image of the most popular book. "A book like this is a horrible book! And worst of all, it is the most popular around!" "And?" Falcon Dive sarcastically asked. "And there are a lot of horrible consequences of having this book, or any other book like it, being the most popular! I actually know five, ranging from bad to worst." Sunshine Rays explained, before taking out and putting on an outfit that made her alter-ego came to life. She also took out her keyboard, which had the ability to play the sounds of all kinds of different instruments. Sunshine Rays usually used her keyboard's original grand piano option to play music, but as Moonshade Fright, she would use the organ option, to assist her in being scary. "Moonshade Fright here," Sunshine Rays' alter-ego began, "And I am here to show you all the terrible consequences your wrong doings can, and actually will cause, if not stopped!" the dark figure announced in a loud, scary tone, making Nature Bloom whimper. Moonshade Fright may be the same pony as Sunshine Rays, but Sunshine sure was a lot scarier as her alter-ego, whom she made to scare immoral creatures into stopping their immoral ways. "Here are the top five consequences of having a horror, villain book as something popular. Ranging from five to one, bad to worst!" Moonshade's voice boomed, scaring the sensitive Nature Bloom. "Bad thing number five: Like all books and things that exist, this book can be an influence to some creatures! In other words, this book can affect its readers! And since this book is bad, it will affect its readers in a bad way! Or most likely, make them think that it is cool or awesome to be bad, when in reality, it is not!" After Moonshade Fright made another loud boom with her voice, she continued, "Bad thing number four: This book is the most popular! And that means a lot of creatures like it! We will never be able to convince them that it is not good! Because they got power in numbers, while we do not! And the more popular and liked this book gets, the harder it is to solve the problem!" Falcon Dive backed down a bit when Moonshade snapped in front of him, before she resumed her explanation, "Bad thing number three: Because of their liking for it, fans of this book will never believe any creature who says that the book is not the real best, and should not be the most popular! They will get so blinded by their love for the wrong things, that they will not care about the real right and wrong, or the real good and bad!" Moonshade scared Yellow Bright for a brief second with her suddenly turned extremely loud voice, as she stomped her hooves on the ground loudly. He eventually recovered just as fast as Moonshade Fright could scare him. The alter-ego then went on explaining, "Bad thing number two: This most popular book may not be read by every creature, as there are at least some creatures who do not read it. But, those readers and fans can actually spread the word, and convince all their close ones, friends and family, to see it! The cycle will actually repeat, spreading this book and its influences far and worldwide, like a contagious disease within a year!" Moonshade Fright's voice, in the form of sound waves travelled from her vocal chords to her best friends' faces. Nature huddled close to the rest of the team, as Moonshade played her organ once again, "Now I am going to show you the number one worst consequence, of. Them. ALL! Bad thing number one: Every creature who wants to be popular would mostly try to follow whatever the most popular is, or is like! That means, if the most popular book is about an infamous villain and a horror story, they may think that making villain horror stories will earn them the attention, fame and popularity that they wanted! Thinking that way, many authors may create horror stories, and make them popular all over the world, influencing every creature to do what is wrong...and the cycle will go on...until it engulfs the world!" Nature Bloom fainted as Moonshade Fright finished the latter's scary explanation. Taking off her costume and putting away her keyboard, Sunshine Rays hurried towards her unconscious friend., "Nature Bloom! I am so sorry! I should have told you to leave the room so this would not happen!" Nature Bloom eventually regained her senses and opened up her eyes, "Sunshine Rays?" "Yes, Nature Bloom. It is me, and my keyboard is in regular grand piano option again." Sunshine stated, pressing the keyboard with her feathers making the sound of a grand piano, as proof. "And I really am so sorry for scaring you, especially when you are not a supporter of the book that I am against." "It's alright, Sunshine. Just...please do not do it ever again." "Now, you pointed out all the bad things that could happen, but how are we going to stop it?" Evergreen asked. "Before it actually does happen?" Buffer added. "Hang on, every creature, I thought Luster is the leader of the Heroic Ten!" Alkali pointed out. "I may be and still be, but that does not mean I will know everything and come up with all the plans. In this case, Sunshine Rays knows what to do." Luster told every creature staring at her. "Well, I know that there's a lot to do, but I know that the number one ting is to prevent the cause of more problems, before we solve the problems themselves! And that means..." Sunshine Rays began, before being cut off by Krona, "That we're going to stop the production of more books?!" "Technically, I am going to have a word with the author of this book." Sunshine Rays declared, "And convince whoever that is, that this book may be popular, but it is not really good just because it is liked by many! The author should totally write a new book ASAP, to fix all the damage, and that new book is going to be the real best!" "Um, two questions?" Falcon Dive asked, "One, you do not even know anything about the author's whereabouts, and two: How are you going to convince the author to write a story that is the real best, and not what is out of the ordinary and popular?!" "Perhaps a little Moonshade Fright, just in case," Sunshine Rays answered, "And, I got my best friends by my side." "Ooh, she's talking about us!" Alkali squealed. "Of course she is!" sarcastic Volcano responded to Alkali. "Krona loves adventures with best friends!" Krona declared. "I'm always willing to go with my best friends," Buffer stated. "Ready to stay calm, no matter what." Evergreen announced. "And I am always ready to tell you about all the positive things." Yellow Bright contributed. "An adventure! I am in!" Falcon Dive declared. "So am I," Luster Dawn added, before every creature looked at Nature Bloom. "I may be horrified or terrified of scary adventures, and especially scary creatures , but...I am still willing to go with my best friends." Nature Bloom announced, before the whole team joined their hooves and claws. After releasing their claws and hooves in the air, Luster announced, "Now let's go find that author!" "One problem; we do not even know where the author is!" Nature Bloom pointed out. "But maybe you can help us find out!" Volcano told Luster, "You are a unicorn, can't you perform some sort of...author-finding spell?" "Well, I do remember reading about a spell that can allow me to find the creature by scanning their names, so maybe..." Luster stated, before her horn glowed as she sent a beam at the image of the book, which had the author's name on it. The rest of the Heroic Ten watched in amazement as their leader created a magical intangible compass made of her magic aura that pointed the way. "This magical compass must be pointing the way to the author of the book! Let's follow it!" Luster Dawn instructed, leading the Heroic Ten on another adventure. Following the compass, the team took the Friendship Express to a train station near Starlight Glimmer's old village, Our Town. "The village my Mum created and ruled over before the Council of Friendship came and changed things for the better!" Luster Dawn gasped, "I can't believe that I am finally visiting this place!" "You actually would have if you attended the School of Friendship on our first year," Falcon Dive told Luster. "Not to make you feel bad, Luster, but we already visited here during a field trip," Nature Bloom explained. "And, we met almost every creature here," Evergreen contributed. "Head-mare Starlight's old friends, Double Diamond, Party Favour and Night Glider and their daughter, and basically the whole village, but not individually," Volcano stated. "That's alright every creature, at least we will know some creatures and not feel like...total newcomers who know nothing." Luster responded, before leading the team into Our Town, "Let's just find the author and accomplish our mission, or goal." As the heroes entered the village, they started gaining the attention of the creatures living there, to their discomfort. "Are those the Heroic Ten?!" an earth pony asked her friends. "Most likely, because that's Luster Dawn!" one of the friends replied. "Uh...maybe we don't get to stroll around Our Town like the way we did during the field trip, after all!" Alkali cried, as every creature paid attention to the famous heroes. "Look on the bright side, at least they like us!" Yellow Bright pointed out. "Luster Dawn?" a familiar voice asked, catching the heroine's attention. Luster turned to see the owner of the voice, gasping. "Eclipse Instant?!" "And Shapeshifter," Eclipse responded as Shapeshifter stood beside her, "It's been a long time since we last saw you, even though it's only been a month since we left Ponyville on a world tour to fix the damage Shapeshifter caused." "We already convinced the Wonderbolts to spread the word, and helped all kinds of creatures from Appleloosa, Cloudsdale, and even Madam Pinkie's family's rock farm!" Shapeshifter explained. "But we figured that it still isn't enough, so we're still travelling. I'm afraid we can't return any sooner," Eclipse sadly stated. "Don't worry, I'm sure you can fix all the damage and eventually return to Ponyville some day." Evergreen assured. "We know, but one thing we don't know, and will like to know, is what are all of you doing here?" Eclipse asked the Heroic Ten. "It's...a pretty long story..." Buffer replied. "Sunshine Rays and Luster Dawn found an awful most popular book in Ponyville Bookstore! Heroic Ten gathered for a meeting about the book, and decided to go and find the author, and tell whoever that is to write a new, really the best book to fix the damage!" Krona explained. "Damage? What damage?" a confused Shapeshifter asked. "That's...a really long story, as well." Nature Bloom answered. "But we believe that it may be a lot better, to explain in private," Volcano added. "If we can find some place that is private, that is." Luster contributed, looking at the crowd around them. "Don't worry, we know somewhere you can get the privacy you need!" Eclipse told the heroes. The Heroic Ten soon found themselves in Eclipse and Shapeshifter's neat temporary residence in Our Town's Hotel. "Welcome to our room, or...our temporary room for as long as we stay here," Shapeshifter told the heroes. "Our Town leaders, Double Diamond, Party Favour and Night Glider allowed us to stay for as long as we had to, or basically...for as long as we have to ensure that the whole of Our Town don't see us as the villains we used to be," Eclipse explained. "So...how's everything going for you two?" Buffer asked the reformed villains. "Well, we had a bumpy start," Shapeshifter honestly answered. "When we first came, creatures hid from us," Eclipse continued. "Until I told them the truth that Eclipse really had changed for the better, and I fooled every creature into thinking that she was still...immoral." Shapeshifter added. "shapeshifter then showed them the forms he used when he deceived every creature, and told them his backstory and reason," Eclipse went on. "We told them the friendship lesson about forgiveness, and the fact that no creature is perfect," Shapeshifter explained. "They gradually started becoming warmer and friendlier towards us, but we decided to stay a little longer to make sure that not even a single creature views us as who we used to be," Eclipse concluded. "Good to know that you're making good progress," Sunshine Rays commented, "While we, on the other hoof, are still yet to find the author of the book that should not be the most popular! Who is this...G.R Floor?" "Well, one thing we're sure of, that can't be the author's real name!" Luster declared, "Whoever the author is made that alias, or basically, a nickname, to cover up his or her identity!" "But, your magic compass can still find whoever the author is, can it?" Nature Bloom asked. "Well, most likely." Luster answered, a second before Shapeshifter brought in a large platter with cupcakes on it. "Well, since it's almost three, I figured that we all should take a snack break!" the orange changeling announced. "Snack break?" Falcon Dive asked, before his stomach grumbled. "Wow, we really have not eaten anything ever since the meeting," Yellow Bright commented, after hearing his stomach growl. "Can we please have some of your cupcakes?" Evergreen asked the reformed villains. "Sure, when I said 'we all should take a snack break', I am totally talking about us, and you." Shapeshifter replied. "Do you really think we can eat twenty-four cupcakes all by ourselves?" Eclipse asked in a joking tone. "Now that you mentioned it, that totally makes sense," Volcano commented. "Quit talking already! Let's eat!" Alkali exclaimed. The scene changed to the moment every creature finished the cupcakes, all full and satisfied. "Thanks a lot for the cupcakes, Eclipse Instant and Shapeshifter! The cupcakes are the BEST!" Krona exclaimed. "I think you meant, 'were the best'? Because the cupcakes are not around anymore!" Volcano pointed out. "Whatever." Krona plainly replied. "Now that we are not hungry anymore, we can go back to looking for G.R Floor, or, whoever the author is," Luster declared. "And I cannot wait for the moment when we meet him!" Sunshine Rays commented. "Can Shapeshifter and I join you?" Eclipse asked. "And why is that?" asked Buffer. "Well, we need to spread the word of our reformations, and figured that this is the perfect opportunity! Or...something that can help." Shapeshifter explained. "We really changed for the better, and we would like every creature to know that!" Eclipse added, "So if we helped you convince this author to write better books..." "You can totally prove that you are no longer...horrible!" Alkali finished the sentence. The reformed villains nodded, before Shapeshifter asked, "So...can we hep?" "Of course you can! And we totally accept help from friends," Luster replied. The scene changed to show the Heroic Ten and their former enemies in front of one of the houses in Our Town. "I think his is it; G.R Floor residence. Or, basically where he is right now." Luster told her company. "So, once we meet whoever that author is, what are we going to do?" asked Yellow Bright. "Well, we should show how respectful we are by greeting them and introducing ourselves, to create a warm start." Nature Bloom insisted. "I like the sound of that!" Evergreen commented. "And I listened to that!" Buffer added. "Can we stop talking and start doing something already?!" Falcon Dive impatiently asked. "Alright, alright. Here we go." Luster said, taking a deep breath, before she knocked on the door. The door opened to reveal an earth pony who was presumed to be as old as the members of the Council of Friendship. He was shocked to see the visitors, gasping, "The Heroic Ten?!" "Yes, it is us, all ten of us!" Alkali confirmed. "This is the best day of my life!" the earth pony exclaimed, before he took the team in. "I am Grandeur, and I am basically and I. Love. Heroes! You ten saved me and all of Equestria and beyond from that power-hungry Eclipse Instant!" Eclipse cleared her throat, catching his attention, making him freak out, "AAAH! Eclipse Instant! Heroic Ten, help!" "Eclipse is reformed now," Krona told the frightened pony. "That means she isn't bad anymore," Volcano clarified. "So is Shapeshifter!" Yellow Bright pointed out. "And now, they are our friends," Evergreen calmly stated. "And any friend of a true friend, is a friend." Alkali pointed out in a cheerful tone. "Speaking of friend, would you be friendly enough to help us find the author of this most popular book around?" Luster asked, levitating a picture of the book cover for Grandeur to see. Grandeur gasped, "You're looking for the author of this book?!" "Yes, we are, and have been the whole day!" Sunshine Rays confirmed. "This really is the best day of my life! EVER!" Grandeur excitedly squealed. "It is?" Falcon Dive asked in a confused tone. "It totally is! Because not only is the book the most popular, it made me earn a visit from the Heroic Ten!" Grandeur exclaimed. "Wait...earn you a visit from the Heroic Ten?!" Volcano repeated the words he heard, saying his thought out loud, "That means you're the author of the book!" The rest of the team gasped to hear what their friend said, while Grandeur was impressed, "Volcano, I've always heard that you were...a very intelligent dragon indeed. And yup, what they said is no doubt, a fact. You really are smart." "And he still is a very intelligent dragon!" Alkali pointed out. "Wait, so you're the author of the most popular book in all of Equestria this very moment!?" Falcon Dive asked. "Yes, I am. And G.R Floor is my nickname when I publish books," Grandeur replied. "But, your most popular book is..." Sunshine Rays begun, before being cut off by Grandeur. "Really out of the ordinary? I know, we don't have much books about villains lately, so I figured that I write and publish what I think Grogar's point of view was when he was alive." "That is not what she wants to say," Nature Bloom told the author. "Nature Bloom's telling the truth, you know." Krona pointed out. "And what Sunshine Rays wanted to say is..." Falcon Dive began, before the white pegasus cut him off. "That your book may be the most popular, but that does not mean it's the..." Before Sunshine could finish, Nature Bloom filled in for her, "What she meant was, your book may be loved and popular, but there can actually be a book even better than it! Would you like to write a new book?" "The Heroic Ten wants me...to...write a new book?!" Grandeur asked in disbelief, "I am so honoured!" "Nature Bloom! Why did you..." Sunshine Rays began to scold the green-turquoise changeling, but was once again but off by Nature. "Actually, we are hoping that your new book can be a lot better, as in, a lot more beneficial and a better influence than the one that's popular?" Grandeur immediately stopped his celebration and froze in place, replying, "Well, if you heroes insist...I shall...if I knew what to write..." "What do you mean by, 'if you knew what to write?' You just wrote a book that became the most popular," Sunshine Rays pointed out, as her tone changed from Rainbow Dash-like to sarcastic as she said the three final words. "You see...I may have written a lot of narrative stories for all these years, but...they are all...action, adventure, drama, fantasy and everything out of the ordinary...the thing is...none of them are the moral-teaching or, lesson-y types!" Grandeur replied, making the heroes gasp in shock. "You never wrote a single moral-teaching story?! In all these years?! What kind of author are you?!" Sunshine Rays angrily asked, before Evergreen pulled the furious pegasus backwards. "Now, now, Sunshine. Take a deep breath, and relax," the Kirin advised. "Plus, now that you pointed it out, or, most likely got him to realise that, he will write one!" Yellow Bright added. "I'm so sorry, I really have no idea where to start." Grandeur stated, enraging Sunshine. "No idea where to start?! How can you not know anything about morality! Morality is extremely important! And it should be something every creature knows and values!" "Sunshine, please! Give him some time! I'm sure he'll make a book that is everything some creature like you want!" Nature Bloom told the pegasus. "Or maybe you I should take over handling Sunshine for these few minutes, so you all can help Grandeur think of what to write for his new, totally much better book?" Falcon Dive asked, placing his right wing around Sunshine. "Well...if that's the only way for her to not go so...mad, you should." Luster replied. "Great! Come on, Sunshine! There's a lot of better things for you to do than be mad!" Falcon told the pegasus, as they walked away. "So sorry about Sunshine Rays," Krona apologised. "She tends to get...furious over the lack of morality." Buffer pointed out. "But we're sure she will cool off over time," Volcano stated. "While she's cooling, what are you going to write?" Alkali asked, causing Grandeur to panic. "I have no idea! Just because I'm a writer, does not mean I'm good at writing anything and everything! All I ever wrote about is every creature's favourites!" "What do Grandeur mean by, 'every creature's favourites'?" Krona asked. "Well, nowadays, many stories are about adventure, action and some extraordinary things! There are still some moral-teaching stories, but they are simply too unpopular..." Grandeur explained, before he was hushed by Buffer. "Don't say that about more-teaching books! If Sunshine hears that..." Grandeur began to show a scared expression, causing Buffer to change his words, "I mean...it's best not to say that, at all?!" "But, why would you say that?" Volcano asked. "Is it because they are boring?!" Alkali asked, "No offence to anything nor any creature, really." "It's not that, it's just...every creature thinks that morals are for kids!" Grandeur explained. "Look on the bright side! Maybe you can write the most popular children's book in all of Equestria and Beyond!" Yellow Bright cheered. "But I don't want to be an author of children's books; I want to be an author of books that are for every creature!" Grandeur responded. "But why would you write a...villain story?!" asked Nature Bloom, as she bean to cower down in fear of the thought. "I figured that, if I show that I can come up with something new and out of the ordinary as my debut as an author, every creature will notice me..." Grandeur answered. "So you mean that you choose popularity over morality?!" the voice of Sunshine Rays could be heard angrily asking, as the said pegasus appeared, with Falcon Dive following behind her. "I am so sorry..." Grandeur gulped, "It's just that, an author's job is not as easy as it just writing books and stories! Their books must be popular so they can earn an income!" "But still, choosing being popular and publishing a book that is not beneficial and worst of all, a bad influence, is downright wrong!" Sunshine angrily roared. "Sunshine! You are really out-of-control!" Luster told the furious, huffing and letting out steam pegasus, "I know morality means a lot to you, and the world, but you need to be patient!" Hearing Luster Dawn's words, Sunshine Rays began to cool down, as she apologised to Grandeur, "I am so sorry for getting so furious, so quickly. I guess this is a lesson for me to report to the princess about friendship." "And it is a great lesson to be taught to all of Equestria and Beyond!" Eclipse commented, as she and Shapeshifter approached the team. "We have been travelling around all of Equestria for weeks, just to teach the friendship lessons we have learnt, and prove that we have changed for the better. And, if it's a lesson written in a popular book..." Shapeshifter began, making Grandeur gasp. "You're saying I should write a book about...that friendship lesson?!" "And not just that friendship lesson, all sorts of friendship lessons!" Alkali claimed. "Friendship lessons are indeed beneficial as long as they teach what real, true good friendship is like. So, I am totally alright if you chose them over moral lessons, since they can be quite friendly." Sunshine Rays commented. "So, what do you say, would you write a new book about friendship lessons?" Luster asked. "Sorry every creature, but...I still have no idea where to start." grandeur told the heroes, causing Falcon Dive to groan and face-claw himself. "Come on! How can author not know any friendship lessons to write?!" asked Krona, in a somewhat furious tone. "I'm so sorry, I was so carried away with wanting to come up with something rare and extraordinary to be the most popular, I never thought of writing something like friendship lessons, especially since Princess Twilight and her friends' Friendship Journal was published so long ago, and it has a lot of friendship lessons!" Grandeur explained. "But yours won't be completely the same! Every creature is different!" Buffer pointed out. "How will I know if every creature will be interested?!" asked Grandeur. "Listen, is it being the most popular what you wanted and needed? Or is it being really, truly the best what you wanted and needed?" asked Sunshine Rays. "What she meant is; will you choose being loved and liked and known by many, or choose to show what the real good, best things are?" Volcano clarified. "Please choose the second option, it's really for the better." Nature Bloom pleaded. "You totally should have seen Sunshine's alter-ego's scary presentation of the consequences of every creature being interested in what is the most popular instead of what is the real best!" Alkali commented. "If you need more proof that is! And if you are wondering about Sunshine's alter-ego presentation, we can tell you. But, back to the main point, what we are all trying to tell you is: the most popular and the best are not the same." Evergreen clarified. "The best, or to be more specific, the real best, is something truly beneficial, and a good example and influence for all who know its existence!" Yellow Bright added. "I learnt from you that authors' aims are to be the most popular, but think about it; Is being selfish and more concerned with your own needs and wishes, and choosing them over being a good moral influence the best? Or something the most popular author should be like?! " Falcon Dive asked. "What we are all hoping that you will choose is to be truly, the real best, and write a beneficial good influence book." clarified Luster Down, "And if you can't think well enough to write one, we will help." "Because that is what true, real good friends do!" Sunshine Rays claimed. "Wait...true, real good friends?!" asked Grandeur. "Grandeur may not be the Heroic Ten's best friend, but the Heroic Ten are willing to call him a friend." Krona declared, as her tone gradually changed from declaring to a warm, friendly tone. "It is quite true that we are best friends with one another," Evergreen stated, before Yellow Bright finished the sentence for her in a cheerful tone. "But we still treat every creature else as friends! And the way we would treat each other!" "Really? Every creature?" Eclipse asked in a sarcastic tone. "Well...except for those who aren't willing to accept friendship, and are up to extreme no good?" Volcano responded in a gradually turning from normal to scared tone. "Just a reminder," Eclipse told the creatures, as a warm expression formed on her face. "I was pretty awful too, wanting and preventing Eclipse from getting forgiveness all because I never got forgiven when I wanted to, but you are all still willing to reason with me and befriend me, which is...really noble of all of you." Shapeshifter commented. "When you know true good friendship, you truly can be some creature great and heroic!" Alkali responded. "And since some creature like us are famous for our well-known good deeds, there's no doubt that something good can become well-known, too!" Sunshine Rays exclaimed upon her realisation. "Can't believe that one short, less than ten minutes conversation is enough to get us to realise a lot of good friendship lessons to be written in a book," Buffer commented. "But, how am I going to fit them all in, in a way that it obviously won't be like Princess Twilight and her friends' Friendship Journal?!" asked Grandeur. The heroes thought for a while, before Luster suggested, "Why don't instead of listing all those lessons, write narrative stories that teach them! There's no way your narrative stories can be the same as what is in that journal!" "But how am I going to make them interesting? I need inspiration! And know what to teach, and how t teach!" Grandeur panicked. "We may not be students nor ex-students of any friendship-teaching school," Eclipse Instant commented, turning every creature's attention to her and Shapeshifter. "But we know for sure, one of the most valuable lessons about friendship is..." Shapeshifter began, before saying in unison with Eclipse, "Every creature deserves to be forgiven for their mistakes and former bad attitudes, as no creature is perfect, not even a friend." "If your friend isn't perfect from birth to present," Eclipse started a sentence, before Shapeshifter finished it for her. "Why should you be not willing to befriend some creature who has a past of flaws like every creature?" "A friendship lesson about forgiveness! That is a really good one to include in a beneficial, good example and influence, best book ever, for real." Evergreen commented, mostly for Grandeur to listen to. "Another great friendship lesson we know is to never let anything the world gives you distract you from caring about your friends, or any creature you know that exists," Alkali added, before referring to the recent events that affected her friendship with Volcano, "A while ago, Volcano made me his teaching assistant so he...or most likely, we can teach the students at Improvement Academy, who find his lessons uninteresting. I got so overwhelmed by the students' praises and love for me, that I...forgot about Volcano. Or, mostly never thought abut him nor the fact that he Never got any credit until he..." "Got super jealous and angry? Kept the emotions a secret until they escaped as the jealous teacher got extremely jealous? During the Monthly Award Ceremony?" Volcano finished the story for Alkali, as he stood by her side, "Yes, all those events are real. They indeed happened, and we both learnt a lesson about friendship. Alkali already stated hers, and now it's my turn to state mine: I learnt that true friends will never hide the truth about any unpleasant emotion that they have from their friends, even if i's a bad feeling towards a friend. Hiding the truth and bottling up emotions will only make things worse, and can lead o disaster when the emotions reach its brim, as in, the limits and make their owner go out-of-control." "But you sure aren't going to make those mistakes again, are you?" Nature Bloom asked. "I will never forget that valuable friendship lesson, nor any of my best friends, nor friends, nor any creature I know that exists!" Alkali declared. "And I will totally improve my integrity and tell the truth more often at the start," Volcano added. "All this talking about friendship lessons make Krona remember something about friendship, that the Heroic Ten really did not go through any adventure to learn," Krona contributed, "When Luster said that Princess Twilight Sparkle acted mean, Luster's friends decided to ensure everything's alright." "Like true friends would!" Buffer added. "As true friends will care about their friends," Falcon Dive continued. "And anything and everything they know that matters to their friends!" Yellow Bright cheerfully joined the conversation. "Including feelings and emotions," Nature Bloom ended. "Wow, that's a lot about friendship! I can see why Princess Twilight decided to declare that you all graduated on the day you named yourselves and defeated Eclipse Instant," Grander commented, before turning to Eclipse, "No offence, really." "Don't worry, I know every creature knows about what I've done," Eclipse replied in a depressed tone. "But we are going to make sure that they all know that you are no longer like that," Shapeshifter assured, placing his right front hoof on Eclipse's shoulder. "There's a lot more about true friendship than just what we mentioned," Luster told the author, before Sunshine Rays made a list. "True friends will ensure you do what is really right, true friends will listen to one another, true friends will share beneficial things with one another, true friends will give each other the encouragement they need..." "We all know those, Sunshine." Falcon Dive cut her off, before turning to Grandeur, "Everything we mentioned are all so epic! They will totally not risk your popularity! I mean, they're interesting!" "And true friendship isn't the only thing beneficial! You can include some beneficial educational facts in your book!" Volcano suggested. "So your readers will learn and improve in their education as they read!" Alkali added. "It's killing two birds with one stone," Evergreen explained, "Which is an idiom meaning achieve two aims at once. Mostly saying get two benefits from one thing." "Thank goodness it's an idiom and not...literally!" Nature Bloom commented. "Look on the bright side; even if those were already thought of and featured in others' creations, you can still be interesting!" Yellow Bright cheered as he pointed out. "And you can always try to add more to it!" Buffer added. "Like comics, discs, magic animation! They're all the BEST!" Krona exclaimed like a yak would. "I think you meant 'magical animation'," Volcano corrected before suggesting, "I know it can take a lot of time, but they are totally worth it, as creating comics and a disc that can play music and a reading-aloud, will prove that you are diligent and put in a lot of effort." "So what do Grandeur say?" Krona asked. "Well, I have been an author who writes thousands of words...but...I guess all of your suggestions are worth it to be in my new, better book. If only I had the skills to make all those..." Grandeur sadly responded. "Don't worry, you got ten new friends here who will help you with all of that," Luster Dawn reassured the grey pony, as the Heroic Ten gathered around him. "Make that twelve," Eclipse declared, as she and Shapeshifter jones in. "We may be former villains, but that does not stop us from doing any good!" Shapeshifter saluted. "And as former bad-doers who changed for the better and turned good, we can totally help make the best book better by proving that being good is a lot better than being bad!" Eclipse finished. "For the first time in my whole life, I can't believe that something's happening! I'm getting help from famous heroes...and former villains." Grandeur happily wept a tear of joy. "Then what are we all waiting for?! Let's get writing already!" Falcon Dive announced. "And make a book that's truly the real best!" Sunshine Rays added. "We can even create a disc with a song to further encourage every creature to acknowledge that it's the real best!" Alkali suggested. "Say no more." Luster Dawn declared, before teleporting herself to the Castle of Friendship and back to Grandeur's house with the Heroic Ten's band instruments: Krona's bass drum pedal, Buffer's triangle, Sunshine Rays' keyboard, Volcano's viola, Nature Bloom's clarinet, Alkali's horn, Evergreen's harp, Yellow Bright's tambourine, Falcon Dive's electric guitar and Luster Dawn's microphone. As soon as they held their instruments, Eclipse used one of her spells to record their musical performance. Throughout the song, the different individuals took turns playing and resting, and singing. Whenever Volcano, Nature Bloom and Alkali sang their lines, they stopped playing their respective instruments and only resumed after a line was finished. Buffer used his horns to gently hit the triangle tied to a string that was hung on a hook on a stand. Evergreen only strummed her harp after a verse was complete, while the short triangle tings only came after commas and completed sentences. Volcano sang, "Got to be diligent," Sunshine Rays sang, "And moral," Falcon Dive sang, "And selfless," Nature Bloom, "And respectful and polite." Luster Dawn sang,"If we want to create," Sunshine Rays sang, "A book that teaches what is right." Krona sang, "The book must be, really, truly the best!" Buffer sang, "Even if it's not the most popular, compared to the rest!" Volcano sang, "Popularity may mean being liked, admired or supported by many." Alkali sang, "But that sure doesn't mean, that it's really good!" Evergreen sang, "Something that went on for generations, that they all didn't see..." Yellow Bright sang, "But it's not too late to set things right!" Sunshine Rays sang, "And in order to do that, you must do what you should, like a good creature would!" Eclipse Instant sang, "Being moral isn't easy, going against some wishes," Shapeshifter sang, "Doing so is truly for, every creature's good." Evergreen sang, "Even if they don't, see it that way," Yellow Bright sang, "Cheer up! Sooner or later, it will finally be understood." All sang, "The real, true best is something needed. a good example, a good influence, a good choice. Something beneficial to every creature, and it is what should be voiced." Falcon Dive sang, "Care about others," Nature Bloom sang, "And every little thing," Volcano sang, "That can set a reaction," Sunshine Rays sang, "As fast as time is flying." Alkali sang, "Even one little action, can cause a big effect!" Krona sang, "So all it takes to encourage creatures to be immoral, is one little wrong act..." Buffer sang, "Do not follow the crowd, when you know that they're wrong," Evergreen sang, "What the real right is, remains right all along!" Sunshine Rays sang, "Follow the rules, even if they take away your fun!" Luster Dawn sang, "Because they are truly for the good, of every creature, every last one!" Falcon Dive sang, "You got many acceptable ways to be epic. Like instruct a safe new skill, with info from Physics!" Nature Bloom sang, "Or encourage others to accept nature's rules! With info from, Biology..." Volcano sang, "Or warn others of reactions, with the aid of Chemistry!" Yellow Bright sang, "When there are so many things that aren't against the rules," Sunshine Rays sang, "No reason to break them to be amused." All sang, "The real, true best is something needed. a good example, a good influence, a good choice. Something beneficial to every creature, and it is what should be voiced." Eclipse Instant sang, "Is it really getting everything you desired, really the best?" Shapeshifter sang, "Being truly good-valued, and a do-gooder, makes you feel really blessed." Krona sang, "No matter what's popular," Yellow Bright sang, "Or favoured." Buffer sang, "Or wanted." Falcon Dive sang, "Or interesting." Sunshine Rays sang, "The real, right, good thing, is still the real best thing!" Krona sang, "Integrity," Buffer sang, "Listening," Sunshine Rays sang, "Morality," Volcano sang,"Diligence," Nature Bloom sang, "Niceness," Alkali sang, "Encouraging," Evergreen sang, "Patience," Yellow Bright sang, "Positivity," Falcon Dive sang, "Selflessness," Luster Dawn sang, "And leadership." All sang, "Will help you be a good, heroic creature, and show that popularity will never be as good as true friendship!" All sang, "The real, true best is something needed. a good example, a good influence, a good choice. Something beneficial to every creature, and it is what should be voiced." At the end of the song, Eclipse magically placed the record int a disc that was placed at the end of Grandeur's new book, which was about his experience of meeting the Heroic Ten, and the valuable good friendship lessons they taught him, to the delight of the heroes. "That is way better than a villain horror story!" Nature Bloom commented. "And we were involved! For real!" Yellow Bright added. "We really are epic and great enough," Falcon Dive proudly declared. "And I can't wait to see what happens after this new, better book is published!" Sunshine Rays voiced her opinion. "Well, I better get going to the publishers," Grandeur told his new friends, "And I can't wait to write more beneficial, good influence, what every creature needed, books!" "Grandeur meant the real BEST!" Krona exclaimed. "And I still can't thank you all enough for helping me, even though I was not a friend that you're familiar with." Grandeur told the twelve creatures. "Do you really think we only help creatures we know really well?" Falcon Dive asked. "We care about every creature that we know the existence of!" Alkali said in a cheerful tone. "Or basically, any creature who needs our help," Volcano added "And it's always, help them become better creatures for real!" Sunshine Rays stated. "Like a real, true, good friend would." Luster Dawn ended, "Speaking of friend, there's a friend that I have to send a letter to." Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle, My best friends and I know a lot about real, true, good friendship, and one of the many things we have learnt, returned to focus with each adventure we have. Our focus may initially have been, encourage an author to write books that are truly the real best over books that are the most popular, but we ended up teaching him about true good friendship, and the valuable lessons we learnt. Most importantly, we taught him to not go after fame, as it is never as good as the real best, nor true good friendship. The real best thing is something every creature needed, a good example and influence, and beneficial, like real, true good friends are. Signed, your faithful student, Luster Dawn After sending the letter away, Luster turned to see Sunshine Rays with the book Grandeur created with the aid of the Heroic Ten, Eclipse Instant and Shapeshifter. "Luster! Grandeur's new book have been published! And thanks to us, it's the number one most popular! And it encouraged all of Equestria and Beyond to have a new column for the real, best books!" Sunshine Rays happily exclaimed. "That's great news! With a popular, beneficial book, every creature will be influenced to do good, and be good! To bad Eclipse and Shapeshifter are still travelling, or they can finally return to Ponyville to read Grandeur's An Author Meets the Heroic Ten, True Story with us." Luster sadly stated. "They figured that their travels are worth it, as in, to ensure that every creature knows that they're reformed, and to ensure every creature learns about true friendship." Sunshine Rays reminded. "And hopefully they can return really soon, as this book with a mixture of cartoon comics and well-written words in the pages, and the song we played, is. The. BEST!" Luster exclaimed, before using her magic to open the book and read.
6. Immediate Family Relationship ProblemsAuthor's Note Immediate Family Relationship Problems serves as the sixth episode of the series. Summary: After receiving a student's comment about their relationship with Luster Dawn, Starlight and Sunburst attempt to spend time with their biological daughter...but things do not go so well. Featured Characters: Harmony, a female teenaged donkey, a student at the School of Friendship and the daughter of Cranky Doodle Donkey and Matilda. 6. Immediate Family Relationship Problems In Canterlot, Luster was leading her best friends to making the finishing touches of decorating the Ballroom, like the Ruler of Equestria wanted them to. "Is this good enough?!" Falcon Dive called to Luster, as he was about to hang a line of gems on the ceiling, in between the other lines of gems. "The position is just right!" Luster called from below, followed by Falcon hanging up the decor. "The floors are all waxed!" Alkali reposed, skating towards Luster with the floor-waxing skates on her claws. "Thanks to Alkali skating on my latest creation, the floor-waxing skates. Or basically, skates with a small container of floor wax attached to it, that comes out only when it is turned on. Otherwise, it would be regular ice-skates." Volcano explained. "All the flowers are neatly arranged," Nature Bloom stated. "The music is all double-checked, and ready for tomorrow!" Evergreen added. "Krona can't wait for her and friends to meet Princess Twilight Sparkle's brother!" Krona declared. "And her sister-in-law," Buffer filled in. "Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armor may not be rulers of the Crystal Empire after Princess Flurry Heart's coronation," Sunshine Rays pointed out, "But they are still royalty." "Every reason why the decorations must be as perfect as we can make them!" Yellow Bright exclaimed. "Even if they aren't perfect, I can understand that you all did your best," a familiar voice said, drawing the Heroic Ten's attention to its owner, Princess Twilight Sparkle. "Princess Twilight Sparkle!" the ten creatures greeted as they bowed. "You all did a wonderful job making the Ballroom presentable for my brother and sister-in-law's visit tomorrow, and even if there is something that looked better, I accept this as the place where the party will be held, the way it is right now." Princess Twilight announced, "You all should be taking a break and have dinner before your stay in the rooms I reserved for you." "Thank you, Princess Twilight Sparkle, and we certainly will be there with you at the party," Luster declared. "I know you will," Princess Twilight chuckled. Meanwhile, in the School of Friendship, Heads Starlight Glimmer and Sunburst were tidying up their office when they heard a knock on their door. "Come in," Sunburst told the creature outside, before the door opened, and a teenaged donkey entered. "Harmony! It's your first time visiting the Heads' office. So, what's the problem?" Starlight asked. "Well, for starters, your lesson about your daughter is really...knowledgeable.." Harmony stated. "Thank you for that complement, Harmony, but, usually, creatures visit the Heads to address issues, not complements," Sunburst told the donkey. "I'm not finished. You stated that you sent Luster away to Sire Hollow to be raised by your parents!" Harmony pointed out. "Only because we had no choice! We always have to take care of all the students here, and we barely have time for anything else but meals and sleep. Unlike the Council of Friendship, we cannot find a good replacement to replace us as the School's heads! So we cannot retire!" Starlight explained. "And how frequently did you visit her?" Harmony asked. "Well, we only visit her during school breaks when there aren't any students to take care of, " Starlight began, before her husband Sunburst finished for her. "And we only told her about why we took our job so seriously, and reflect about her life, or precisely, what we know about her life that our parents told us about before in our last visit." "Then what about the fact that you weren't there when she got her cutie mark, and never got to see her physically with that mark when she was a filly, because you weren't there when she performed that age spell on herself?!" Harmony asked. "Well, our parents were there, being the ones who took Luster to Canterlot. Luster brought her materials to create a small, toy version of the sunrise from the sea. Just like her first project of creating a mini version of the sunrise at sea look as real as possible. The first time she succeeded, she earned her suite mark, and our parents decided to enroll her in Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, which was indeed, also known as Princess Twilight's School for Gifted Unicorns ever since the coronation." Starlight explained. "Like the first time, Luster's project was a success! Princess Twilight Sparkle was impressed to the point that she decided to make Luster her new star student, to Luster's extreme joy. Since Luster was a lot happier than she was when she got her cutie mark, her magic reacted with the magic she left in her project, making her unintentionally cast that age spell that made her a decade older than she chronologically was.Princess Twilight tried to undo the spell, but it was proven to be irreversible, and the doctors in Canterlot Hospital found out that since the age spell only made her ten years older and not including any additional days nor weeks nor months, she would still turn a year older on her birthday, which was still the same day as before the age spell." Sunburst ended. "Then when did you first see her with her cutie mark? After the age spell?" Harmony asked. "Only during the weekend on the week it happened...we were so shocked." Starlight sadly mentioned. "And upset that we never got to see Luster as a filly with her cutie mark at all, except for, seeing the photos of her before the age spell." Sunburst stated. "Most importantly, the last we got to interact with and physically see of Luster being a filly was...the last school break before it happened." Starlight sadly cried out. "That's the problem I came here to tell you about." Harmony told the Heads of the school, "You barely spent time with your own daughter that you actually wanted to have!" Starlight and Sunburst could not help but express shocked looks on their faces, before turning to each other, looking troubled. After the series' theme sonf intro played, Starlight responded to Harmony's sentences, "You really do have a point, Harmony! We didn't spend time with our daughter, like real parents would!" "When we actually wanted a daughter, seeing how happy most of our friends were having their babies!" Sunburst added. "Seeing Big Mac and Sugar Belle happily having their son Big Sugar, was just the start." Starlight explained. "Followed by Fluttershy and Discord, Rainbow Dash and Soarin, Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich, Applejack and Caramel...we just could not help but wish that we could have a child, too." Sunburst continued. "We actually wanted to have a child the very moment we were married," Starlight sighed, "But we knew that having one would prevent us from being able to do our job of looking after every last student and worker at the School! It's a big responsibility! Ever since more and more creatures came." "And since we could not find a good replacement to handle our jobs...we figured...and planned to send our baby to Sire's Hollow to be raised by our parents, since they had the freedom to take care of her." Sunburst ended the story. "I understand that your actions were for the sake of others, sacrificing the life you wanted so the many creatures at school won't suffer from having an unworthy head running it." Harmony told the unicorn couple, "But still, I can't believe that you don't seem to spend much time with your daughter, when she's living with you nowadays!" The Heads of the School of Friendship felt embarrassed to realise how distant they were to their biological daughter, especially when she was physically not even a metre away, living in their castle. "Well, we still have to run and take care of everything in the School..." Starlight explained, "And Luster Dawn always have her nine best friends looking out for her!" "It's good to know that Luster doesn't need a babysitter, so we won't have a lot to do with her around." Sunburst added. "But still, the main point is, you don't spend much time with her! You are very distant from her! You don't even join her and her friends for meals like you said so during the lesson about her!" Harmony pointed out. "You really do have a point. We really are, very distant rom Luster because of our job." Starlight sadly noted. "But now that you made us realise it, maybe we can change that." Sunburst continued. "Thank you, Harmony, for making the time and effort to...somewhat confront us about this problem we had this whole Tim." Starlight told the teenaged donkey. "You really do value creatures' relationships with one another, like a good creature would." Sunburst complemented, "For that, we are going to let the whole school know what you did." "If you are comfortable with it, that is." Starlight pointed out. "I would be honoured to have my deed known by all the other students, to help them improve." Harmony told the Heads. "Good, because we have some planning to do." Starlight announced. The scene changed to showing the outside of the Castle of Friendship from the front view, and the moon going down, making way for the Sun. The Sun soon went down, as the moon rose up, showing that a whole day flew by, and it was evening. "That party was a blast!" Alkali exclaimed, walking to the Dining Room with the rest of her best friends. "And really worth going to, I mean, we finally met the other royalty of Equestria, physically! And interact with them!" Volcano commented. "And got to take a picture with Princess Twilight Sparkle's family!" Yellow Bright added. "Best day ever!" Krona declared like a yak. "But, dinner is still going to be just like regular dinner every night." Luster told her best friends, opening the doors with her magic, and finding a shocking surprise that made her take back her latest sentence. "Luster! You and your best friends are back!" Starlight cheerfully greeted. "And we already got your dinner ready!" Sunburst added. "And, for the first time..." Starlight began, before she and her husband said in unison, "We're going to have dinner with you!" The Heroic Ten all had shocked expressions while Luster said, "I really take back what I said about regular dinner like every night." The scene faded black before returning to normal within a second, showing a close image of Starlight and Sunburst sting by the table, as their shocked biological daughter trotted to them, "Mum, Dad? What's going on?! I mean, you NEVER joined my best friends and I for meals!" "You're always busy working at the School?" Falcon Dive sarcastically reminded. "And taking care of all the students and workers?" added Sunshine Rays. "And all the lessons, classes, field trips..." Nature Bloom contributed. "And all the events?" Buffer resumed. "And the preparations for the events?" Alkali continued. "And all the facilities?" Volcano finished. The married unicorn couple giggled, before Starlight replied, "We do have to take care of the School, but we still have free time at night!" "And instead of just enjoying private time as a couple, we figured to use it to be with you, Luster!" Sunburst told his biological daughter. "Me?! But...I'm not a little filly anymore! Although, I chronologically am one, and will be if it weren't for that..." Luster began, before her mother finished the sentence for her. "Age spell?! We know that! We're your parents!" "Even though you did not raise her?!" Falcon Dive sarcastically asked. "Sending her to Sire's Hollow to be raised by your parents?" Yellow Bright added. "Making Luster think that friendship is a waste of time!" Krona continued. "And made her think that the Council of Friendship weren't friends anymore?" Nature Bloom pointed out. "When they are close friends with you?!" Sunshine Rays resumed. "Look at how much friendship knowledge that your daughter don't have because she was not raised by you!" Buffer summarised. "Calm down, every creature, they have a logical reason for sending her away and not raising her, and not telling her much!" Evergreen told her best friends. "Because they have a School to run? We know that!" Falcon Dive responded. "It's true that we didn't spend much time with her all this time." Starlight began, before Sunburst finished the sentence for her. "But recently, one of our students, Harmony, made us realise that, and how distant we are from Luster." "So we decided, that from now on, we're going to join you all for dinner, every night!" Starlight announced. "And that's not all!" Sunburst continued, "Since Luster would usually spend the day hanging out with friends, or learn more spells, we decided, to help her learn those spells!" "But...what about School?!" Krona asked. "You're the Heads of it!" Volcano reminded. "So you are in charge of it!" Buffer continued. "And that means you ned to take care of everything there!" Sunshine Rays stated. "No pressure, really." Evergreen respectfully told the Heads. The married unicorns looked at each other for a second before turning to the creatures, "Don't worry, we will take turns being with Luster." Starlight assured. "And, if she had the time, we'll allow her back to School grounds to help out as our assistant!" Sunburst added. "You mean..." Luster asked, before being cut off by her mother. "You get to check on the mail, help the students in any way you can, organise the School Library, and most importantly, report to the Heads' office very frequently!" "Which means you will finally be able to spend a lot of time with us!" Sunburst ended. "I don't know..." Luster replied, expressing uncertainty, "Princess Twilight Sparkle wanted me to learn about true friendship, and she saw that my best friends are indeed good friends that can and will help me do just that!" "Not to mention that we helped her defeat Eclipse Instant and saved all of Equestria and Beyond?" Falcon Dive sarcastically reminded. "Including you two?" added Nature Bloom. "And recently helped an author create the currently out popular and best book in all of Equestria and Beyond?" Evergreen added. "You all did those together!" Starlight pointed out, "Spending lots of time with Luster!" "But do you think we can have some time with her? We are her one and only parents," Sunburst asked, "Plus, what reputation do you think we will have, if we kept on being distant from our own biological daughter?" "Can you please give us a minute?" Luster asked her parents, before huddling up with her best friends. "Heads of School have a point!" Krona began, speaking like most yaks would. "They are the Heads of a school that teaches friendship and good relationships!" Yellow Bright added. "How can they have a job like that, if they can't even have a good relationship with their own daughter?!" Alkali dramatically asked. "It would be pretty embarrassing and not good to lack the value that you teach." Sunshine Rays stated. "And all of Equestria and Beyond knows what they did to Luster!" Buffer pointed out. "If they don't have a good relationship with her soon," Volcano began, before Falcon Dive finished the sentence for him. "They will be known for being the weirdest heads-of-a-school, ever!" "Teaching values the they lack in a situation known by all?" Evergreen stated. "But, they have hundreds of students and things to take care of!" Luster reminded, "I can't spend time with them and distract them!" "And as some creature selfless, we must never choose our own good over others' good!" Falcon Dive declared, before sighing, "We probably should agree with their new decision and suggestions today." The Heroic Ten approached the Heads of their former school, with Luster telling her parents, "Mybest friends an dI agreed to go with your decision, Mum and Dad." "Great! And since you don't have anything to do tomorrow, we're allowing you back to Achool grounds to be our assistant!" Starlight cheerfully said. "But...now that Luster became and still is a famous heroine, what do you think the other creatures will do when they see her?!" Sunshine Rays asked. "Remember what happened during her first week," Nature Bloom reminded. "Students keep paying attention to her! Attracted to her!" Krona declared. "They may have gotten over that," Volcano began, before Alkali finished the sentence for him. "But that is before her graduation, and her reign as heroine!" "Now that she's even more famous, do you think every creature will act normal around her?" Falcon Dive sarcastically asked. "Most likely will not!" Yellow Bright answered the question. "Don't worry, we can and will handle that!" Sunburst assured. "Are you sure? Because during Luster's time as a student there, it was not you, but us, who got her through every problem!" Evergreen pointed out. "That was only because she was a student! We can't keep on giving her special treatment in the School!" Starlight explained. "The only reason we offered her residence in the castle is because some students do not reside in the School! Some of them are from Ponyville and not far away!" Sunburst pointed out. "Back to the main point, an assistant who isn't a student will be alright to get special treatment unlike every other student, but not too special that they feel like it is unfair! So, what do you say now?" Starlight asked. "If it can save your reputation, I agree to part with it." Luster answered. The next day, Luster and her parents depart the castle for the School, with Luster feeling anxious. It had always been her best friends who got her through everything, but none of them were around. "Don't worry, Luster! You still got company at your side!" Starlight told her daughter. "I guess you're right." Luster nervously chuckled, before entering the School. Many students, seeing their former schoolmate, who was currently a famous heroine, were all pleased to see her in the school, that they all started chatting with their friends, to Luster's discomfort, knowing that most of their conversations would be about her. The Heads then made an announcement in the Main Hall, where most assemblies would be held. "Good morning, students and staff!" Starlight began, "Today, as you can see, graduate Luster Dawn, the biological daughter of your Heads, and a famous heroine member of the Heroic Ten, has returned to School grounds." "And from now on, she will be your Heads' assistant who will help out all around the School with all sorts of problems. Otherwise, you will mostly find her in the Heads' office." Sunburst added. "But, Mum, Dad...I can't be around for..." Luster tried to tell her parents that she could not work as their assistant everyday, especially when she had to physically learn friendship with her best friends outside School, but her mother cut her off. "And if there's any trouble, and she's nearby, go to her and not through a long way to find us." The school bell rang, meaning that classes were starting. The students and teachers all departed the Main Hall, leaving Luster and her parents alone. "So Luster, now that we're the only creatures around, what should we do as a real family?" Starlight asked her daughter. "We already are a family?" Luster reminded, "Biologically a family, and, shouldn't we just be doing our work?" "Well, there aren't any events around the corner, except for a field trip that Professor Smolder and Professor Ocellus will be taking their students on...a few days later. So, we don't have much that we need to do, other than wait for some creature to tell us about an issue." Sunburst pointed out. "But, since it's my first day as assistant, shouldn't I be doing what needs to be done? As in, what I have to do?" Luster asked. Starlight giggled, "Oh, Luster, you really are so adorable, hardworking since little." "If you really want to do something, you can organise the School Library," Sunburst suggested. "School Library?! Oh yes! Yes! Yes! Why didn't you say so earlier?! I'm going to!" Luster announced, immediately galloping towards her destination. "And we're going with you!" Starlight cheerfully declared, causing Luster to halt. "But...but I can do it alone!" Luster complained. "It's a lot faster and better when you have more creatures!" Sunburst pointed out. "Fine, I might as well accept your help." Luster said in a depressed tone. The scene changed to the School Library, after Luster levitated one last book onto the shelf where it belonged. "There! The last Equestria and Beyond History book, with all the others, in the Equestria and Beyond History Column!" Luster declared. "And all we took is half an hour! Told you that the more creatures, the faster and better!" Sunburst proudly said, hugging his wife up close. "Now that the books are all where they belong, we can finally send some family time together!" Starlight cheerfully added. "But, I haven't got a hang of the role of assistant here! Don't you think I should understand it before I do something else?" Luster asked. "Oh, Luster! When no creature has problems, it's free time for us!" Starlight assured. "Then, I guess I can go back to my spell casting learning in the Castle..." Luster began, before her parents panicked a bit and Sunburst cutting her off. "No! I mean...you can chat with us!" "Spend time with us! After all these years!" Starlight added. "Well, I was indeed raised by grandpa Firelight and grandmum Stellar Flare in Sire's Hollow before the School for Gifted Unicorns...never having much interaction with you, except for when you visited me to show concern for me after learning about that age spell...so, I guess I can..." Luster began, before she heard a terrified scream nearby. "AAAAH! A cockroach! Some creature do something!" an Earth Pony filly shrieked, huddling close to her friends, as the large pest crawled towards them. Like a heroine, Luster rushed to the students' rescue and froze the cockroach, causing them to cheer and praise the new assistant. "You're my hero, Luster Dawn!" the filly exclaimed, hugging the unicorn. "She's a real hero! I mean...heroine!" another student reminded. "She saved us all from Eclipse Instant on her graduation day!" another student stated. As more and more creatures gathered around Luster, she nervously told them, "Thanks for he praises and complements, every creature, but, I'm only here to be the Heads' assistant. So, instead of worshipping me, you should just come to me if you have any problems, only when I'm near." "Then can you help us graduate?" a male zebra asked. "Can you help us learn better communication?" a dragon asked. As the students began asking more and more questions, Luster shouted, "Quiet! I will settle your problems, one by one, but if you are really lacking on your studies, you can go to Professor Scootaloo's classes for the students in need! All other problems that have nothing to do with lessons, is what I will settle." From afar, Starlight and Sunburst gasped to see their daughter so responsible and strong. After the students left, Luster approached her parents, "Alright, I got an after school meeting for half an hour, a short period of time that grants the students the chance to tell me all the issues, and then, when time's up, I'l solve them. I just hope that the issues aren't too difficult to solve..." "Well, great job on your first day, Luster! You're really making us so proud." Starlight said, trying her best to look grateful. "And you did it without any company! Looks like you can really do it...without us." Sunburst stated, trying to smile and not frown. "I can't believe I finally handled being overwhelmed by a crowd without any of my best friends! Although, I still loved their presence and company. Anyways, I better prepare a list for after school issue meeting! To write down all the students' issues!" Luster told her parents, "Meanwhile, I better clean the school, as well. I mean, with a cockroach that large around, there's no doubt that the place can be...a little dirty." After Luster was out of sight, Starlight panic-asked her husband, "What are we going to do, Sunburst?! We brought Luster so close to us, but still can't spend time with her, like a real family!" "Even if she works here, I don't think she will be interacting with us as much as we can interact with each other." Sunburst told his wife. "She's more focused on her work! Like...us." Starlight sadly stated. "Too bad she can't just sit with us in the Heads' office. With nothing else to do, unless there's a problem." Sunburst commented. "Hmm...you know what Sunburst? I think we do have a way to spend time with Luster!" Starlight declared. That night, during dinner, Luster Dawn's parents made an announcement. "Guess what, every creature?!" Starlight asked in a cheerful tone. "We decided to take Luster on a World Tour around Equestria and Beyond for the next few days!" Sunburst finished. "What?!" Falcon Dive asked, spitting out his soup. "A few days?" Nature Bloom asked. "World Tour around Equestria and Beyond?" Krona added. "But...what about your duties?" Evergreen asked in a normal tone. "You know, take care of all the students and workers?" Sunshine Rays pointed out. "All the lessons," Volcano contributed. "And the activities!" Alkali continued. "The facilities..." Buffer resumed. "All of the things that have something to do with the School!" Yellow Bright dramatically stated. "You have a job to handle them all!" Buffer ended. "I'm sure the School will be fine," Starlight assured, "It still will receive the same food deliveries, the teachers all can be trusted, lessons will go fine...no big special events in our absence!" "But what about Luster's role as your assistant?" Falcon Dive asked. "She just got that occupation today, wouldn't the students find it strange that she won't be performing her duties for the next few days?" Sunshine Rays questioned. "If you two are so concerned..." Starlight began in a rage of impatience, "You two will be temporarily in charge of the School!" The Heroic Ten asked in shock, "What?!" "The Elements of Morality and Selflessness are most likely the creatures capable of taking care of everything! I guess we don't need anything more!" Starlight declared. "You can't just any-o-how put some creature in charge of a school!" Volcano pointed out. "Volcano has a point! Heads can't just put creatures in charge of School!" Krona declared like a yak would. "Especially when it's creatures who don't even have a job like theirs!" Buffer continued. "And I'm not really available! I'm working on Rules of Real Good Story Writing, a guide to writing the stories some creature moral would write! I've been writing it ever since we returned from our adventure to help Grandeur..." Sunshine Rays began, before she was cut off by the impatient unicorn couple. "Can we please get some time with our daughter?!" Sunburst angrily asked. "When she came to finally live with us, instead of interacting with us, her biological family, she's been interacting with all of you!" Starlight pointed a hoof at the rest of the Heroic Ten. "Right now, fixing our relationship with her is what truly matters to us," Sunburst stated in a serious tone. "Being willing to make her even more important than our job, will truly prove that we do care about her, like real friends and family would!" Starlight declared. "But...the School!" Alkali cried. "What do you think will become of it without you in charge of it?!" Buffer asked. "That's up to you nine, who will take care of it in our absence!" Starlight coldly told the creatures, while leading her daughter out, "Come on, Luster. We're about to leave for our tour tomorrow!" After the unicorns left the Dining Room, the nine creatures looked at each other, with none of them looking happy. The next day, in the School of Friendship, the students gathered in the Main Hall, where the Heroic Ten, minus Luster, stood where the announcers would stand. "Good morning, every creature!" Falcon Dive greeted in an energetic tone. "As every creature knows, Krona and her friends here are the Heroic Ten!" Krona declared in third-creature. "Even though there's only nine of us, since Luster isn't here..." Yellow Bright nervously mentioned. "She and her parents have some errands to make..." Evergreen explained. "And they won't be back for a few days." Buffer continued. "And in their absence," Alkali announced. "We will be looking out for all the issues and problems here!" Sunshine Rays declared. "As much as we can, because not all of us are available all the time..." Volcano mentioned, taking out a watch to signal his teaching assistant. The school bell then rang, dismissing the students from the assembly, while Volcano told most of his friends, "alkali and I got to go! We still got to teach our students at Improvement Academy!" "Safe travels!" Nature Bloom called out to her two departing best friends, before turning to the rest of their friends, "I hope we can figure out everything that has to be done..." At Sugarcube Corner, Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich, with the aid of the Cake Twins, were throwing a party that was to be Luster's delayed cute-ceanera, since there was never a party thrown to celebrate her earning her cute mark. "It's really unnecessary..." Luster muttered loud enough for her mother to hear and hush her. "I'm sorry, it's just...cute-ceaneras are only for celebrating newly earned cutie marks! Not to replace one that should have been held a long time ago!" Luster pointed out. "As your parents, we should have been there to see you as a filly with your cutie mark!" Sunburst stated, levitating a photo of Luster when she earned her cutie mark, the day before the age spell. "Your grandparents took many photos of you and your cutie mark that day, and gave us some, they really were thoughtful." Starlight gratefully told her daughter. Luster groaned as she had to continue resisting the slight embarrassment of getting a delayed cute-ceanera when she was biologically a young adult. The next stop was Sweet Apple Acres, where the unicorn family sat down to have an apple meal. "Welcome every creature, for lunchtime at Sweet Apple Acres! The one and only time of the day when non-apples get to eat an apple meal, like they're in a restaurant!" Applejack announced. Big Mac and his brother-in-law Caramel then brought a huge table over, before Sugar Belle used her magic to levitate all the apple-themed food, placing them on the said table. "We got apple salad, apple cider, apple on rice, apple on noodles, apple on hay, apple in mashed potato..." "We can just come here anytime!" Luster whispered to her parents, but they were not buying it. "We can, but did we?" asked Starlight. "We didn't! So now we're doing it!" Sunburst told his daughter n a strict tone. The next destination on the unicorn family's list was Carousel Boutique, where Rarity, Yona and Sandbar worked and resided with their kids. Luster was soon playing dress up and photo shoot with her parents, trying on different outfits, and taking may photos. "You all looked absolutely divine!" Rarity commented, as she pasted one last photo in a photo file for the unicorn family. "Aw, thanks Rarity!" Starlight thanked her old friend. "Now, we can go to our next stop!" Sunburst added. "Fluttershy's Sanctuary!" Starlight announced. The scene changed in an instant, and the sanctuary itself was shown, still run by Fluttershy with the aid of her husband, Discord. Fluttershy introduced every animal in alphabetical order, like a welcome show for her visitors. "We have anteaters, bears, cats, dogs, elephants, frogs, giraffes, hippos, impalas, jaguars, kangaroos, lambs, monkeys, nightingales, ostriches, pelicans, quails, rabbits, snakes, tigers, uinta chipmunks, vultures, walruses, X-Ray tetra, yellow mongooses and Zenaida doves." Starlight and Sunburst applauded with Starlight exclaiming, "What a wonderful performance!" "That's one of the best welcome shows I've ever seen!" Sunburst added, "Right Luster?" "Yes, that show is...really spectacular...though it kind of reminds me of Nature Bloom's animals' performances... Luster murmured. "That's actually the basic animal performance. There are more animals than just the ones mentioned in this show." Fluttershy stated, "You can either see them, or pet and spend time with the animals." "We'll choose pet and spend time with the animals," Starlight replied. "Because we got a Wonderbolts show to watch later in Canterlot," Sunburst added. The scene then changed to show Luster and her parents in the special friends and family of the Wonderbolts sitting area, where they got the best view. Starlight tried to get Luster to cheer on the performers, but Luster gloomily commented, "They make me think of Falcon Dive and his flying skills." "What?! That is it!" Starlight angrily stormed off, taking her family with her. When the show ended, Rainbow Dash was surprised to see that her friends were not in the audience. "Starlight, Sunburst, and Luster left?!" Soarin approached his wife, expressing the same face she was having. Meanwhile, in the streets of Canterlot, Starlight told Luster, "You can't just keep on thinking about your best friends everything, Luster!" "There are a whole lot of creatures to care about! Especially those who are biologically related to you!" Sunburst added. "But, didn't we kept on saying what we are don't make us us, and who we are really does?" Luster reminded. "Well, yes...but, we really never spent much time with you, Luster! We just really have to!" Starlight explained. "And, we have a few days of nothing but vacation as a family! Come on!" Sunburst cheerfully said, dragging Luster with him. In a montage, Luster and her parents travelled all around Equestria and Beyond, visiting Cloudsdale Weather Factory, Appleloosa's town and apple orchard, Starlight's old village, Our Town, Luster's hometown, Sire's Hollow, the Harmonising Heights and Seaquestria as sea ponies, the Changeling Kingdom, the Dragon Lands, Griffonstone, Yakyakistand, and the Crystal Empire. "I don't see why I need to be here, I already met Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armor!" Luster told her parents. "But you haven't met their daughter, Ruler of the Crystal Empire, Princess Flurry Heart!" Sunburst announced. "Your very own father served as her crystalliser, you so should have met her a very long time ago!" Starlight told her daughter. The next second, the royal guards blew the trumpets as the Royal Family of the Crystal Empire appeared. "Your Majesties," the unicorn family bowed, before Flurry giggled. "You can stop bowing now, Madam Starlight, Mr. Sunburst, and of course, famous heroine Luster Dawn." "Luster, we saw you and your best friends not so long ago at the party in Canterlot!" Cadence stated. "So, why would you come to the Crystal Empire Castle to see us? It's not even one and a half weeks ago!" Shining Armor pointed out. "My parents wanted to spend time with me," Luster answered. "Like a real family!" Starlight added. "Spending a good, close time and having a good, close relationship with each other!" Sunburst ended. "But what abut the School of Friendship?" Flurry Heart asked. "We're sure it's fine!" Starlight replied, a second before Luster got a letter magically sent to her. Dear Luster, Sorry about ruining you and your parents' vacation, but it is really urgent! Professor Smolder unfortunately caught a cold and sneezed fire all over the school, Professor Ocellus has to take double the classes that she originally has, and has a crisis making sure every student is present, and some of the students ran out of school when it caught the fire mentioned earlier! To make matters even worse, no creature knows which students gone missing, because the students don't stay in the same class in this School! They only attend certain classes at certain periods of time! Please, if you can make it, help us! Signed, your best friends. Luster read the letter out loud, making the Heads of the School gasp. "Are you still sure the School's fine?" Cadence asked. "A sick teacher? Fire at the School? And missing students everywhere?" Starlight asked in shock. "If only we were there, we would have everything under control from start!" Sunburst added, dramatically . "Being in charge is actually very important," Shining Armor told the Heads of the School of Friendship. "And it's never about being able to do whatever you want!" Cadence added. "Ever since my coronation, I had to make sure every last thing in the Crystal Empire is checked!" Flurry Heart explained, "From the biggest castle and buildings, to the smallest shelter! Also, I need to ensure all the residents here are indeed, residents! If they ever moved away, or if a new one came in, I must know and ensure that they have everything they need!" "Over the yeas we were rulers of the empire and caregivers of Flurry, we never let our duties or jobs go not handled." Cadence stated. "Especially with all the different creatures, we knew we can't just leave them unchecked, even to take a break!" Shining Armor pointed out. "We know family and friends are really important, but we have friends that are affected by our jobs!" Cadence said. "And like true, good friends, we will never take a wanted break and ignore them, thinking that they will be fine in our absence," Shining Armor ended. "All the students and workers at the School of Friendship...they're our friends, too!" Starlight gasped. "And we just chose spending time with our daughter to save our reputations over their needs?!" Sunburst said, dramatically fainting. "We're horrible Heads and friends for doing something like this!" Starlight exclaimed in a panicked tone. "Calm down, Mum and Dad, it's not completely your fault." Luster assured, "It's actually kind of my fault too, abandoning the real best to fulfil some of your desires that aren't even good ones...and not pointing out your mistake when I knew you shouldn't spend this much time with me, nor show that you really cared about me that you don't care about your job." "And our decision to choose our job over raising you maybe painful...but it really was for the best all along! Look at what spending time with you and abandoning the School has done!" Sunburst pointed out. "But it's not too late to fix the damage!" Luster declared. At the School of Friendship, Falcon Dive sprayed fire extinguisher all around the school, while Alkali took the sick Smolder down to the catacombs under the school library, the one place with nothing for the sick dragon's fires to destroy. "Don't worry Smolder! Just drink some orange juice for Vitamin C, eat lettuce to help strengthen your immunity system, and have plenty of rest!" Alkali advised, a moment before another sneeze was about to happen. Fortunately, Alkali had a pail of soapy water by her side, which she held up and swang to toss the soapy water at Smolder's face when the latter sneezed. "Soapy water, totally alkaline! Weak alkali, that is! And...alkalis can kill germs, including viruses." Alkali told the sick dragon. "Acids can do that, too." Smolder sarcastically responded. In the school classrooms, Evergreen assured the students, "Everything will be alright, calm down. Panicking and running out will just worsen things as your teachers will have trouble ensuring all of you are alright!" "Good news, every creature! Heads are back!" Krona declared. Starlight approached the students, "Every creature get outside the School and in front of the Castle! Hurry!" Sunburst quickly did a count and check of the students' attendance, by asking their names before allowing them to ass him. Using her magic, Starlight found all of the creatures in the School and evacuated them, with Falcon Dive being the final creature to leave the building. "Where's Professor Smolder?" a student asked. "Don't worry, Alkali took her to the catacombs underneath the School Library, where there's nothing to destroy!" Volcano answered. "And Alkali always brings her alkalis with her, she knows how to stay clean." Sunshine Rays addd. "Where's Luster Dawn?" another student asked. "She's busy finding the students who ran out of school," Buffer replied, a second before Luster appeared with all of the missing students in Ponyville. "Luster! You're back! Is that all the students?!" asked Yellow Bright. "All the missing students in Ponyville, now to help Nature Bloom and Professor Ocellus!" Luster announced. Ocellus was waiting anxiously for help to arrive, just before she saw Nature approaching. "Nature Bloom! Thank goodness you came! I was just lucky that one of the unicorn students could magically send letters to the creatures they are for!" "Don't worry, Luster will be here to find the missing students, if there are any! Just, check who's here and who's not!" Nature told the cyan changeling, giving the latter a list of students' names. As soon as the changelings found out who the missing students were by marking attendance, Luster appeared and used a spell to find the missing creatures by scanning their names, and summoning a magical compass like their last adventure. After all the students were found, Luster and Nature decided to aid Ocellus in bringing all the students through the remainder of their field trip. That evening, Luster teleported the classes that went on the field trip back into the School, where all the other students were waiting. The Heads then caught every creature's attention, as they had a new announcement to make. "Good evening, students!, workers, and every creature. Your Head-mare and Vice Head-stallion, have something to say to all of you," Starlight began, before Sunburst took over. "We made a big mistake, thinking that showing that we care more about our daughter than we care about our School and job will prove that we are good, caring parents, but we were wrong!" "We have to do what is best for all situations! And we just let our desires to save our reputation as heads of a friendship school by having a good, close relationship with Luster, make us abandon every creature affected by our job. This is a mistake that we will never make again." Starlight declared. "And, even though it can be embarrassing, this incident of the Heads learning a valuable friendship lesson, will indeed be in the next textbook of the School's History," Sunburst announced, "So no creature will make a mistake similar to it." "I have to say sorry too, every creature." Harmony said, showing up, "I thought that our Heads' distant relationship with their daughter is a problem, which is the one thing that caused all this chaos today to happen." "Harmon, we understand that you're just doing what you think is right," Starlight assured. "But you're not completely to blame, it was our decision to go...crazy and choose spending a lot of unnecessary time with our daughter." Sunburst nervously chuckled. "And show that you care about her more than you care abut the School?" Falcon Dive sarcastically asked. "Willing to just let the School suffer in your absence?" Sunshine Rays added. "Not leaving some creature with good experience run it?" Volcano contributed. "When you really don't need to go on a World Tour with Luster in order to get close?" Evergreen pointed out. "And you almost let the School go from fine to disastrous!" Yellow Bright dramatically stated, before switching to a normal tone saying, "But look on the bright side, everything's resolved." "I understand that you have to build a good, close relationship with me, Mum and Dad, but it's not spending time with me so frequently that makes my best friends' relationship with me so good and close!" Luster pointed out. "Friends would usually have some friendly chats!" Krona began. "And listen to what each other has to say," Buffer continued. "If a friend is having a bad experience or being troubled, true friends will comfort and help them!" Nature Bloom stated. "And friends don't need to play together, nor be together all the time!" Evergreen pointed out. "Like the Council of Friendship, they can meet once every period of a specific time," Sunshine Rays gave an example. "And they don't really need to go through lots of action and adventures to build a bond!" Falcon Dive resumed. "Like every creature, friends can just have a slice of life, and talk over meals," Yellow Bright finished. "There's always room in the Dining Room, I'm sure we won't mind the parents of one of us joining us," Volcano told the Heads. "So...you're all alright with us joining you for dinner every night?" Sunburst asked. "And breakfast every morning!" Krona declared. "Thank you, Heroic Ten, we will like to spend time with you over meals, and improve our relationship with Luster, and all of you." Starlight responded. "And if you still want me to be your assistant, I accept the job, and will do my duty unless an adventure or need for the Heroic Ten comes up," Luster told her parents, causing them to giggle. "We understand Luster, and this time, we should be the creatures writing a letter to Princess Twilight." Sunburst replied. Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle, Today, we believe that we and our daughter Luster, have all learnt some valuable lessons. Luster learnt that no matter what, we must always choose what we know is the real best over supporting some creature's desires when the desires were not beneficial, even if those creatures were close ones. We learnt that lesson as well, alongside learning that if we wanted to show concern for some creature, we should have just spent free time with them, not spend lots of unnecessary time earned by abandoning our duties. This is a lesson that will be taught and reminded at the School of Friendship, so we an assure you, that many creatures will learn from it, and hopefully not make any similar mistake. Signed, your faithful student's parents, Starlight Glimmer and Sunburst The next morning, in the Dining Room, Luster's immediate family sat next to each other, chatting over their meal. "I'm glad that I'm finally working with you, Mum and Dad, even if it means we can't be together all the time there," Luster told her parents. "Don't worry, Luster, we still got time to chat on the way to work and back as we walk!" Starlight pointed out. "And we still got lunchtime in the afternoon to chat!" Sunburst added. "Tick tock, every creature! School's about to start!" Alkali reminded, holding up a watch. "School! Right! And I still got to help Cranky and Matilda's daughter, Harmony to make amends for the chaos yesterday!" Luster panicked. "And if you needed help, we'll be there," Starlight and Sunburst said in unison, as they surrounded their daughter with warm smiles. "Like real good friends and family would!" Luster commented.
7. The Lil'Heroic TenAuthor's Note The Lil'Heroic Ten serves as the seventh episode of the series. Summary: The children of the Council of Friendship, mostly Lil'Cheese, decided to form their own team of ten, with the aid of other classmates, after being astonished by the Heroic Ten's heroic actions. Featured Song: Try it Out Featured Characters: Lil'Cheese, the son of Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich. He is somewhat like the leader of the Lil'Heroic Ten, being the team's founder, and self-appointed Element of Leadership of the team. Big Sugar, the son of Big Mac and Sugar Belle, and the cousin of Sweet Caramel Apple. He is appointed to be the team's Element of Listening by the team's leader. Sweet Caramel Apple, the daughter of Applejack and Caramel. She has her father's coat, her mother's eyes and maternal grandfather's mane. Like Applejack, she is very honest, but unlike her mother, she could dislike certain work at times. She is appointed to be the team's Element of Integrity by Lil'Cheese. Sonic, the son of Rainbow Dash and Soarin. He has his mother's coat, and his father's mane and eyes. He is a minute older than his twin sister. Despite being the child of the Captain and Co-Captain of the Wonderbolts, he is not as interested as his family in being the best flyers, but he still loves and cares about them, supporting them fro time to time. Due to his known support for his friends, Lil'Cheese appointed him to be the team's Element of Encouraging. Rainboom, the daughter of Rainbow Dash and Soarin. She has her father's coat and her mother's eyes and mane. Like her parents, she has a dream of becoming a Wonderbolts since she was small, and she could be quite proud and loved showing off like her mother. Lil'Cheese appointed her to be the team's Element of Selflessness, believing that her loyalty matches the value of unselfishness. Screwball, the daughter of Fluttershy and Discord. She is inspired by the character 'Screwball' that many fans made to be the daughter of Discord and Fluttershy, most notably to me, DisneyFanatic23. Lil'Cheese made her the team's Element of Niceness, since kindness is known to be very close in meaning with niceness. Precious Treasure, the unicorn colt son of Spike and Rarity. He and his sister are younger than the rest of their friends by almost half a decade. Lil'Cheese made him the Element of Patience, believing that he barely gets angry. Sparity, the dragon daughter of Spike and Rarity. She resembles her father, but has eyelashes. She is the youngest among the Lil'Heroic Ten. Lil'Cheese made her the team's Element of Diligence, since she is usually very hardworking in helping her mother do chores or find gems. Muffin Whooves, the daughter of Derpy and Doctor Whooves. She has her father's coat and mother's mane and eyes. Lil'Cheese invited her and Bulk Junior into his and his best friends' team, so they could have ten members. She is appointed as the team's Element of Positivity, as she never let her mother's clumsiness affect her. Bulk Junior , the son of Bulk Biceps and Octavia Melody. He has his father's coat and eyes and his mother's mane. He and Muffin Whooves were invited to join Lil'Cheese's team, and became the team's Element of Morality, despite not being very good at being moral, since all the other positions were taken. 7. The Lil'Heroic Ten One afternoon, Lil'Cheese left Sugarcube Corner to meet his best friends at the Cutie Mark Crusaders' former clubhouse, which they donated to the children of the Council of Friendship. "So long, Lil'Cheese! Just remember the extra cheesecakes and pies in case some creature gets hungry!" Pinkie Pie told her son. "Don't worry, Mum! I got everything handled! Like you and Dad would!" Lil'Cheese called back, before leaving. Inside the clubhouse, most of Lil'Cheese's best friends were waiting for his arrival, before he opened and closed the door, "Sorry I'm late every creature, you know my parents, always..." "Packing the cheese and snacks for you? Including some pie?" asked Rainboom. "Yup," Lil'Cheese said, taking out the pie Pinkie gave him earlier. The door then opened a second time, revealing Sweet Caramel Apple and Big Sugar. "Sorry for being the last creatures here," Sweet Caramel Apple apologised. "We were on our way when we found this adorable little bug..." Big Sugar explained, before being cut off by Screwball. "A parasprite?!" "A what?" Big Sugar asked, a second before the parasprite got loose and wolfed down the pie in Lil'Cheese's hoof. "Hey! That's not how you eat pies!"the colt called out to the pest. Unfortunately for every creature, the parasprite multiplied into three, before wolfing down the rest of the snacks and becoming a dozen, that rushed out the open door! "Uh oh," Sonic muttered. After the series' theme song intro played, the children of the Council of Friendship raced after the parasprites, only to find that they were too late and the swarm was feasting on all the apples! "My mum and uncle are really gong to be mad!" Sweet Caramel Apple whimpered. "Screwball? You have a bit of your father's chaos magic, can you use it to stop the swarm?!" Lil'Cheese asked the daughter of Fluttershy and Discord. "I don't know! I never tried it on animals!" Screwball replied. Just then, a griffon swooped past the children, whom they recognised was one of the famous heroes of Equestria and Beyond. "Falcon Dive!" Precious Treasure exclaimed. "Move aside, young creatures, let us handle this!" Luster Dawn told the younger creatures, as she and the rest of her best friends raced past them. "What's with the harp?" Sparity asked Evergreen, who was levitating the latter's instrument. "You'll see later! It's part of the plan! " the Kirin replied, rushing off. Falcon Dive, being the lookout in the sky, scanned the area for parasprites, "Parasprites in the Southwest!" he called. "On it! Krona smash!" Krona declared. "Wait for me! You need some creature who flies!" Alkali called out to the yak. "Some creature handle the parasprites in the East!" Falcon instructed. "No problem, I know how to handle my smoke!" Volcano announced, taking off into the sky. "And to prevent them from going further..." Luster said, before conjuring up a large force field that surrounded a portion of the farm, "this force field will do just the trick!" Falcon Dive, being the only hero outside the force field, continued guiding his friends towards the locations of the parasprites, rounding them up to the location outside of the clubhouse, where Evergreen's soothing harp music was waiting to put the parasprites into a sleepy mood. "Sunshine, Yellow Bright, the parasprites near you!" Falcon Dive called. "Heard that and spotted that!" sunshine Rays called back. "An we'll have them rounded up, you'll see!" Yellow Bright added. "Nature Bloom, Buffer, the ones behind and around you! At your South, East West!" Falcon Dive directed. "Thanks, Falcon! We'll take care of things from here!" Buffer called. "Hopefully we don't have to hurt them, I never liked hurting living things!" Nature Bloom whimpered. "Stay strong, Nature Bloom!" Luster shouted, before resuming her role in the plan. Once all of the parasprites were gathered and asleep, Luster crystallised them, before taking down the force field, allowing Falcon Dive to regroup with every creature. "Well done, Heroic Ten! Now all we need to do is get these parasprites to see some creature who can train them to be less...harmful, and our work here will be done!" Luster announced leading her friends out of the farm. The Council of Friendship's children, who witnessed the heroes' actions were all amazed. "They were so...awesome!" Rainboom squealed. "They are the heroes who saved us and every creature from Eclipse Instant," Sonic stated. "And helped reform her, then Shapeshifter as well," Screwball added. "They even got to be in the most popular book, An Author Meets the Heroic Ten, True Story!" Sparity pointed out. "But, our parents, or should I say, most of our parents are heroes, too!" Lil'Cheese reminded. "Sorry Lil'Cheese, but their heroic days are all so long ago," Sweet Caramel Apple pointed out. "And with the Heroic Ten around, I don't see any reason our parents have to go back to being the heroes they were long ago," Big Sugar added. "They really proved themselves heroes." Precious Treasure commented, looking up into the sky while thinking about the Heroic Ten. "If only we can be like them. Imagine how awesome we would be, fighting pests, going on wild adventures, doing all those together..." Rainboom began, before being cut off by Lil'Cheese. "You know what Rainboom, you just gave me an idea! Back to the clubhouse!" Lil'Cheese instructed his best friends. Once every creature was in the clubhouse, Lil'Cheese began a speech, "Every creature, we all know and just saw the famous Heroic Ten in action back there..." "Of course we saw it! They saved my family's farm!" Sweet Caramel Apple cut off Lil'Cheese. "You meant our family's farm, Sweet!" Big Sugar told his cousin, "And can we please let Lil'Cheese continue?" "Sorry." Sweet Caramel Apple apologised. "As I was saying, the Heroic Ten was seen in action, and they really impressed us! I mean, now the only thing we can think about is them!" Lil'Cheese continued. "And they are so awesome! Just can't help but wish that we can have a life like theirs, going on adventures together!" Rainboom commented. "Rainboom gave me an idea: How about instead of daydreaming about life like those heroes, we make it happen!" Lil'Cheese suggested. "You mean...we grant our own wish?" Screwball asked in a confused tone. "More precisely, we will be forming our own team of the Elements of Purity, and go on our own adventures together!" Lil'Cheese exclaimed. "Hate to break it to you, Lil'Cheese, but that can't happen!" Sparity told the son of Pinkie. "What my sister meant was, we can't make it possible since there's only eight of us!" Precious Treasure clarified. "And as some creature who learnt Math, you should know the basics, that ten is two more than eight, so we are short of two members." Sonic added. "Not a problem, we have plenty of classmates, we can ask two of them to join us!" Lil'Cheese replied. "But still, none of us are experts at the good values that are the Elements of Purity, I mean, we never knew that your plan was going to happen! No creature has future prediction power!" Sweet Caramel Apple pointed out. "Don't worry, I, Lil'Cheese will handle all the problems, and we will have our two new members by tomorrow as we ask our schoolmates at School!" Lil'Cheese assured. The next day, during recess, Lil'Cheese had the pegasus twins to fly over the schoolhouse building, to look for two friends to add to their team. "Any luck finding just two creatures?!" Lil'Cheese asked. "Nope, most creatures hang out in trios or more than that nowadays!" Rainboom called back. "Come on, sis! We can't give up! It's for our friends!" Sonic told his sister, encouraging her. "Alright, anything for my best friends, as I'm loyal to them!" Rainboom said to herself, with a determined look on her face, before dashing off around the field, scanning the area for a pair. Soon, after a quick search, thanks to her speed, she found two schoolmates chatting. Racing back to her best friends, she reported, "I found two creatures! Muffin Whooves the Earth Pony, and Bulk Junior the Pegasus!" "As interesting as it is, they are children of our parents' old friends, too." Big Sugar commented. "Muffin is Madam Derpy and Doctor Whooves' daughter, Bulk Junior is Mr. Bulk Biceps and Madam Octavia Melody's son!" Sweet Caramel Apple honestly said out her knowledge. "And they're perfect to join us!" Lil'Cheese declared. The scene changed to showing Bulk Junior and Muffin Whooves up close, before Lil'Cheese approached them, "Excuse me? Bulk and Muffin? As you two know, I'm Lil'Cheese, and I will like to invite you two to a small schoolmates gathering at..." "Lil'Cheese! You said nothing about gatherings! Can't you tell them the truth?!" Sweet Caramel Apple scolded. "Sorry." Lil'Cheese apologised, before turning back to Muffin and Bulk, "What I meant to say is, I will like you two to hang out with my best friends and I after school, if you are available!" Muffin and Bulk looked at each other for a second, before Muffin replied, "Thanks for your offer, Lil'Cheese, but Bulk and I already have each other," "And we are good best friends already!" Bulk added, hugging Muffin. "But don't forget, that friendship isn't always just two; there can be many friends! Don't you want to experience what it's like to be in a group of friends and not just a pair?" Sonic asked. "This is your chance, if you accept it." Screwball told the two foals. "Well, now that you pointed it out, having a group of friends really do seem to be a lot better than having one friend." Muffin responded. "Knowing how much the Council of Friendship has been through as a group of friends, there is no doubt that being in a group is a lot better than being in a pair, so...as long as our parents agree...yes, we will join your group of friends." Bulk answered. "Great! Tell us when you get your parents' approval!" Lil'Cheese told his schoolmates. The following day, during recess, Muffin and Bulk approached Lil'Cheese and the colt's best friends. "My parents agreed, as long as I don't return home late!" Muffin reported. "The same thing goes for mine!" Bulk added. "That's super-duper! Now, all we have to do is something fun together to build some friendship, before after school meeting at the Clubhouse!" Lil'Cheese announced. "Fun? Like what? A game?" asked Sparity. "Of course! Who wants to play ball?!" Lil'Cheese asked, holding up the said toy. "But what kind of game with it?" Precious Treasure questioned. "All kinds!" Lil'Cheese answered, before a montage played, showing the children playing dodgeball, buck ball, and hoof ball. Soon the bell rang, forcing the ten creatures to race into the Schoolhouse. Once they were in class, the teacher, Miss Cheerilee announced, "Alright every creature, I got some very exciting news; Retired Head of the Equestrian Education Association, also known as the EEA, former Chancellor Neighsay, will be coming to our very school to share with us what the EEA is about, and most importantly, share with us what he learnt about friendship!" The students cheered to hear the news, while Rainboom whispered to her twin brother, "Isn't Neighsay the racist jerk who tried to close the famous School of Friendship, and tried to make it pony-only?" "That was before he understood true friendship, plus, he's now accepting towards all creatures, as species never mattered!" Sonic assured. "And his visit will be more than a visit..." Li'Cheese said to himself. After school, the children of the Council of Friendship gathered at the Clubhouse with their new friends. "Good afternoon, every creature! As you all know, we have two friends joining us from now on, Muffin Whooves and Bulk Junior!" Lil'Cheese announced, "And, since we've been inspired by seeing the Heroic Ten in action not so long ago, we decided to form our own team Elements of Purity!" "Wait, so this is why you asked Bulk and I to join you?" Muffin asked. "Just for the sake of having ten members in your team?!" Bulk added. "Now, now, things aren't what they seem at glance, so please, give Lil'Cheese a chance and maybe he will explain more of this," Screwball told the new team members. "Thanks Screwball, now I knew it seems like I brought our new friends into the team for the sake of having ten members, but there's more! We'll all benefit by working together as a beneficial team, just like the Heroic Ten, as true good friends!" Lil'Cheese announced, as confetti shot out in the background. "But how do we know that you really wanted Muffin and I as your friends, and not because you wanted to have ten members in your team?!" Bulk asked. "Easy, first by sharing with you, like friends would!" Lil'Cheese began. "And sharing doesn't just mean physical things, it can also be sharing the truth about ourselves!" Sweet Caramel Apple honestly explained. "Like the time Sweet and I rode on a buffalo's back in Appleloosa? That was a wild ride!" Big Sugar commented, causing every creature to laugh. "Or the time Sonic and I went along with our parents to a restaurant in Cloudsdale? We were so surprised to find out that instead of a family dinner, they were having a romantic date!" Rainboom added, causing another eruption of laughter. "An interesting time I can remember is, my parents taking me to an animal care area, for creatures to visit and are care of large animals that cannot be kept as pets!" Screwball stated, "It may not be funny, but all the elephants, giraffes and big cats really were amazing." "So, Muffin and Bulk, anything to share?" asked Lil'Cheese. "Well, my Dad once took me to the Spa for a tough message, but that...didn't go so well for me...I screamed like a girl!" Bulk explained. "Nothing much about my life, other than earning my cutie mark, and getting my cute-ceanera at Sugarcube Corner..." Muffin said, "But, now that I'm with all of you in this team, I'm sure that my life will be getting interesting, at last!" "Great! Anything else, or any creature else got something to share?" Sonic asked. "I have!" Lil'Cheese raised his hoof, before pulling out a pie, "Pie for every creature!" "Not me! Like my Mum, I do no eat pies!" "Don't worry Sonic, I brought you a slice of cake, knowing that you don't eat pies!" Lil'Cheese told him, giving him the said pastry. "Maybe you should bring cake instead?" Muffin asked, "That way you don't need to bring so many pastries!" Soon, after every creature was full, Lil'Cheese asked the team's newest members, "So, are you ready and more comfortable to really be part of this team, and have positions here?" "Already? We just joined officially today!" Bulk asked. "Don't worry, because every creature else is getting their positions today, too!" Lil'Cheese assured, before announcing, "Alright, every creature, now that our new members finally felt comfortable being part of our team, it's time to reveal the new positions! I, Lil'Cheese, as the one creature who came up with the idea, and had been leading every creature all this time, has decided that he will be the team's Element of Leadership!" "WHAT?!" Rainboom asked in a shocked and unpleasant tone, "But...but you only got the idea because of me and what I said! And you will never have found your newest members to make things happen if it weren't for me! Give some acknowledgement, Lil..." "Calm down, Rainboom, it's just a position!" Precious Treasure told one of his best friends. "And, it's not the end of the world!" Muffin added. "Not being able to be leader of our team doesn't throw away your chances of succeeding Mum as the Captain of the Wonderbolts in a distant future!" Sonic assured. "You're right," Rainboom replied, weeping a tear out of her eye. "Next, I have decided that Big Sugar, my 'distant cousin', will be our Element of Listening, since he has always been some creature who listens to us!" Lil'Cheese announced. "But...but I don't know listening as well as Buffer does!" Big Sugar pointed out. "Don't worry, you'll be there soon!" Lil'Cheese responded, before announcing, "Next, my other 'distant cousin', Sweet Caramel Apple, will be our team's Element of Integrity!" "Now we're talking! I totally am worthy of this position, being honest like my Mum!" Sweet Caramel Apple proudly declared. "Next, Sonic, for showing support for your friends and family, and even giving them the motivation they need when they need it, you are our team's Element of Encouraging!" Lil'Cheese announced. "Oh really?! I thought I will be the Element of Selflessness, I mean, I always care about others more than I will care about myself!" Sonic said his thoughts out loud. "Nope. You're more fit for the Element of Encouraging, and your sister Rainboom is more suitable for the Element of Selflessness." Lil'Cheese pointed out. "Selfless? But, I know loyalty! From my parents!" Rainboom complained. "The Elements of Purity make the Heroic Ten the heroes they are! If we want to be just like them, we need to follow them and possess the same values they do!" Lil'Cheese explained, "Now, Screwball, you are appointed as the Element of Niceness in our team, because niceness and kindness are similar in meaning!" "Well, that makes sense." Screwball commented. "Precious Treasure, you will be our Element of Patience, since you barely get mad." Lil'Cheese declared. "Well, I don't remember the last time I got angry, so...I guess you're right about me barely getting angry." Precious responded. "Sparity, you will be the Element of Diligence, because you always have the willingness to help and work for your Mum!" Lil'Cheese continued. "Really? Even though I dislike romance? Especially a lot of it? And never helped her arrange her rare dates with Dad after finding out that they were never divorced?" Sparity asked. Lil'Cheese nodded, before announcing, "Muffin Whooves, you will be the Element of Positivity, because you have proven to have the ability of looking on the bright side, despite your background of living with some very busy parents, especially a clumsy Mum...no offence really." "It's alright, Lil'Cheese, apology accepted, and I bet you will never make that mistake again, learning from it!" Muffin winked. "And last but not least, Bulk Junior, you will be our Element of Morality..." Lil'Cheese began, before being cut off by the white pegasus colt. "What?! But...but what have I done that proves that I'm moral enough for the role? Most importantly, I'm not as good as Sunshine Rays is at being moral! I don't even know all the rules! I don't know all the real rights and wrongs!" Bulk panicked. "Don't worry, Bulk, I'm sure you can get there, you got to try! We need an Element of Morality, and you don't have a choice! All the other positions have been taken!" Lil'Cheese pointed out. "What?! How dare you give Bulk such an uncomfortable position!" Muffin confronted the team's leader, "And appoint all of your friends everything except for the role of leader? How can I be so sure that we can trust you?!" "Was he telling the truth all the time, or wasn't?" asked Rainboom. "In this case, I don't think Muffin is a good choice as the Element of Positivity," Precious Treasure commented, watching the scene. "I honestly don't think that she's the only creature to not be a good fit with their new position in the team..." Sweet Caramel Apple stole the two youngest members of the team, pointing a hoof at Big Sugar. "I do listen to my parents, I do listen to my Aunt Applejack, the Leader of the Apple Family, but I haven't learnt to identify who to listen to when there is an argument!" Big Sugar told the pegasus twins. "And selflessness?! I am loyal to my friends and family! If I ever had to choose between them, that decision will be even tougher!" Rainboom complained. "Maybe you should just help the creatures who need you more?" Sonic asked. "You're right Sonic, but that is only if I can identify who needs my help more!" Rainboom pointed out. "And I'm not good at morality!" Bulk Junior cried. "No offence really, but do you think Lil'Cheese's decision wasn't the real best?" Sparity asked. "Now that you mentioned it, I totally realised it too!" Precious responded. Seeing how much chaos was happening, Lil'Cheese whistled loudly, causing every creature to freeze in silence. "Alright every creature, I know that we are on a bad start with our new positions, but I'm sure we can work out! Plus, we got an Element of Encouraging right here! Sonic?" Lil'Cheese gestured to Rainboom's older brother. "Yes, Lil'Cheese?" Sonic responded. "Our team really needs some encouragement right now. Give it all you got!" Lil'Cheese winked. "Alright, every creature! Since patience is one of the Elements of Purity, we should accept our ne positions and try to learn those values ASAP!" sonic declared. "Why don't we go ask the real experts and heroes?" Rainboom sarcastically asked. "The Heroic Ten don't have time for this!" Lil'Cheese told all of his best friends. "But, they will like to have their Elements of Purity values spread far and wide! Wouldn't having them to teach us be beneficial to both of our teams?" Sweet Caramel Apple asked. "Yeah, they can totally show that they are good and masters of good values if they taught us to be as good as they are!" Big Sugar added. "And we can really improve our friendship!" Screwball contributed. "And finally experience what being in a group of true good best friends is like!" Muffin ended. "Sorry every creature, but if we want to be like the Heroic Ten, we can't be learning the values from them!" Lil'Cheese declared in a somewhat strict tone. "What?! Why not?!" Rainboom demanded to know. "They didn't learn the values they taught! Those values aren't the same as the ones taught at the School of Friendship!" Lil'Cheese pointed out. "Ar you sure? Integrity is very close to honesty if you ask me, and my Mum, and those who know telling the truth," Sweet Caramel Apple argued. "Niceness and kindness are pretty similar," Screwball added. "Laughter is very close to positivity, and encouraging, I mean, we did see Madam Pinkie Pe being positive and telling us to be positive, and cheering on creatures, encouraging them," Muffin added. "Generosity can be close to niceness and selflessness, giving others something that belongs to you before you give it to them, showing that you do care about them more than you would care about yourself." Sonic stated. "But I'm not the generous give gifts kind! I'm action-and-adventure-loving, brave, speedy, awesome Rainboom! Daughter of the Captain and Co-Captain of the Wonderbolts, and I learnt loyalty from them!" Rainboom declared. "Come on, every creature! Let's just try this out! It can't be as bad as you all think it is!" Lil'Cheese tried to convince his best friends. "Nice try, but it will take more than that to shake us," Sparity told the team's leader in a sarcastic tone. "Sonic? A little encouraging help, please?" Lil'Cheese asked. "Sure! Why not?" Sonic replied. Before music started, followed by a song. Lil'Cheese sang, "Come on, every creature! This is not as hard as it sounds! No creature is born an expert, and I'm sure you'll come around!" Sonic sang, "The Heroic Ten never started out, being as heroic as they are now. Which means that they have developed, before creating what they created!" Lil'Cheese and Sonic sang, "Heroes never started that good! Neither do we, so it should be easily understood, that we can actually become like them, if only we would... Try it out! Helping others with their needs, showing the better way, doing all sorts of big and small good deeds! Try it out! As simple as caring about what we know, doing something to make things better, and letting our spirits grow." Lil'Cheese sang, "We can help with chores, or make some healthy food!" Sonic sang, "Or help them stay fit, by encouraging them to exercise as often as they could!" Lil'Cheese sang, "Being a hero isn't hard!" Sonic sang, "It is about improving," Lil'Cheese sang, "And letting others benefit from your doings!" All the kids sang, "Try it out! Helping others with their needs, showing the better way, doing all sorts of big and small good deeds! Try it out! As simple as caring about what we know, doing something to make things better, and letting our spirits grow." After the song ended, Lil'Cheese finally had his team members parting with him, and no longer complaining about their roles in the team. "Being selfless is actually awesome! I feel like a real hero helping other creatures!" Rainboom exclaimed, "Daring dives, swooping in, rescues...it's awesome!" "I'm more confident and comfortable with being the Elementals of Listening, as I knew that I did listen! Listened to my best friends!" Big Sugar added. "I may not know as much as Sunshine Rays about being moral, but I do feel that I'm getting somewhere!" Bulk contributed. "Now, is every creature warmed up to know our team name?" asked Lil'Cheese. "Wait. We never discussed about it," Muffin pointed out. "And the Heroic Ten had a discussion before they named themselves!" Precious Treasure recalled. "If we want to be like them, shouldn't we have a discussion like they did?" Sparity asked. "Oh...alright." Lil'Cheese sadly sighed. "We can name our team the Awesome Ten! Because we're awesome!" Rainboom suggested. "That sounds a little...too you, Rainboom." Sonic told his younger sister. "Our maybe the Children Ten? I mean, most of us are the children of the Council of Friendship!" Sweet Caramel Apple suggested. "Or maybe the Young Ten? Because we formed our team when we're...young?" asked Bulk. "We can't call ourselves the Creature Ten nor the Pny Ten. Because nine out of ten of us are ponies, and only one non-pony here." Sparity said in a grumpy tone. "Don't worry, sister, I'm sure you're alright, being the only non-pony and the only dragon, like our Dad." Precious Treasure assured his younger sister. "Well, since none of you have a good name idea, let me tell you my idea: We name ourselves, the Lil'Heroic Ten!" Lil'Cheese announced. "What?! Isn't it obvious that you named your team after yourself? Being the only member with the word, lil', in his name?! Where's your selflessness!?" Rainboom asked in a furious tone. "For the first time in months, I finally got a little mad and upset..." Precious Treasure stated. "Luster Dawn will never do that!" Muffin commented. "And she's actually chronologically younger than you, Lil'Cheese!" Bulk pointed out. "Sorry every creature, it's just that, we are still little when we formed this team!" Lil'Cheese pointed out. "Couldn't we call ourselves the Little Heroic Ten instead?" Sweet Caramel Ale asked in a somewhat sarcastic tone. "Now now, every creature, let's just try to be nice and give him a chance to explain!" Screwball told her best friends. "I know that this does kind of selfish, but it's the only one good name I can think of, and I probably am not the only creature with lil' as part of their name! And forming this team was my idea after hearing what Rainboom has to say about the Heroic Ten!" Lil'Cheese pointed out. "Thank you for acknowledging me at last, Lil'Cheese," Rainboom calmly responded. "And, it is shorter than Little, as in, the Lil'Heroic tEN!" SCREWBALL ADDED. "Well, since it's not that bad, I suppose I can accept it," Big Sugar stated. "Good, so, now that we're named, why don't we make a grand appearance like the Heroic Ten did?!" asked Lil'Cheese. "A grand appearance?" Bulk Junior asked in a confused tone. "The Heroic Ten made a well-known appearance at the Special Rainboom Connection Anniversary!" Lil'Cheese explained. "After they defeated Eclipse Instant and freed every creature from her spell," Sparity filled in. "But, didn't they only named themselves after their heroic deed that day?" asked Precious Treasure asked. "Don't worry, we already did lots of good deeds back there! All we need to complete our team beginnings is a grand appearance, before it's being like the Heroic Ten as they are currently!" Lil'Heroic declared. "But, being presented in front of all of Equestrian and Beyond?! Wouldn't that be...extreme?" asked Scerwball. "Don't worry, for creatures our age, we're not getting presented in front of the world! We'll just have ourselves presented in front of our whole school!" Lil'Cheese announced. "And are we going to graduate because of it?" Rainboom asked. "Most likely not! Are you crazy?!" Sweet Caramel Apple barked. "That does not matter, because, once Chancellor Neighsay... " Lil'Cheese began, before being cut off by Sonic. "You meant former Chancellor Neighsay," "Right." Lil'Cheese told Sonic, before telling every creature, "As I was saying, once former Chancellor Neighsay comes, we'll surprise him by showing how much we know about true friendship, like the Heroic Ten did!" "Are you sure that's all for a heroic deed?" asked Muffin, "I mean, the Heroic Ten saved all of Equestria and Beyond, and introduced the Elements of Purity in front of every creature. "Don't worry, I'm sure we can do something that affects every creature in our school, just like the Heroic Ten affected all of Equestrian and Beyond..." Lil'Cheese began, before being cut off by Rainboom. "Affected? Hello, they saved all of Equestria and Beyond! What's wrong with you?!" "Never mind, let's just do something good for the whole School that they will totally tell the former chancellor about!" Lil'Cheese exclaimed. "So, what will it be?" asked Precious Treasure. The scene changed to the next schoolday, inside the Schoolhouse, the Lil'Heroic Ten were having a talk with Miss Cheerilee. "What a wonderful idea, kids! Getting the whole school to. clean up the school before former Chancellor Neighsay arrives, he'll really pleased to see the students hardworking and thoughtful, and ice to him!" Cheerilee told the ten creatures. "And don't you worry, Miss Cheerieem because we know how we're going to get every creature to join in cleaning!" Lil'Cheese declared. Opening the classroom door, Lil'Cheese announced to the rest of his class, "guess what eery creature?! We're going to clean th whole School for former Chancellor Neighsay's visit!" "Isn't his visit not today?" a student asked. "His visit is tomorrow! And there's no time to clean the School then!" Sweet Caramel Apple pointed out. "Clean it yourself, if you want to! Spring Cleaning was three weeks ago." another student told the Lil'Heroic Ten, showing how unbothered she was too clean. "Are you sure you don't want to clean after seeing this?" Lil'Cheese asked with a smirk. "Come on, Sonic. Race you to getting the walls dusted!" Rainboom told her twin brother. "You're on, sister!" Sonic accepted the challenge, before they both picked up dusters and taking off. Precious Treasure turned to Sweet Caramel Apple, "Come on, Sweet, let's sweep the floors!" "You're on, Precious! I'l make way for you!" Sweet Caramel Apple replied, before telling the students, "Excuse us! We're sweeping this way!" "Muffin and Big Sugar, go on, the next part of the plan!" Lil'Cheese instructed. "Got it covered!" Big Sugar replied, before pulling a bucket of water as he followed Muffin, who was holding a mop in her hooves. They chased Sweet Caramel Apple and Precious Treasure, mopping behind the ponies in charge of sweeping. "Bulk, Sparity, you know what to do!" Lil'Cheese told the two creatures. "Of course, pour some soapy water," Bulk Junior began, before Sparity finished for him. "And wipe the tables after him!" Lil'Cheese then followed with an anti-bacteria spray in his hooves, sparing the classroom as he went. The other students were amazed with all the cleaning ten creatures could do all by themselves. Once they were finished, Lil'Cheese asked the other students, "So, what do you think about cleaning now?" "IWe were totally awesome cleaning the whole classroom in so little time! Unlike all of you!" Rainboom proudly told the kids. "What Rainboom meant was, you all can actually clean as good as we can, but you didn't give it a chance!" Sonic explained. "And for their hardworking and thoughtfulness, I decided to reward them with free goodies at the end of the week!" Cheerilee announced, making the other students jaw-drop. "Wait, Miss Cheerilee! We'll clean the whole school!" one of the students declared. "Oh, really? If you say so, you have to do it, today." the grown-up Earth Pony replied. "We will do it!" the students promised. The scene changed and the other students tried their best to make the whole Schoolhouse spotless, with the Lil'Heroic Ten watching from the classroom. "Every creature is really cleaning!" Sparity told her best friends. "Looks like our cleaning deeds really were a good encouragement!" Muffin pointed out. "But, what about all of our other deeds? The ones we did during the song that we sung while encouraging you all to take up the challenge and accept your roles? No creature seems to acknowledge them!" Lil'Cheese asked. "Well, most of them were done outside of the School, " Screwball pointed out. "So...I don't think that the School will hear of them!" Big Sugar added. "But, doing them is already good enough to satisfy me," Bulk Junior declared. "And, the whole School will be clean in a jiffy!" Precious Treasure commented. "All ready for the former chancellor's visit tomorrow!" Sweet Caramel Apple ended. Lil'Cheese's worried expressions changed as his eyes turned oval, while his ears picked up Miss Cheerilee's voice. "Nice work, every creature! I'm sure that former Chancellor Neighsay will be pleased to see the school all cleaned before his visit, especially when he hears that it was all of you who cleaned the place!" After Cheerilee walked away, Lil'Cheese told his best friends, "Did you hear that?! She said 'all of you', referring to the students, not us!" "Well, it does not really matter, we will most likely be praised like the other students..." Muffin stated, before being cut off by the team's leader. "Like the other students?! Hello! We're the one reason they have been encouraged to clean in thhe first place!" "I'm not so sure about that, Lil'Cheese. It seems like they were encouraged after Miss Cheerilee says that she will be rewarding us free goodies," Big Sugar pointed out. "And, isn't having done something good for real, all that matters to a hero?" Sonic asked. The other creatures nodded, but Lil'Cheese was desperate to find a way to get the attention the Heroic Ten did. He then overheard a conversation between the other students. "Come on, stop cleaning already! That spot's already clean!" one student told his friend. "What? But, it isn't shiny! I can't even see my reflection in it!" the female student the former was talking to responded. "It does not need to be! Plus, the only thing that can make floors shiny is floor wax! We totally don't have that!" the male student pointed out. "Hmm...floor wax..." Lil'Cheese said to himself, as an idea popped into his head. The scene changed to the inside of Sugarcube Corner, where the Lil'Heroic Ten were helping their leader's parents bake a lot of cookies for selling. "Thanks for the help, kids! And starting your own cookie-selling business will totally make us more free!" Pinkie Pie told the children. "That means you'll have more available time as you'll have lesser work," Sparity said in a plain tone. "Alright, now that we have the cookies, it's time for some decorating!" Lil'Cheese announced. The scene changed to showing a cookie up close, with Rainboom struggling to paint it with colourful icing. "I'm more into sports, to cookie icing decorating, or, whatever that has nothing to do with sports!" Rainboom complained. "Come on, sis! Just imagine it as a game of decorating cookies as fast and good as you can, and the winner is whoever that decorates them the best and fastest." Sonic suggested, encouraging his twin. Rainboom soon made whirlpool of rainbow colours on her one cookie, finished with sprinkles. "There! Finished in ten seconds, flat! I win!" "Actually, what I meant was, whoever can decorate the most cookies in the fastest rate, and decorate them well, wins." Sonic clarified, causing his sister to face-hoof herself. At teh same time, Lil'Cheese was performing clownish acts to attract creatures to the Lil'Heroic Ten's cookie sale. Big Sugar and Sweet Caramel Apple handled the customers, while the rest of their friends made the cookies. Soon, by sunset, the kids finished the few remaining cookies and looked at the money they earned from their sale. "Well, done every creature! We have plenty of bits! Totally enough for a container of floor wax to wax the school floors for the former chancellor's visit!" "Wait, we're waxing the floors?!" Rainboom asked in a shocked tone. "Does Miss Cheerilee know about it?" asked Screwball. "Most importantly, does she approve it?" Bulk Junior added. "It's going to be a surprise!" Lil'Cheese told his best friends, making their eyes widen in shock, as they shrieked, "WHAT?!" in union. "But you can't just go doing things without permission!" Sweet Caramel Apple pointed out. "Especially when you're a kid," Big Sugar added. "And not the creature in charge," Precious Treasure contributed. "Come on, I'm sure that they'll be pleased! I mean, all the floor wax does is make floors shiny, it's not harmful!" Lil'Cheese assured. The next day, an elderly unicorn knocked on the Schoolhouse door. Hearing the knock, Miss Cheerilee left the classroom to answer it, granting the Lil'Heroic Ten (who arrived to school before the other students) the opportunity to wax the floors behind their teacher's back. Rainboom, Sonic and Lil'Cheese waxed the hallway as fast as they could, using the floor wax that they had hid in their schoolbags. Outside the school, former Chancellor Neighsay waited before the door opened, with Cheerilee greeting, "Former Chancellor Neighsay! You're here! I told the kids that you would be coming! And they cleaned up the whole Schoolhouse just for the occasion!" The old unicorn chuckled, "Well, glad to know that they are such thoughtful, welcoming, friendly creatures..." The former chancellor slipped and slid on he slippery floor the moment he stepped on the area covered in floor wax, landing flat on his back, to Miss Cheerilee's shock. "Former Chancellor Neighsay!" she called, before she accidentally slipped on fell flat on him, crushing his body! "Some creature help!" the grown-up Earth pony shouted, after seeing the obviously not good condition the elderly was in. The Lil'Heroic Ten, hearing their teacher's cries, stepped out of the classroom, and quickly saw the commotion. "Miss Cheerilee!" the kids cried, before they ran to help her, only slip and wind up knocking all of them, and the old chancellor, out the building and down the stairs, worsening the conditions. Fortunately for every creature, Luster Dawn happened o be showing her best friends one of her latest spells in the Dining Room, while they were having breakfast with Luster's parents. "I figured that we really could use this spell, so I spent a while yesterday learning it, until I finally got it right!" Luster explained. "With it, I don't have to be the lookout in the sky so often," Falcon Dive commented, "Finally, more relaxing and free time!" "But, don't forget that you still have to do your job!" Sunshine Rays reminded. Luster's five-minute timer then went off, marking the passing of another five minutes. "Oh, Luster! Your clock is ringing!" Alkali pointed out. "Which means that it's time for another emergency scan?" Volcano added. "Right, hopefully, everything is going..." Luster began, lighting up her horn as she casted the spell, before sensing the commotion at the Schoolhouse. "Oh no, some creatures need our help!" After Luster teleported the whole Heroic Ten to the scene, Nature Bloom asked the hurt ponies and dragon, "Are you alright?! All of you?!" "Not really," Lil'Cheese gave out a nervous chuckle. Using her magic to levitate every creature in the pile-up to the ground, Luster soon found an injured former Chancellor Neighsay hidden at the bottom, to her shock, gasping, "Former Chancellor Neighsay?!" "What is he doing at the bottom of that pile?!" Yellow Bright asked in a shocked tone. "And that's not all, the school floors have been waxed!" Evergreen stated. "They are more than just waxed, they're like...over-waxed! There's too much wax!" Buffer told the others, after placing his front right hoof on the floor and retreating. "Why would the School be waxed in the first place?!" Krona asked. "I never told any creature to wax it!" Miss Cheerilee told the heroes. "She did not, but we did it," Sweet Caramel Apple told the truth. "We, ourselves, waxed the floors behind Miss Cheerilee's back." Big Sugar added, feeling guilty. "But, why would you do that?!" Nature Bloom asked. "It's all my idea," Lil'Cheese sadly admitted, "It all started when we saw you heroes saving Sweet Apple Acres from parasprites, and when Rainboom comments about if we could have a life like yours, I decided to form a team, just like yours! Having a total of ten members, each member representing an Element of Purity, doing good deeds, before doing a big, good one that will gain us the attention you had when you saved all of Equestria and Beyond from Eclipse Instant! We encouraged the other students to clean the School, but then decided to make it better by waxing the floors for former Chancellor Neighsay's visit, as a surprise!" "But you caused an accident instead!" Falcon Dive pointed out. "And if you are following the Elements of Purity, who is your Element of Morality, anyway?" Sunshine Rays asked. "I am?" Bulk Junior nervously showed himself. "How can he be moral, if he didn't point out your mistakes and wrongdoings, and horrible ideas?!" Sunshine asked. "That...is another mistake I made." Lil'Cheese scratched his head, before explaining, "You see, my best friends and I were short of two members, so we asked Muffin and Bulk to join us. Since all the other positions were taken, and gave Bulk the position of the Element of Morality..." "Seriously, going against logical sense?" Volcano asked. "That's so not what we heroes do!" Evergreen stated. "You can't just randomly appoint any creature unworthy of a position to have the position!" Alkali cried out. "I'm so sorry, every creature. I just finally realised how selfish I was, doing all of this just because I wanted to, and naming my own team, after myself..." Lil'Cheese sadly said. "Wait. A pony named Lil'Cheese, and a team named Lil'Cheese? Wouldn't that be confusing?!" Krona asked. "He named us the Lil'Heroic Ten?" Rainboom told the heroes. "Wait, he did?!" Buffer asked in shock. "That's not just named after him, it's also named after us!" Yellow Bright exclaimed. "I am really sorry, every creature." Lil'Cheese apologised once again. "Don't worry, Lil'Cheese, all is forgiven." an old voice said. Turning their heads to face the voice's owner, every creature gasped, "Former Chancellor Neighsay?!" "Thanks to my time reversal spell, I set him to the conditions he had before the accident!" Luster explained. "I know that every creature makes mistakes, and even though some of those mistakes can be big ones, they do not determine the said creatures' personalities. Of course, I can forgive you kids for what happened, but you must never make such mistake ever again, or some creature can really get hurt!" the old unicorn told the Lil'Heroic Ten. "Don't worry, we won't." Precious Treasure saluted. "And I still have to apologise to my own team, for getting them into this mess," Lil'Cheese told eery creature, before turning to his best friends, "I'm so sorry, every creature, especially for...somewhat manipulating all of you into following me. I get it if you want me to disband the team." "Actually, being in a team isn't bad!" Muffin assured. "But...I made all of you...involved in a wrongdoing!" Lil'Cheese cried out. "You're not the only creature to blame, we blindly followed you." Sonic pointed out. "But...it mostly won't happen again now that we realised that it was a mistake!" Screwball stated. "But what about the team? Do you still want to be part of it?" Lil'Cheese asked "As long as you don't do what is wrong, and...get the whole team into trouble!" Bulk Junior added. "I do feel good and fine whenever I'm with all of you," Screwball stated. "So, does that mean you feel bad and not fine whenever you're not with us?" Sparity asked Screwball, before the latter answered. "Obviously not!" "Being with friends on some action is totally awesome!" Rainboom commented. "And it's good to have some creatures to keep me company!" Sonic added. "I'm fine with my position," Precious Treasure said. "I'm grateful of mine, Element of Integrity, telling the truth," Sweet Caramel Apple contributed. "Since I became a bit better at listening over time, I accept my position, too." Big Sugar ended. "So you all...still want to keep your positions?" Lil'Cheese asked. The rest of the team members nodded, before Luster approached the colt. "Well, Lil'Cheese, now that almost everything's resolved, do you think you have learnt a friendship lesson?" "I have," Lil'Cheese replied, before the scene changed to show the Lil'Heroic Ten placing a mats all over the school floors, while Luster wrote a letter to Princess Twilight Sparkle. Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle, Today,the children of your friends have learnt some valuable lessons about friendship, alongside two of their friends. More precisely, Lil'Cheese was the creature who learnt the lessons. He would like you to know that he learnt that manipulating others is something heroes, and true friends will never do. He also learnt to care more about others, and not just about himself. While the rest of his friends most likely learnt that true friends don't blindly give in and follow their friends, true friends are friends who will try to ensure that their friends don't do anything wrong. A true friend supports you not by agreeing with everything you say, but helping you be a better creature. Signed, your faithful student, Luster Dawn
8. Something SurprisingAuthor's Note Something Surprising serves as the eighth episode of the series. Summary: Buffer's birthday is around the corner, and his best friends plan to throw him a surprise party the week before, but decided to ensure Krona does not meet Buffer at all for the time being, strongly believing that her integrity will ruin the surprise. Featured Song: Make a Wish Featured Characters: Terracotta, Yona and Sandbar's infant yak daughter who resembles her mother. Zenith, Yona and Sandbar's infant earth pony son with his paternal grandmother's coat, his father's mane and mother's eyes. Cushion, a pre-teen buffalo calf, and the younger sister of Buffer. Bulwark, a grown-up buffalo, the father of Buffer and Cushion. Mainstay, a grown-up buffalo, the mother of Buffer and Cushion. 8. Something Surprising Late one night, Falcon Dive raced Buffer through the Castle of Friendship's hallways, with the fast flyer coming in first place, as always. "And the winner is none other than Falcon Dive! Of course, that's me." the griffon said in a proud tone. "Falcon, it's really late, should we be sleeping by now?" Buffer asked. "Well, since it's near eleven, I suppose...that's enough. We should totally get some shut eye." Falcon Dive replied, after looking at a clock nearby. "Goodnight, anyways," Buffer yawned, before walking away. "Goodnight," Falcon replied, supporting his buffalo friend to the hallway that contained their bedrooms. However, instead of going directly to bed, Falcon Dive peaked his head out of his room to check if Buffer's bedroom door was closed, before flying off to the Castle Library, where the rest of their best friends were waiting. "There you are, Falcon Dive! So, is Buffer tired out?" Sunshine Rays asked. "Totally! He's mostly driven off to sleep!" Falcon Dive proudly declared. "But there are chances that he could wake up in the middle of the night, or can be sleepless right now. And if he needed to get a drink and leave his bedroom, he might discover that you are all having a meeting without him," Sunset Shimmer told the creatures, standing outside the Library doors. "Which is why we asked you to guard the Library entrance throughout our meeting, Miss Sunset Shimmer!" Yellow Bright reminded. "And as soon as we are done, you can return to your Crystal Mirror guarding job," Evergreen added. "Sure, I know that!" Sunset replied. "Alright, every creature." Luster began, "As you all know, Buffer's twentieth birthday is coming!" "And since twenty is two tens, and one decade is ten years, some creature that is twenty years old is actually also two decades old!" Volcano defined. "Right," Luster responded, before going back to her speech, "As I was saying, Buffer is going to turn two decades old, next Saturday!" "And because Buffer saved our friendship back there when we were in the catacombs underneath Canterlot, we decided to help him make his birthday party even more special!" Alkali cheered. "But how? Buffer probably already has celebrated his birthday over nineteen times! He knows what a birthday party celebrating his birthday is like!" Nature Bloom pointed out. "But not this one!" Luster declared, "Now, has any creature guessed why I told you all to come to this secret meeting without Buffer this morning when he went to the washroom, leaving us in the Dining Room?" Every creature thought for a while, before Krona asked, "Is it because Luster has something to tell every creature except Buffer?" "Half right," Luster answered. "Because you have a surprise for him?" Alkali asked. "Closer to the answer," Luster replied in a sing-song tone. "Isn't it obvious? With Buffer's birthday near, and a surprise for him, it's because she is planning..." Volcano began, before being cut off by Yellow Bright. "A surprise birthday party!" After the series' theme song intro played, Luster confirmed, "That's right, I have decided, that we should throw Buffer a surprise birthday party to celebrate him becoming two decades old, and thank him for saving our friendship." "Sorry to say this, Luster Dawn, but, I think Buffer already know that he's going to have a birthday party!" Falcon Dive pointed out. "Yeah, he already told our families to come next Saturday to celebrate," Sunshine Rays proved Falcon Dive's statement true. "Unless you erase his memory, he probably will not..." Yellow Bright began, before Krona cut him off. "Erasing memory is not nice!" "Don't worry, every creature, I already had this whole surprise party planned since the day Buffer sent those invitations!" Luster declared. In a flashback... "I knew that a surprise birthday party is not very unexpected, thanks to many stories about one. So I decided, that the only way a party like that will not be expected, is to throw it when the creature it is for will least expect it, which is a week before the day that a birthday party can be held. I made sure he does not expect it, by supporting his idea to invite all of our families over for his birthday party on the actual day, and delivering his invitations to them. But before I do so, my alarm clock went off, which was part of my plan to ensure I can get to my room with the invitations without any creature following, when I disappeared to the said location to stop the ringing, so I can alter the invitations to tell the guests to come the week before, in secret. And, to prevent Buffer from learning about it, I told the guests to send their replies to me and not to him, and I casted a spell on the mailbox so I can keep track of all the mail it gets, until all the replies came." Luster narrated her explanation as a montage showed what happened many days ago: During breakfast in the Dining Room, Buffer talked about having his birthday party, inviting the families of the Heroic Ten. Luster's parents, alongside the rest of the creatures agreed with him, and he was soon seen writing the invitation letters, before giving them to Luster to magically deliver the letters. Suddenly, an alarm clock ring could be heard, causing Luster to say, "That must be my alarm clock! But I didn't put any alarms other than the morning alarm...it could be broken!" Luster then teleported into her room with the invitations she was levitating with her magic. She turned off the alarm before changing the words on the invitations, telling the guests that Buffer's party was a surprise for him that she would be organising. She then sent the invitations away, before telling her friends that she fixed her alarm clock, and sent the invitations out. A few days later, Luster collected all the mail that were replies to the invitations, and told every creature that their families were able to attend the party, "Every creature! The replies to the invitations came! And most of our family members can make it! And, sorry about opening those letters without your permission, Buffer. I kind of forgot that I was not supposed to do that." "It's alright, Luster. At least you can tell us who's coming and who is not." Buffer assured. "You're right," Luster responded, before asking their best friends, "Now, who wants to hear the list of creatures who can make it to Buffer's birthday party?" "Maybe the list of creatures who can't make it is shorter!" Volcano suggested. "Alright, list of creatures who cannot make it, it is!" Luster replied. After the flashback ended, Luster's friends expressed shock to learn how good their intelligent leader was at coming up with successful plans. "Wow, that is...really unexpected." Alkali commented. "But isn't altering some creatures' letters, especially to the point that you made the receivers know that the letters aren't from the said creature, without the original sender's permission, something not right?" Sunshine Rays asked. "And, Luster was deceiving every creature! Especially Buffer!" Krona roared. "Now, now, every creature. Let's just accept the fact that nothing can be done to undo all of this," evergreen told the others. "But, Luster, if you had this all planned out since long ago, why didn't you tell us until the day before the night you told our families to come?" Nature Bloom asked. "I actually would tell you all my plan, but I was afraid that some creature will not be able to keep the secret from Buffer this long!" Luster answered. "Some creature?! Who? Me? Volcano? Nature? Sunshine? Falcon? Yellow Bright? Evergreen? Krona..." Alkali listed, before realising something, "I think I know who you're talking about." "Wait, Luster thinks Krona can't keep a secret from Buffer?!" Krona asked. "Well, now that we thought about it, you barely told a lie, Krona." Volcano pointed out. "Yeah, it's like forever since you last told a lie!" Falcon Dive supported Volcano's sentence. "Not to make any creature panic, but if you told Buffer the truth..." Evergreen began, before being cut off by Yellow Bright. "The surprise will be ruined!" "Especially after Luster worked so hard to make it happen!" Sunshine Rays added, before turning to Luster, "Still, I don't approve your methods to achieve it." "But...Krona can keep secrets a secret!" Krona insisted. "Without lying? That's...not very possible." Volcano stated. "Trust Krona, she really can tell the truth and keep a secret at the same time!" Krona pleaded. "I'm sorry Krona, but I've already planned that your role to help out with the surprise party is to stay in the Castle and mark the attendance of the guest. We'll handle the rest by getting the supply and ensuring that Buffer does not find out until sunset." "Cheer up, Krona! At least you don't have to avoid Buffer and feel bad!" Yellow Bright pointed out. "Unfortunately, I have planned for each of us to take turns being the distraction. And to ensure that Buffer will not be able to join us for breakfast next morning by having all of us to ensure he sleeps late tonight, while we use a special sleeplessness spell that Miss Sunset Shimmer showed me the other day! So we can all act normal around Buffer tomorrow, preventing him from suspecting anything!" Luster explained her plan. "That sounds like a well-planned plan!" Alkali commented. "Except for the part Krona can't see Buffer at all," Krona complained. "Only until the party!" Evergreen pointed out. ""Well, Alkali and I don't have to teach tomorrow since it's a weekend, so, we can help out!" Volcano insisted. "I may not be a fan of surprise parties fearing that some creatures can be sensitive, but knowing that Buffer isn't that kind of creature, I suppose I accept it," Nature Bloom added. "Me too, I would never want to let my best friends down!" Yellow Bright joined in. "Something like a surprise party organisation may not be any big adventure, but it can be one! I'm in for it, especially since it's the first time ever I get to do it!" Falcon Dive exclaimed. "I dislike the deceiving ways, but, for once, and just for once, I'm in." Sunshine Rays sighed, joining her hoof with her best friends' hooves and claws. "What about you, Krona?" Luster asked the only creature who was yet to join. "Fine. If Krona's friends insist." Krona responded, placing her hoof on every creatures' hooves and claws. "Operation surprise birthday party is in go!" the nine creatures declared in unison. "Now, knowing that Buffer is the listening expert who can identify if some creature is telling the truth or not by observing their expressions and tones, he will not be easily fooled." Luster warned, "So we must be extra careful while talking to him tomorrow..." The next day, Buffer yawned as he walked out of his room, Luster then appeared, greeting him, "Good morning, Buffer! Wow, you look really tired! What time did you sleep last night?" "Eleven plus, that's what. Don't blame Falcon Dive for racing me," Buffer replied. "Oh, Falcon kept you up late? Well, that's not very usual, but we know him, always wanting to get some exercise , probably just trying to help you get some too, so you can be healthy." Lustre responded. "What are you doing here? I thought you'd be in the Dining Room, with the rest of our best friends, as usual every breakfast and dinner?" Buffer asked. "Well, we were waiting for you, and since I can teleport, I came to get you," Luster answered, before using her magic to teleport them into the mentioned room. "Buffer, there you are!" Sunshine Rays greeted, the moment she saw the buffalo, after he was teleported into the room. "Sorry we ate our breakfast before you came. It's just that, oats are not good when soaked in milk for a long time," Nature Bloom apologised. "Long?! It isn't even an hour! It's just five to ten or fifteen minutes!" Falcon Dive commented in a protesting tone. "Anyway, here's your oats!" Yellow Bright told Buffer, giving the latter a bowl of the said food. "Thanks, Yellow Bright," Buffer responded, before noticing his best friends leaving the Dining Room, asking them, "Where are you all going?" "Well, we all got some things to do today," Volcano answered. "Totally! Today, I got to help Madam Fluttershy attract more animal care helpers to take care of big animals that cannot be kept as pets for most creatures! Next, I have to help Captain Rainbow Dash by encouraging her Wonderbolt Cadets, then I got to help Madam Rarity encourage more creatures to take Fashion as a job so all of Equestrian and Beyond can have enough dress shops and not...make fashion designers super stress with their demands when a time comes that they need formal outfits!" Alkali explained. "I got errands today, as well. You see, some creatures need to learn patience, and as the Element of Patience, I am the creature for the job!" Evergreen added. "We all got things to do, but mostly, at different times of the day!" Yellow Bright pointed out. "Well, if you all say so,I'll just go help Krona make some heavy deliveries..." Buffer stated, starting to walk out the door, before halting as Volcano told the former. "Actually, instead of delivering with Krona, we decided that you have to try to work without her," "Wait. What?" Buffer asked in a confused tone. "You see, most of us don't work side by side," Sunshine Rays explained. "Yeah, I totally work as a lookout all over Ponyville, and also, a protector and hero whenever disaster strikes. But when there's no disaster, as usual, I will be up in the skies without any of you accompanying," Falcon Dive gave an example. "I may have to read some books with Luster at times to find some good, moral lessons for my good story writing guide, but I still write the book alone." Sunshine Rays contributed. "I may rely on Alkali to ensure our students pay attention and learn from our lessons, but other than that, I work alone doing science, as my personal self-given job." Volcano ended. "We may like staying together as best friends, but sometimes, we can't be physically together," Evergreen stated the main point. "So, you must be ready for when the times come, that you can't be with your friends!" Yellow Bright dramatically added. "But don't worry, Krona may be busy with her deliveries, but you may run into us while doing yours," Nature Bloom assured. "Some of us, the chances of you running into me are not high," Falcon Dive pointed out, "I'll be high in the sky, looking out!" "Perhaps we have done enough talking, every crater? Because it's getting late!" Luster told her best friends, levitating a clock for them to see. "Sorry, Buffer! We got to go!" Alkali exclaimed, before rushing off. "Oh, and Buffer, don't worry about not doing delivery with Krona for the first time. It's just checking who the package is for, take it to their residence..." Luster explained, before Buffer told her, "I know that, Luster." Luster then teleported herself outside to have a last talk with the others, "Alright, remember, whenever Falcon Dive does the warning signal, it means that Buffer is getting close to something that can give him a hint to finding out our plan! And if Falcon Dive does another signal, it means that some creature is already handling it!" "Don't worry, I mesmerised those signals! Tilted eight and an upside down seven for warning and resolved respectively!" Falcon Dive assured. "And we all know what does signals look like," Sunshine Rays added. "Hopefully we will notice them," Nature Bloom contributed. "For the creatures who can notice it by being around, that is." Alkali chimed in. "What are you all chatting about?" Buffer's voice could be heard asking, startling his best friends. "Whoa, Buffer! You really startled us!" Luster grasped for air. "Sorry, my hoof steps are not so loud, should have known you couldn't hear them and will not hear me coming," Buffer apologised. "That's alright, all is forgiven." Evergreen responded. "And about your question earlier? We don't have time to answer right now," Yellow Bright lied. "But, I thought that you were all in a rush?" Buffer reminded. "Well, we were, but then one of us tripped on the other, and the rest of us gathered to check!" Falcon Dive cooked up a story. "Really?! Who's hurt? And, why did you kept on stopping for a while as you said that sentence? You usually would talk fast with no brakes when some accident or emergency happens," Buffer asked, before noticing every creature's anxious faces, asking, "And, why are you all showing those expressions?" Fortunately for the surprise party-planners, Luster hid behind Volcano and Alkali's large bodies so Buffer could not see her horn glowing as she was making a few illusions nearby, while levitating a small stone to hit him by the back, making him face the illusions of three colts. "We're so sorry, Mr. Buffer!" the Earth Pony colt apologised. "We were playing with stones and accidentally hit you!" the unicorn colt explained. "We never had the intentions of hitting you, and we will not play this around here, nor anywhere with creatures that can be hit by our stones, ever again!" the pegasus colt finished. "It's alright, young colts, I can identify that you didn't mean it," Buffer assured, having observed their expressions and tones. Luster levitated the stone that hit Buffer, at the same time she made the unicorn colt illusion's horn glow, so Buffer would think that the colt was levitating the stone, while telling the buffalo, "From now on, we're going to take these stones away from here. Starting now, goodbye and sorry about hating you! by accident!" "Don't worry, one apology is enough!" Buffer called, before turning to face his best friends, only to find that they had vanished, before facing back to the direction the colt illusions went, to find that the colts disappeared as well. Unknown to him, Luster casted an invisibility spell on he and her best friends, as they sneaked to Ponyville, hiding behind a house. "That sure was close," Yellow Bright heaved a sigh of relief. "Way too close, that is! I can't believe I messed up!" Falcon Dive complained. "I don't blame you, Falcon." Sunshine Rays assured. "But we have a problem, disappearing like that can make Buffer think about us all day!" Volcano pointed out. "Not if one of us convince him that everything is alright!" Luster declared. "Are you sure you can get Buffer to believe you?" Nature Bloom asked. "Well, I'm the obvious leader of our team! Why wouldn't he trust me?" Luster pointed out. "You do have a point," Evergreen commented. "Anyway, I got to get going, some creatures need my encouraging skills at work!" Alkali told the others, taking off. "And I got lookout watching!" Falcon Dive added, blasting off, before Luster teleported herself in front of Buffer. Buffer was walking towards town a moment before Luster suddenly appeared, startling him. "Sorry, Buffer. Did not mean to scare you by teleporting myself in front of you without warnings. And...I just came to tell you that every creature disappeared earlier behind your back is because they rushed off, and I had my own things to do. Which, I have to get back to right away, just dropped by for a second so you won't worry!" Luster told the buffalo, before disappearing. Luster then teleported herself to the Castle Library, where Krona and Sunset Shimmer were reading books, waiting for Luster to arrive. "I'm so sorry it took longer than planned! Things got really complicated, as Buffer figured that we were lying!" Luster apologised before panicking. "Luster, every creature could have just told Buffer the truth..." Krona began, before being cut off by the mentioned unicorn. "And ruin the surprise?! No way! Plus, now that he's probably doing deliveries and won't be thinking much about our behaviour this morning, he won't be any trouble for you Krona, as you mark the attendance of our guest inside the Castle when they arrive!" "But, Krona can keep secrets secrets! She knows how to avoid telling the secret while telling the truth!" Krona complained. "Sorry, it's just that...we won't believe it until we see it, and now is not a good time!" Luster replied, opening the Castle Library doors, before walking down the hallway to the Castle entrance. Meanwhile, at Sugarcube Corner, Yellow Bright paid a sack of bits to Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich, before the married party ponies gave him a huge box with a cake inside. "Alright, Yellow Bright! Here's the cake you just paid for! I think that you need a wagon to carry this oversized pastry to the Castle!" Pinkie told the yellow-coated Earth Pony. "Don't worry, Luster is on her way to teleport this cake, right around now." Yellow Bright stated, a second before what he said happened for real. Luster, having used her magic to teleport into the shop, approached her Best Friend, "I'm here! So, is the cake ready?" "It sure is!" Yellow Bright responded, before he and Luster heard Buffer's voice coming from outside. "Delivery for Madam Pinkie Pie and Mr. Cheese Sandwich!" "Uh oh!" Buffer's pony best friends gasped in unison, fearing that Buffer would discover them, and soon the surprise! "The extra Whisking Machines we ordered, Cheesy! They're finally here!" Pinkie squealed, opening the packages outside Sugarcube Corner after rushing outside to receive them. "Um...Madam Pinkie Pie? Did you see Yellow Bright in Sugarcube Corner? I thought I heard him saying 'it sure is', but am not sure who he was talking to." Buffer asked. "He's talking to us! Asking if something he bought from us is ready or not, and when we told him that it is, he repeated what we said, 'it sure is'!" Pinkie Pie cooked up a false explanation to protect the Heroic Ten's surprise. "Are you sure? You sounded little uncomfortable and nervous back there," Buffer asked. Nearby, Falcon Dive, who had been spying on Buffer, realised that the mentioned buffalo was close to discovering the surprise. Knowing that he needed to shake Buffer off, he quickly turned to passerby Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. "I totally remembered it wrongly! I do tend to forget my own birthday, after all!" Pinkie Pie tried to prevent buffer's suspicions from growing. "Oh, really? I doubt that something like what happened a few minutes ago can be forgotten that fast!" Buffer protested, before hearing Diamond Tiara call out to him. "There you are, Mr. Buffer! What explains the deliveries today being very slow?!" "Yeah, Diamond Tiara and I have actually ordered some packages, that we are yet to get!" Silver Spoon added. Seeing that the two mares were going to keep Buffer busy and distracted, Falcon Dive did the upside down seven flight pattern after whispering to himself, "That will keep him busy!" Meanwhile, inside the Castle of Friendship, Luster heaved a sigh of relief, as she told Krona, "Good thing Yellow Bright told Madam Pinkie Pie and Mr. Cheese Sandwich to keep the cake and surprise party a secret, otherwise it'd be ruined back there!" "Krona already tried to tell you, tell Buffer the truth!" Krona repeated what she tried to say. "What?! No way! Plus, Buffer can already be getting suspicious, we better get everything ready and keep him away from the Castle until the party!" Luster declared. The scene change back to showing Buffer's conversation with the two mares. "I may be delivering without Krona beside me for the first time, but I'm still delivering at my usual constant pace!" Buffer explained. "Oh, really? If you are delivering at your constant pace, why are you still talking right now?" Diamond Tiara asked. "Wait. Why am I still talking right now?!" Buffer asked in a panicked tone. "And not to mention, that we didn't see Miss Krona around, so you better double your speed and pick up the pace!" Silver Spoon added. "Wait, you didn't see Krona around?" Buffer asked. "What are you still standing here for?!" Diamond Tiara roared, "Just get delivering!" After Buffer rushed off, Falcon Dive approached the mares, "Thanks for helping me throw Buffer off his conversation with Sugarcube Corner's workers. But, unfortunately, you did not do a totally good job, saying that Krona was not seen around!" "What are you talking about? We only said that we did not see her around!" Silver Spoon pointed out. "But that can make Buffer suspicious! He's the Element of Listening for creature sake!" Falcon Dive argued. "And?" Diamond Tiara asked. "Don't you get it?! He'll think about what he heard you say! He'll brainstorm why you said that, and soon form a chain of thought, that can make him realise that Krona is not doing delivery today!" Falcon Dive responded in a gradually getting louder tone, that multiple creatures nearby could hear. "Wait. What?!" Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon asked in unison, making Falcon Dive gulp and nervous chuckle, before the screen faded black. After the screen regained its colours, Silver Spoon angrily approached Falcon Dive, causing him to back off a bit. "Falcon Dive, you told us to ask Buffer why deliveries aren't delivered at the rate they used to be!" Silver Spoon angrily reminded the griffon. "And that's really not because of Buffer, but because of Krona?!" Diamond Tiara roared. "Well, it's a really long story that I cannot tell right now, unfortunately..." Falcon Dive nervously chuckled. "You'll pay for this, Falcon Dive!" Diamond Tiara scolded. The sound of bits could be heard hitting the ground, causing the two mares to look down at the bits the griffon just dropped, telling them, "Here you go, the bits to pay! Now I got to go. Hopefully paying you will set things right between us!" After finishing his sentence, Falcon Dive took off at a high speed, asking himself, "Why did I said all that?! I really am an out-of-control web-of-lies maker! Making just that! Plus, failed to keep an eye on Buffer for the whole day until the party! I got to quickly find him and hopefully signal if he gets close to finding a clue that can expose the surprise!" At Ponyville Bookstore, Sunshine Rays was purchasing sa few books and banner that was meant to be for Buffer's surprise birthday party. She walked out of the building, where she coincidently bumped into Buffer. "Sunshine! What are you doing here? And is that a...banner?" Quickly picking up the books and banner she dropped when she collided with her Best Friend, Sunshine Rays replied, "A banner? Your eyes could be playing tricks on you. It's just a blank long sheet of paper." "Really? I never remembered any paper like that being sold here, especially when I do deliveries and delivered the things here with Krona," Buffer stated. Realising that Sunshine Rays could use help, Falcon Dive quickly did the tilted eight signal, which Luster Dawn saw while buying apples at Sweet Apple Aces from Applejack and the farmer's husband Caramel. "Oh great. What now?" she groaned, teleporting herself to the location. "Buffer, shouldn't you get back to your deliveries? They aren't going to deliver themselves, you know!" Sunshien Rays pointed out. "Oh, right. Sorry, I just kept on getting distracted today," Buffer replied, before pulling his cart of deliveries off. Luste then appeared in front of Sunshine Rays, telling the pegasus, "I came here as fast as I could! Is everything al..." "Don't worry, it's alright." Sunshine Rays assured. "Actually, everything is not alright," Falcon Dive admitted, "Buffer can actually find out that Krona isn't doing deliveries today and..." "Brainstorm about it? Think about why we were not telling him the truth?!" Luster finished for the griffon, causing the latter to nervous laugh. "Alright, now we really got to be careful, we can't tell lies to Buffer, or he'll think that we're up to something!" Sunshine Rays declared. "Volcano and Yellow Bright are handling the food, Nature Bloom and her animals are doing the decorating, all is left is the guests, shouldn't be that much trouble." Luster figured. "Don't forget that Alkali will be getting some costumes from Madam Rarity for the party!" Sunshine Rays reminded. "And, trying to decrease Buffer's suspicions!" Falcon Dive added, "I mean, we were not good at keeping secrets from him! He can tell that we're lying!" "And since he never saw Krona back there, he has every reason to think that there is something weird and unusual going on," Luster ended. In the Castle Kitchen, Volcano used his fire breath to instantly warm up the food that Yellow Bright made. After finishing with the heating, Volcano called to Krona, "Krona! Food is ready! You can pick it up to the hallway where the party will be!" "Of course Krona knows that, Volcano." Krona replied plainly, entering the room and pulling the food wagon out. "You're not upset about not getting to see Buffer this morning, are you?" Yellow Bright asked. "Krona never got to show that she can keep secrets! Even from a Best Friend like Buffer!" Krona sadly cried out. "Sorry Krona, it's not that we don't believe you, it's just that, we don't want to take risks." Volcano explained. "Risks? As if Buffer's surprise birthday party is everything that matters!" Krona huffed. "It's what matters to them now, but it won't when the party really starts!" Yellow Bright trie to cheer his best friendnd up by his usual method of mentioning a positive outcome, but it did not work on Krona. "Don't need to try cheering Krona up, Yellow Bright. She can handle it." the yak sadly said, pulling the wagon of food to the hallway. Meanwhile, in Ponyville Post Office, Buffer eventually discovered his best friends' earlier lies. "Alright, every creature! I'm finished with the earlier batch of deliveries, and now I'm ready for more!" the buffalo greeted his fellow workmates. "There you are, Buffer! Chop chop, we don't have time!" Featherweight, one of the workers, told Buffer, giving the latter a load of packages, "You and the other package delivery creatures will unfortunately have more packages to deliver today." "Really? Why? Is it because there are more packages than usual?" Buffer asked. Featherweight shook his head, "No, it isn't. It's because your Best Friend, Krona did not come at all! Your best friends told us that Krona will be busy today with something else." "Wait. What?! But they told me that Krona started delivering packages before I do!" Buffer said his thoughts out loud, before gasping, "They lied to me!" Outside the Post Office, Falcon Dive whimpered to see and overhear the whole thing. He quickly made a crash noise outside the Post Office for Buffer to hear and get distracted by, and dashed off to warn the others about Buffer's recent discovery. At the Castle of Friendship entrance, Krona welcomed her distant relative Yona, and the latter's family. "Yona! Distant relative, Krona glad to see you again! And Sandbar, and your babies, Terracotta and Zenith." "Great to see you too, Krona!" Yona happily greeted back, "Great to see you as always, distant relative!" "Are we early? If we are, we are willing to help," Sandbar asked. "Sure! Of course Yona and Sandbar can help! With the food...or games..." Krona suggested, a second before Falcon Dive crashed in. "Sorry every creature, but it's an emergency! Is Luster around here?" the griffon asked. "If it's an emergency, why didn't Falcon do the signal?" asked Krona. "Because I really forgot and messed up?" Falcon Dive nervously chuckled. "Messed what up?" Yona asked. "Well, did Luster ever told you that Buffer's surprise party today is a surprise?!" Falcon Dive asked. "Oh, right!" Sandbar replied. "That doesn't matter now! Protect the surprise!" Krona reminded the griffon, alarming him to do the tilted eight signal, only this time, it was a lot bigger than the previous ones, meaning that it was a big emergency. Seeing the signal, most of the creatures rushed to the Castle of Friendship, while Evergreen, who was at the Train Station when Buffer's family arrived, expressed anxiousness. "Is everything alright, Evergreen?" Buffer's younger sister, Cushion asked. "Well, I just decided that you should...take a quick tour around Ponyville before going to the Castle of Friendship!" the Kirin replied. "Thanks for the suggestion Evergreen, we can use a walk after sitting in the train," Buffer's father, Bulwark replied. "And we can't wait for the party!" Buffer's mother Mainstay added. "Can you please don't mention anything about the party?" Evergreen asked. "Oh, right. It is a surprise for my big brother!" Cushion exclaimed. "And surprises are ruined when found out before it can even happen!" Evergreen pointed out. The scene then changed to the show what was happening in front of the Castle of Friendship, with the creatures gathering. "Did Buffer came here?" Luster asked before gasping, "Did he find out about the surprise?!" "Nope, he is not here,..."Falcon Dive answered. "But if he isn't here, why did you do the signal here?" Volcano asked. "Wasn't the plan as clear as day?" Yellow Bright added. "You only do the signals in the areas Buffer is when he's close to finding a clue?" Sunshine Rays reminded. "Sorry about all that..." Falcon Dive scratched his head with his right claw, before telling his best friends, "But that's not the problem. The real problem is, Buffer found out that we were lying to him in the morning! He knows that Krona did not do deliveries at all today!" The creatures gasped with Nature Bloom saying, "There's no doubt that he will find out about the other lies," "And then the surprise party!" Luster ended. "Worst of all, the guests don't have Falcon Dive to guide them away from Buffer!" Volcano pointed out. "Well, Krona's distant relatives are guests, and they won't be in trouble; they're inside the Castle right now!" Krona told her best friends, joining their conversation. "Krona! Shouldn't you be inside making sure that our guests stay out of Buffer's sight?" Yellow Bright asked. "And marking their attendance?" Nature Bloom added. "Sorry, it's just that Krona think that she can help best friends protect..." Krona began, before being cut off by Sunshine Rays. "The secret? We already talked about it a hundred times!" "Your integrity can ruin it!" Luster added, before they heard Buffer's voice could be heard asking them, "Ruin what?" The creatures turned to see their buffalo Best Friend, right behind their group conversation. "Buffer! What are you doing here? Got any deliveries for us?" Luster asked. "No, no deliveries for you." Buffer replied, before being cut off by Yellow Bright. "Wait. Is that a no we don't have deliveries, or a no no deliveries, so that means we do have deliveries?" "That's a little confusing," Nature Bloom commented the question. "You do not have any deliveries," Buffer answered the question, before confronting his best friends, "But I do have something to deliver to you: Some questions! Why did you lie to me about Krona doing deliveries before I do, when she really was not?!" "Well...we thought she was?" Falcon Dive lied. "You sound very nervous, are you hiding something from me?" Buffer asked. "Hiding something? What are you talking about?" Sunshine Rays asked, pretending to not know what the buffalo was talking about. "Sunshine, you seem to be lying to me again, just like you did at the Book Store," Buffer responded. "It's outside the Book Store, and you should get back to your delivering deliveries job, especially since you got that wagon of packages!" Sunshine Rays corrected and suggested. "Sorry, Sunshine, but I'm not letting that distract me again. You all are hiding something from me," Buffer confronted. "What makes you think that?" Volcano asked. "Well, you all had breakfast without me this morning, something you would barely do." Buffer began. "We're so sorry about that!" Nature Bloom apologised. "You all had a conversation without me and Krona, and then all disappeared behind my back?" Buffer reminded. "Well, we were in a rush!" Falcon Dive answered with a lie. "And I already told you that everything's fine! We were busy!" Luster added. "But what about Madam Pinkie Pie and Mr. Cheese Sandwich? They seemed to be hiding something from me, when I asked them about Yellow Bright at Sugarcube Corner." Buffer questioned. "It was a question that they don't want to answer?" Yellow Bright answered in a gradually becoming high-pitch tone. "And why would they not want to answer that?" Buffer asked. "Because they don't want to?" Yellow Bright gave a silly answer, but it did not stop Buffer from interrogating the team. "Yellow Bright, you barely answer questions like that! What is going on with every creature?!" Buffer continued asking. The nervous creatures gulped, before Krona stepped up, "Alright, if Buffer wants a good answer, Krona is going to give him one." "What?! Krona, NO!" Luster blocked. "Krona has had enough of this, best friends!" Krona announced, making them gasp, before she began,"The only reason the Heroic Ten have been hiding things from Buffer all day is because they're hiding a certain truth that they don't want Buffer to know!" Nature Bloom fainted while the rest of the creatures were overwhelmed by Krona's betrayal, as the screen turned black. "The truth is..." Krona and Buffer's best friends expressed extreme anxiousness as Krona was close to saying what she was going to say, "Better off being told later than now. Truths are best when told at the right time!" The creatures gasped to see that Krona not only told the truth, but kept their secret from Buffer. "But, what about you and the deliveries? And everything else?" Buffer asked. "Those are better when explained later!" Krona declared, "Right now, Krona got to do something that she will tell Best Friend later." "Alright," Buffer responded, "Good to know that you are going to tell me the truth after all!" "And this time, Krona's helping Buffer with deliveries! Delivering together! Like always," Krona declared, lifting some of the packages on her back. After Buffer and Krona were out of sight, the creatures were still shocked to see what went down. "Wow, Krona was right all along. She can keep secrets while telling the truth!" Luster said her thoughts out loud. "She was really good at it! I mean, she protected the secret better than we can!" Falcon Dive commented. "But we doubted her and never gave her a chance," Sunshien Rays sadly added, causing the others to express guilt as they agreed. "We have to make it up to her!" Nature Bloom figured. "And I think I know just what can do it!" Luster declared. That evening, Krona and Buffer finally returned to their residence after their long day. "Thanks for helping me with the deliveries again, Krona. And assuring me that the truth that our best friends are hiding from me isn't nasty." Buffer thanked his delivery parter. "That's alright, Buffer! They know that there's a right time for everything, like Evergreen always say! So they kept the truth a secret from you until the time is right!" Krona responded. "So, when is the time right?" Buffer asked. "Be patient and wait, Buffer! Like what Evergreen always say!" Krona answered, before opening the Castle of Friendship's doors, revealing a well-fitted hallway with decorations, a feast and a lot of creatures who exclaimed, "Surprise! Happy birthday Buffer!" "What?" Buffer asked, jaw-dropping. "Happy birthday, big brother!" Cushion hugged her older brother, as their friends and family gathered around them. "I don't get it: I sent invitations for them to come to my birthday party next week!" Buffer said his thoughts out loud. "Actually, Buffer. I planned a surprise party for you the whole time, hoping that it can make your twentieth birthday special," Luster admitted. "Especially after how you saved our friendship back there in the catacombs underneath Canterlot!" Evergreen added. "And you will never believe how she did it," Sunshine Rays contributed. "You see, I completely changed the invitation letters and sent them so every creature will come for your surprise party and not your originally planned party. And made sure you don't get your replies by telling the guests to send me the replies, and I lied to you the day I announced who can't make it. Last night, I got our best friends keeping you up late while I casted a sleeplessness spell on myself and the others, so we can go through a plan to prepare your surprise birthday party today. I really am sorry for deceiving you." Luster explained, hanging her head low. "Don't worry, Luster. Apology accepted, and I can't believe that you all managed to prevent me from suspecting this!" Buffer exclaimed. "It is actually all thanks to the surprisingly good secret-keeper that the surprise is saved!" Alkali told the buffalo. "And that is none other then..." Volcano began, before saying in unison with the rest of his best friends, minus Buffer and a certain yak. "Krona!" Buffer turned to see the mentioned yak, to his surprise, she had changed into a shimmering, sparkly formal dress. "Krona?" Buffer asked. "Krona may be tough and full of integrity, but she is surprisingly full of surprises!" Krona proudly declared. "And Krona, we ae still really sorry about not giving you a chance to talk to Buffer today, " Luster apologised. "We all are sorry," Nature Bloom added. "It's alright, best friends. Krona loves telling the truth, but she would not tell every creature all the truths she know! She will never tell the public all the identity stuff the security guards will ask for!" Krona responded. "You do have a good point," Yellow Bright commented. "Can't believe we never thought of it!" Falcon Dive scratched his head. "That's alright, because we have learnt our lesson,"Evergreen pointed out. "And we will report it to Princess Twilight Sparkle, right away!" Luster announced, levitating a quip and a scroll. Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle, Today, most of my best friends and I learnt a valuable thing or two about friendship. Just because a friend is some creature who barely lies does not mean that they are not good at keeping secrets! They can have the ability in them, that can only show if you gave them the chance! Krona really proved that there is a way to keep surprises a secret without lying: telling the creature that the surprise is for that the truth is better told later, as there is a right time for everything. The most surprising thing we have learnt is indeed Krona's unique, unexpected ability to tell the truth but not a secret that is aimed to be kept unknown to others. From this experience, we learnt that those who are honest and full of integrity, really are trustworthy. Signed, your faithful student, Luster Dawn. After finishing the letter and using her magic to send it away, Luster and her bets friends joined the festivities, as Pinkie Pie performed an extended and a bit altered version of the song, 'Make a Wish' for the birthday party's owner. "Get your hooves and claws up, party's starting out right now Every creature, every creature get down Time to make a wish, better make it right now It's been a year and today is your birthday party Make a wish, it's your birthday Make a wish, it's your birthday party Make a wish, it's your birthday Make a wish, it's your birthday party Aw oh Aw aw aw oh oh Aw aw oh Aw uh uh aw oh Aw oh Aw oh aw aw oh Started out great and it just got better Every day you learned a little bit more Time to celebrate, now we're all together And in a year, we can see what you wished for Close your eyes and concentrate My little pony friends, uh uh aw oh Think all the wishes you can make Why should it ever have to end? Make a wish, it's your birthday Make a wish, it's your birthday party Make a wish, it's your birthday Make a wish, it's your birthday party Aw oh Aw aw aw oh oh Aw aw oh Let's celebrate your birthday Aw oh Aw oh aw aw oh Let's celebrate your birthday party! YAY!!!" After the song, every creature ate a slice of the cake, with some of them wearing costumes, while Buffer commented,"This is my best birthday party ever! Even though it's not on the day I wanted it to be on," The Heroic Ten shared a laugh before Luster joked, "Well, at least I did not plan for it to be a month before the day!" Another eruption of laughter was formed, before Falcon Dive said, "I'm glad that this party is still a great party! Everything is going so well here, is all that matters now!" "But it was still a good surprise, isn't it?" Nature Bloom asked. "It is. But the real best thing about it is none other than being organised and created by my best friends," Buffer told his best friends in a warm tone, causing them to group hug. "Aw..."
9. Independent MoralityAuthor's Note Independent Morality serves as the ninth episode of the series. Summary: Sunshine Rays, strongly believing that morality is independent of the other Elements of Purity in ensuring some creature does what is right, confronts all the smokers in town, ignoring her best friends' words. Acknowledgements: Some information from PressBooks 8.2 Environmental Pollution-Introduction to Human Geography is used in this chapter. Information from Smoking - Wikipedia Information from Effects of smoking on the body | Smokefree - NHS Information from Reasons People Smoke | Smokefree Veterans Information from Do You Know... Tobacco - CAMH Featured Song: A Morality Story Featured Characters: Kestrel, a preteen griffon, Falcon Dive's younger sister Clear Sky, a preteen pegasus, Sunshine Rays' younger brother Scenery, a grown-up changeling, Nature Bloom and her siblings' mother. Landscape, a grown-up changeling, Nature Bloom and her siblings' father. Terrain, a preteen changeling, Nature Bloom and Terrain's father. Floweret, Flowering and Florescence, three five-year old changelings. They are Nature Bloom and Terrain's younger sisters, as well as Scenery and Landscape's triplet daughters. 9. Independent Morality In the Changeling Kingdom, Nature Bloom was showing a few of her best friends around, as they brought their younger siblings over for the children's playdate. "I'm glad that you all got to see my former homeland once again," Nature Bloom told her best friends, "It may not be my home anymore, but it still is amazing as it is, and having a special place in my heart!" "Oh, Nature Bloom, always saying the sweetest things about everything and every creature!" Sunshine Rays commented in a plain tone. "This place is really full of interesting action, ever since King Thorax and Prince Pharynx allowed changelings to use shapeshifting powers for plays and acts!" Falcon Dive's younger sister Kestrel declared. "And we'll watch one later, because right now, we're visiting your friend!" Sunshine Rays told the pre-teen griffon. Nature Bloom knocked on her parents' door, which was soon opened, revealing her parents themselves. "Nature Bloom! My dear, daughter and heroine of mine, welcome home!" Scenery, Nature Bloom's mother greeted. "Um, Mum. I may be a famous heroine since the Special Rainboom Connection Anniversary, but I'm still a family member here, like before." Nature Bloom reminded. "Sorry, Nature. We just...can't help but feel like calling you a heroine, I mean, you don't live with us and barely see us, your visits are as rare as royalty visits," Landscape, Nature Bloom's father explained. "Nature Bloom! Big sister, you're back!" Terrain, Nature Bloom's younger brother greeted, rushing to his older sister to give her a hug. "I missed you too, little brother Terrain." Nature Bloom embraced the hug. "Terrain!" Clear Sky greeted. "Hi Clear Sky and Kestrel, and your big siblings, Sunshine Rays and Falcon Die, the famous heroes who saved us all from Eclipse Instant." Terrain greeted. "Good to know that you know about our heroic actions, even though you did not get to see them back there," Falcon Dive proudly responded. "And, you don't really need to mention about what happened with Eclipse, that whole thing is over weeks ago. "And we can use some relaxing time to talk about our lives and learn from one another," Nature Bloom stated. "Well not us! That's way too grown up for me!" Kestrel commented. "Yeah, we're playing some heroic adventure!" Clear Sky added. "Have fun with that!" Sunshine Rays told the kids, before sitting down for tea with her best friends and Nature Bloom's parents. "Hi, Floweret, Flowering and Florescence! It's been long since you last saw me!" Nature Bloom greeted her toddler younger sisters, who ran up to her and her best friends. "So, Nature? How is life in the Castle?" Scenery asked. "It's alright, with my best friends by my side," Nature Bloom replied. "Great to know that you're fine without us, Nature, but we are really hoping that you can..." Landscape began, before being interrupted by Sunshine Rays' screams. "Is that...a box of cigarettes?!" the pegasus asked the kids, pointing at the item in between their hooves and claws. "No it isn't?" Clear Sky lied, hiding the object. "Clear Sky, as your big sister, I need to know if you're doing something good or not!Especially when I'm the Element of Morality!" Sunshine Rays marched up to the colt, trying to snatch the box. The three kids kept the box away from the white coated pegasus by passing it to each other constantly, for a few seconds before Falcon Dive swooped in and ruined their fun. "Oh, Falcon!" Kestrel complained. "Sorry little sister and creatures, but we older siblings need to look out for you," Falcon Dive told the kids, giving the box to Sunshine Rays. "As if! Can't you just give us some privacy and what we wanted? You are the Element of Selflessness, after all!" Terrain pointed out. "Sorry, but the only wishes of others I am alright with are the ones that are good!" Falcon Dive responded. "Spoken like your girlfriend!" Kestrel sarcastically commented. "She's not my girlfriend!" Falcon Dive said in unison with Sunshine Rays who said, "I'm not his girlfriend!" "They're just best friends with each other, and the rest of the Heroic Ten members," Nature Bloom clarified. "And I should have known that this is what I thought it was: A box of cigarettes!" Sunshine Rays angrily announced, holding the box up. After the series' theme song intro played, Sunshine Rays asked every creature, "How can this place have a box of cigarettes?! There's a preteen and a triplet of kindergarten kids living here! It's bad for them!" "Actually, Sunshine, those cigarettes belonged to a friend of mine, who sadly passed away before the day you and your friends graduated from the School of Friendship. No creature uses them, I just keep them to remember him." Landscape explained. "And risk influencing your kids to have cigarettes and smoke?! Especially when you could have a picture of your friend to remember him instead?!" Sunshine Rays roared. Realising that their Best Friend was about to unleash her anger, Falcon Dive and Nature Bloom took immediate reaction and rushed to stop the pegasus' rage from rising up her temper meter. "Hey!" Sunshine Rays shrieked, the second Falcon Dive placed his claw on her shoulder and pushed her away from her position, apologising, "Sorry about that, every creature! But Sunshine really needs to cool down." "And I'm really sorry about her temper, Dad." Nature Bloom apologised. "It's alright, I see that your Best Friend has a good point. Having cigarettes really do have consequences," Landscape explained, "I suggest that I get rid of them so the kids will not suffer from any bad influences because of them." After Landscape walked away with the box of cigarettes (that Sunshine Rays dropped earlier when Falcon Dive pushed her) the white-coated pegasus was pulled up by her griffon best friend who apologised to her about the push. "Sorry, Sunshine. About that push earlier, I just thought that you needed to be away from Mr.Landscape so you can cool down. I mean, you were getting really out-of-control!" "Sorry, Falcon Dive. It's just...you know that I really don't like anything that can be a bad influence," Sunshine Rays replied in a gradually getting angry tone. "I totally know. I mean, as your best friend, I know what you dislike the most." Falcon Dive said. "Number One: Anything and everything that makes creatures immoral! Number Two: Those who teach others the wrong things, changing the facts and rules! Number Three: Those who protest against the real rights! and facts!" Sunshine Rays listed as her temper grew, and the background transformed from black to the colour of the burning sun and flames behind the pegasus. "Don't worry, my Dad probably got rid of those cigarettes! You don't have to worry about them anymore!" Nature Bloom assured. "But that's only for this place," Sunshine Rays pointed out, as the screen zoomed out to reveal the whole living room and dining room of Nature Bloom's family's residence, "There are probably other creatures out there smoking away, and being a bad influence that encourages others to do the same!" "And as heroes, we care about them!" Falcon Dive declared in a heroic tone. "In other words, we are going to stop smokers one and for all!" Sunshine Rays declared, causing every creature who heard her to gasp. "But, that will mean I will never get to know what smoking is like!" Terrain complained. "Smoking is bad for you!" Sunshine Rays scolded, causing the preteen changeling to back down and whimper, as well as making the toddler triplets cry. Seeing the children crying, Nature Bloom helped her mother carry the little changelings somewhere away from Sunshine Rays. "Smoking is bad for every creature! Those who smoke, those around them, and every creature who knows that they smoke!" Sunshine Rays dramatically continued announcing what she knew. Later that evening, the Heroic Ten gathered at the Dining Table for dinner with Luster's parents as usual, before Sunshine Rays, Falcon Dive and Nature Bloom entered the room. "Hi, Sunshine, Falcon and Nature! So, how was the Changeling Kingdom? And your younger siblings' playdate?" Luster greeted before asking. "Not as great as we hoped it will be." Falcon Dive answered. "We were supposed to have a relaxing time while having tea inside my parents' house, but then Sunshine, after discovering that there were cigarettes in the house..." Nature Bloom began, before Volcano cut her off. "Let me guess. Started going mad and insane, started another one of her explanations why something is bad, most likely saying that it is a bad influence, and scaring some creature." "Totally!" Falcon Dive responded, "And made Nature's triplet sisters cry." "How come you know all that?" Nature Bloom asked. "Not so long ago, I decided to recruit Sunshine as my back-up teaching assistant in case Alkali is busy, since Sunshine seems to be the most available creature among the rest of you, having a job as a writer and weather helper. But, she unfortunately was way too scary that Principal Calligraphy did not allow her to be a teaching assistant..." In a flashback, Volcano and Sunshine Rays were in Principal Calligraphy's office, with Volcano explaining, "Alkali has been getting more and more encouraging requests lately, and since I can't be too dependent on her, I figured to recruit Sunshine Rays as back-up teaching assistant." "I understand, Volcano. But first, I need to see how Sunshine teaches, before making the decision." the principal responded. "Alright, starting with Physics, Sunshine?" Volcano asked. "Don't worry, Volcano, I'm sure that my way is not boring," Sunshine replied. A few minutes later, Sunshine Rays was writing equations on the board while using loud, scary tones like she would when she was her alter-ego Moonshade Fright as she told her audience, "Anything travelling at great speeds can have large impacts on something! And in case the formula Resultant Force equals Mass times Acceleration does not work (because of the velocity being constant, making the acceleration zero,), you got back-up formulas! Kinetic energy is calculated as half times mass times velocity squared! Using this formula, you can find force by taking the energy divide distance travelled, as it is work done over distance travelled in the direction of the force! And since energy can be increased when something falls or goes at a great speed, killer litter is super serious!" Volcano gulped as he knew that one of Sunshine Rays' loud, scary booming explanations was on its way as the latter explained,"Even a very light paper clip can bring a harmful impact if it falls and lands on some creature! It can fall at the speed of ten metre per second from a height that is ten metres or less! Because the free fall on Earth acceleration, 10 metre over second square, is opposed by a negligible air resistance, since the paper clip is not like a feather or a piece of paper, its acceleration will be close to ten metre per second square, in other words, getting faster in the rate of being ten metre per second faster than its speed the previous second!" "A paperclip has a mass of one gram, which is one over one thousand kilogram. One over one thousand is also ten to the power of negative three, and taking this number to multiply the acceleration, ten metre per second, will give you one over one hundred Newtons, ten to the power of negative two. So we have one over one hundred Newtons as the resultant force, unless there is an opposing force to subtract. But just because the force is small, doesn't mean the everything will be fine!" Sunshine Rays' voice boomed, making Volcano say, "Uh-oh," very softly for himself to hear. "Instead of force, pressure, defined as the force acting per unit area, is there to bring the impact! If the area of contact is its smallest side, estimated as one mm times half cm, which is ten to the power of negative three times ten to the power of negative two, metres square, which is ten to the power of negative five, metres square... it shows how small the area is! And worst of all, pressure is inversely proportional to area! I no other words, the greater the area, the lesser the pressure, but the smaller the area, the greater the pressure!" After another burst of her loud booming voice, Sunshine Rays finished her calculations, "One over one hundred Newtons, which is ten to the power of negative two Newtons, divided by ten to the power of negative five metre square, will give you ten to the power of three, which is one thousand Newton per metre square! Very impactful for something so small! And if one little paper clip can already insert a lot of pressure, something heavier than it will cause even more pressure exerted, because pressure is directly proportional to force! Increasing when the force increases! So don't throw anything out the window, nor drop anything from a great height, unless you want to risk being a murderer!Being RESPONSIBLE for some creature's DEATH by throwing something down that hits them with a large amount of pressure to impact them!" The scene then changed to show Sunshine Rays showing how she would teach Direct and Inverse proportions. "If two things are inversely proportional, that means when one increases, the other decreases. Pressure, as force over area, is inversely proportional to area. So when area increases, pressure decreases. When area decreases, pressure increases. One common example that comes up in Math Tests is Real-Life Scenario asking how many workers are needed to do something in an amount of time. Only one variable should remain the same, while the others to change." Volcano said to himself, "Well, so far so good." "Like when five workers can complete two houses in three days, we can find how long it takes for them to complete one house, by having the number of workers remain the same, but changing the number of houses from two to one. And since the number is halved, the number of days need to be halved, since it is directly proportional. Three divided by two is one and a half. One and a half days is acceptable, but there is something that is really unacceptable here!" "Uh-oh..." Volcano muttered, knowing what was coming. "Other than the number of houses or things workers can work on, something that can never be a fraction nor decimal is the number of workers!" Volcano whispered to himself, "Should have known," "The question asks how many workers are needed to complete three houses in one day, assuming that they work at the same rate. Since one house can be completed by five workers in one and a half day, we can change the number of houses into three, multiplying one by three, and multiplying the number of days by three, making it four and a half days! Since the number of workers and number of days are inversely proportional, when the number of days decreases, the number of workers increases. So, when the number of days is divided by four and a half to become one, the number of workers will multiply four and a half. Five times four and a half is twenty-two and a half, but this answer is UNACCEPTABLE!" After Sunshine Rays' voice boomed, Volcano could only whimper, "Oh dear..." "You cannot put any non-integers, non-whole numbers, as the number of workers! Because you cannot have a fraction of a worker! You cannot split them into halves nor any other fractions to work! Have logical sense! Splitting a worker, a living thing, into fractions, will KILL them!" After another loud roar that sent sound waves blowing at Volcano and Principal Calligraphy's faces, Sunshine Rays added one more detail in her regular tone, in a rather quick talking rate, "So round up to the integer that is bigger, twenty-three in this case." The scene then changed to show what happened when Sunshine Rays explained Environmental Pollution for Geography. "Pollution of the environment occurs when we contaminate the air, water, or land. One of the biggest problems with pollution is that those who pollute, the criminals, are usually not the ones affected by it; instead, innocent animals and plants and other organisms ARE! Seriously, making them suffer from our wrongdoings?! Sulfur dioxide is a primary pollutant, but when it reacts with precipitation is becomes a secondary pollutant called acid rain..." Before Sunshine Rays could continue, the principal stood up, "Sunshine Rays, I'm sorry, but I can't have some creature who teaches in the way you do in the School. You may repel the students and affect the school's income! I'm sorry, you are just too scary." "Fine! I still got my other jobs anyways..." the pegasus responded, walking away. After the flashbacks ended, Alkali commented, "Well, I know that it wasn't good, but it is actually not so bad, plus, my little brother Acid wasn't there, nor here, to hear about acids polluting the environment. I mean, he loves acids, he will never want to hear acids being harm!" "Back to the main point,Principal Calligraphy did have a point: You are scary. Too scary, Sunshine. No offence, really." Evergreen pointed out. "And if you want creatures to listen to you, you got to be...less scary so they will...or might not want to do what you tell them to do." Buffer added. "What?! But, I've seen before that when teachers or parents aren't fierce, kids will not obey them and do the opposite of their orders!" Sunshine Rays protested, "The same goes to adults when they refuse to listen to some creature who opposes their ways, so I made my alter-ego to increase my chances of scaring them into stopping their wrongdoings." "But still, are you sure you need to be scary? I mean, you haven't tried being nice to them to get them to stop their wrongdoing!" Nature Bloom pointed out. "Sometimes Nature Bloom, being nice isn't the answer!" Sunshine Rays flew towards the changeling, slamming her four hooves down on the floor in front of Nature Bloom. "Sunshine! Enough is enough! White pegasus just made Nature scared!" Krona confronted. "Not just scared, but hurt!" Alkali stated. "Nature didn't even do anything wrong, why would you be so mean and scare her?" Luster asked. "Sorry every creature, but if you must know, my mood is not good right now," Sunshine Rays answered. "Looks like some creature needs a bit of patience lessons," Evergreen announced, referring to Sunshine Rays. "I'm just wanting every creature to not do what is wrong!" Sunshine Rays barked at the Kirin, "Nothing wrong with that, that is what moral creatures are like! Wanting every creature to be good and do what is right!" "Doesn't the way they do it counts, too?" Buffer asked. "It sure does, I mean, if you want to do something good, the way you do it must be good, too! And not like Discord, wanting to do something good which is boost Princess Twilight's confidence before her coronation, but did it by creating disaster which is a bad way to do so!" Sunshine Rays gave an example. "So, do you think that being mean in order to get them to do the right thing is not a good way?" asked Yellow Bright. "I already said that I figured that many would take advantage of niceness and therefore, being not nice to them is the perfect way to show that this is serious!" Sunshine Rays replied, shocking the others. "Oh dear..." Nature Bloom muttered. The outside of the Castle of Friendship is ten shown, as the moon crossed the horizon, making way for the Sun. The scene then changed to show every creature in the Dining Room, eating breakfast like they would every morning. "Guess what, every creature," Sunshine Rays told her best friends, "I have prepared a speech and performance for all the smokers of Ponyville to see and change their minds after seeing it!" "Wait. What?!" Krona asked. "Yes I decided to have the Mayor of Ponyville to gather all the smokers at the Town Hall, for a gathering, so I can confront them all at once!" Sunshine Rays explained. "But are you going to be nice to them?" Nature Bloom asked. "Absolutely not! They can use a scare!" Sunshine Rays answered, causing her best friends to gasp. "What?! But what if they think you're a monster?!" Volcano asked. "Volcano does have a point, Sunshine. After all, you did scare Nature Bloom the last time you were Moonshade Fright for all of us to see." Buffer contributed. "And, you really gave her a scare!" Alkali commented. "Even though she was not supporting the thing you're against, and was not opposing you?" Yellow Bright finished. "Back to the main point, you use scaring and being mean too many times, and never tried being nice. And you have a tendency to go insane around knowing immorality's presence. You probably should learn patience and niceness before you do a speech," Evergreen suggested. "Plus, they may be encouraged to listen to you if you're nice and lovable!" Nature Bloom contributed. "And, include some diligence. Working very hardly and carefully on it is a good way to show that you do take it seriously, much better than scaring obviously. If you want to do a speech, I know some very effective tactics to write one! I am an all-subjects teacher after all!" Volcano proudly declared. "No thanks, every creature. But I got everything covered with my Element of Purity." Sunshine Rays told her best friends, "As long as I'm moral, concerned with the distinction between right and wrong or good and bad behaviour, I'll be fine!" "But...you usually work with all of us! As in, morality work with the other good values?" Volcano reminded. "Yes, you kept reminding me, that I can be nice, but not too nice to the point that I can't get creatures to do what they should do," Nature Bloom pointed out, "That's morality and niceness combined." "And I was reminded that one can be patient and accept, but not just accept anything and everything! There's a line between the acceptable and unacceptable! Thanks to you, I never accepted any truly unacceptable things! It's morality and patience combined!" Evergreen gave an example. "And if it weren't for morality, I might have blindly listened to creatures that should not be listened to, like villains! If I ever listened to them, I could have done something immoral and harmful to every creature! Therefore, I'm only a good listener when I have listening and morality combined." "Diligence may seem to be a sole worker, but it still needs combining. I mean, being diligent is good, but not when you're doing evil work like building something to use for bad purposes, so being diligent is only good when you're doing work for something good! It's morality combined with diligence!" Volcano resumed. "And I may be good at encouraging, but I won't be if I did something bad as in, encourage others using a bad method or, encourage them to do things that are wrong..." Alkali began, "But the Mian point is, I have been using morality combined with encouraging the whole time!" "Positivity needs morality, too. I mean, if it weren't for morality to set a border, some creature can be too positive and think that it's alright to do something bad or wrong when it really isn't!" Yellow Bright added. "Integrity needs morality, too! So creatures like Krona won't tell the truths that are supposed to be kept as secrets!" Krona added. "Good to know that you all acknowledge morality, so every creature will know that it is super important, as other good values rely on it to ensure their possesses don't do anything wrong or ridiculous!" Sunshine Rays declared, walking off, before Falcon Dive flew in front of her. "But, doesn't morality need the other good values?" "Yeah, we did say that it was combined with another good value throughout that discussion!" Yellow Bright pointed out. "More likely, combined with another Element of Purity?" Evergreen asked. "And if all the Elements of Purity combined with it to ensure that they do real good..." Volcano began, persuading Sunshine Rays to finish his sentence for him. "It means that morality is what they all need!" Sunshine Rays answered, causing the others to express shock. "No, Sunshine. It means that morality combined with the other Elements of Purity to ensure they do real good!" Buffer explained. "In other words, you'll only be real good if you combine morality with another Element of Purity, so you will really not do anything wrong!" Nature Bloom clarified. "Are you sure? I mean, morality is basically know what is right, do what is right, why would it be the one needing the others?" Sunshine Rays asked. "What?!" Luster shrieked, "Don't you get it, Sunshine? Morality is not..." "Independent?" Sunshine Rays finished the question for the unicorn, "I don't think that it's what you think. Many failed at morality by doing something wrong, and I'm going to show them the real morality." "By scaring them? As if!" Falcon Dive sarcastically huffed. Sunshine Rays was about to respond, but was interfered by a burst of magic aura, as Luster's biological mother Starlight Glimmer appeared. "Luster! Why are you still here?! School has started already! And why are all of your best friends still here?! It's getting late! Don't they have their jobs and work to do?!" Starlight asked. "Our jobs!" Buffer gasped. "Got to go!" Falcon Dive said, before dashing off. "Come on, Alkali!" Volcano instructed. "Right behind you, Volcano!" Alkali replied, flying after the dragon. After every creature left, Sunshine Rays, all alone, said to herself, "Great! Finally I can go back to rehearsing without any creature's disturbance..." The scene then changed to show Luster tidying up the School of Friendship's Library, a second before her five-minute timer blinked. "Good thing I made it both an alarm and a blinker, and can turn both, either or neither of them off whenever I needed to!" the unicorn said to herself, using her magic to stop the blinking, as she casted a spell to scan the area for trouble, before picking up something. "Uh-oh! Sunshine!" was all Luster said before using her magic to teleport herself out of the School. In Ponyville, Sunshine Rays was chased by a mob of angry creatures, and did everything she could to escape, making sharp right-angled turns, flying up and down buildings and bridges, ll the way until she. was blocked by creatures capable of flight, forcing her to dive down towards he ground, where she got trapped in an alley, with three walls surrounding her, the only opening blocked by the mob of creatures, and the opening above occupied by the fliers. "Got you now, Sunshine..." one of the creatures smirked evilly, a second before Falcon Dive's voice could be heard asking, "Oh really?!" The next thing every creature knew was Falcon Dive swooping in at a great speed, causing the mob to scatter, in order to avoid the griffon. In one second, Falcon Dive sped into the alley and grabbed Sunshine Rays, and flew out, before taking off into the sky. "Falcon Dive! I'm so glad to see you!" Sunshine Rays exclaimed in a grateful tone. "No time to thank me, we need to get you some where safe!" Falcon Dive declared, taking his pegasus best friend to their residence, the Castle of Friendship. Placing Sunshine in her room, Falcon Dive told her, "Stay here until some creature tells you that it's safe! And that some creature has to be, one of your best friends!" "Of course I know that, Falcon. Anyway, thanks for the rescue!" Sunshine Rays thanked. "No need to thank me, I'm just being selfless! Caring about others more than I will care about myself, saving them when they need it, but it's not just selflessness in this case: It's morality and selflessness! I mean, I helped, and the kind of help was the right, or more likely, the good kind of help, saving some creature from an angry mob." Falcon Dive explained. "So...you do have morality!" Sunshine Rays commented in a grateful tone. "Combined with selflessness! That's what gets the job done, even though I sometimes forget about the whole morality thing when I'm too focused on...being selfless and helping some creature..." Falcon Dive nervously chuckled, making his pegasus Best Friend express a bit of guilt. "Actually, you're not the only creature who forgets about the other good values while focusing on your own, Falcon." Sunshine Rays began,"I...I forgot about other good values, too! I was so focused on morality and wanting every creature to do what is right and good for every creature, I really forgot to be nice and patient and...probably forgot to possess the other Elements of Purity values, obviously." "As some creature selfless, I would never like others suffering like I do," Falcon Dive declared, approaching the white-coated pegasus. "Yes, Falcon Dive, I know that. But right now, I got some creatures I owe an apology to," Sunshine Rays said, looking at the ground. Suddenly, Luster and the rest of the Heroic Ten appeared, in the room, surprising the pegasus and the griffon. "There you are, Sunshine! Thank goodness you're safe!" Luster exclaimed, after her horn stopped glowing as she was not using magic. "Luster said that mob of angry creatures wanted to catch Sunshine!" Krona explained. "And I believe I know the reason why:" Volcano declared, before elaborating, "Sunshine confronted all the smokers with her scary performance and speech, acted cruel and disrespectful, and therefore the crowd did not like it, and is angry at her," "How did you know all that?" Alkali asked. "Intelligence," Volcano answered. "Back to the main point, Sunshine, we have to do something about this situation!" Evergreen pointed out. "As soon as possible, because you might never be able to go outside ever again if the crowd stays mad at you," Buffer added. "Maybe you should write a sincere and nice apology letter to them?" Nature Bloom suggested. "Speaking of apology, I am so sorry, every creature." Sunshine Rays told her best friends, while her ears folded down, "I did not listen to you, I acted mean and scary towards you all, and you did not do anything wrong to begin with!" "Don't worry, Sunshine, we all forgive you," Falcon Dive assured, placing his claw on her shoulder. "Krona does not mean to interrupt a moment like this, but she does not think that the crowd will do the same, that easily." Krona announced in third-creature. "Krona does have a point!" Volcano contributed. "But, the crowd probably won't be mad forever, I mean, no creature's emotions stay the same for that long!" Yellow Bright tried to cheer every creature up. "But don't forget, Sunshine needs to fix some...damage that her actions caused," Evergreen reminded. "And make amends to the whole crowd I just enraged," Sunshine Rays sadly stated. "Oh dear, you look very unwell, you're not feeling that bad, are you?" Nature Bloom asked in a concerned tone. "Sunshine Rays replied, "I feel awful...not for just what I did to every creature. I feel like...I ruined all chances of getting every creature to choose my hero, morality, over...immorality." "What makes you say that?" Luster asked. "It's a long story...and explanation," Sunshine Rays cried out, before singing about her backstory. "Morality is everything to me, the saviour, the hero, who saved me from villainy. Before it came, to purify, there was only, dying desires, brattiness, and a heart of ice. I wailed and demanded, for everything I wanted. Lied to cover up what should be told, until I was a fourteen-years-old. While doing a comprehension, focusing on a text to answer the questions, zooming in to absorb the story, about a heroic activist, and her quote about morality. 'Being moral is its own reward, spares you from consequences of doing what's wrong. The ability to obey the rules, will protect the world for as long as all get along...' The ending saying that glory was restored, because of the presence of goodness in all. The story got through to me, I figured, that I can't let morality fall." During an instrumental verse, Falcon Dive commented, "I never knew that you used to be...the opposite of moral...I mean, you were always so concerned about if we were doing what was right or not since we first met you!" Sunshine Rays stopped singing and replied, "No creature is born with the knowledge of what the real rights and wrongs are, morality is something they have to learn themselves, and choose to have it or not." "If you're so devoted to it ever since, does that mean it feels really good having it?" Evergreen asked. "More than that, I never got into so much trouble anymore, I knew it was right. Not much punishments, not much scoldings, ever since I changed to become moral," Sunshine Rays explained, "And even though it took away my fun, it became my new interest." "Glad to know that you benefitted from learning it, but...it unfortunately...doesn't have a very good...reputation, because of some creatures who think that it is all scolding and scaring and saying what they like is bad!" Alkali tried her best to not use nasty words. "All because of me," Sunshine Rays sadly cried, "Thinking that as long as morality is my only focus, I will be fine, but it wasn't!" "Morality is helpful and strong and good, but it is even better when the other Elements of Purity work together with it!" Luster pointed out. "Or any other good value," Yellow Bright added. "It's just like the Elements in the Periodic Table, which we learnt from Chemistry!" Volcano commented. "Most of the elements cannot stand alone, they need to combine with other elements to obtain a complete valence shell so they can be stable and unreactive like the noble gases!" Alkali explained. "Through losing or gaining electrons to form ions and ionic compounds, or sharing electrons to form covalent compounds. For more information, for covalent compounds, there are no ions, as no atom of an element loses electrons, they share the electrons, and the ones that share both get more electrons to complete their valence shells. And the shared electrons are drawn inside the overlapping shells..." Volcano began explaining some unneeded information at the moment before Evergreen cut him off. "Sorry Volcano, but I don't need think we need that information." "Whatever," Volcano responded. "By the way, Volcano and Alkali are right about the Elements of Purity needing each other like the Elements in the Periodic Table, I mean, they are best when one combine with another!" Buffer pointed out. "Kind of like us," Nature Bloom commented. "Nature's right. We're BEST when we work together!" Krona declared. "Better than when we work alone," Falcon Dive contributed. "And all we said about good values combined before, don't they all make sense now, Sunshine?" Luster asked, turning to her pegasus Best Friend. "Yes, they do. And I'm so sorry for thinking that my Element of Purity is independent of all of yours in ensuring some creature is good and does not do anything wrong! I was wrong: Morality do need the other good values as much as they needed it to make sure those who possess them is good, and does the right thing!" Sunshine Rays replied. "Glad to know that you're finally with us, Sunshine." Yellow Bright smiled. "Then what are we waiting for, every creature? Let's fix the damage and get those creatures to see the real morality!" Alkali cheered. "And the other Elements of Purity, and the other good values." Sunshine Rays warmly added, before resuming her song. "Now I know the truth that I used to not know, is morality does not stand alone. Combined with others that are on its side, other good values, and its synonyms, will help creatures by being their guides. Working with others, will improve and benefit them all, stronger and better together, it can be assured that Elements of Purity will not fall." After the song ended as the music started to fade, Sunshine Rays told her best friends, "The other good values will not fall neither, and nor would those who possess them." "Good to know that," Nature Bloom stated. "But we still haven't come up with a plan to solve the problems!" Falcon Dive reminded. "I actually came up with one," Luster told every creature. "And since listening is one of the Elements of Purity, I am willing to listen to you, Luster," Sunshine Rays politely told her unicorn Best Friend. "Wow, Sunshine, you really got a hang of this whole different good values thing!" Krona commented. "A variety of good values is more likely the better way to address it," Volcano pointed out. "Alright, now listen closely and carefully..." Luster told her best friends, as they huddled close. Outside the Castle of Friendship, the mob of creatures banged on the door, figuring that Sunshine Rays was hiding in the said building. All of a sudden, Lster teleported herself and Falcon Dive, and Yellow Bright outside. "Excuse me every creature, is there something we can help you with?" Luster asked. "There is something, alright!" a grumpy Earth Pony cursed at the unicorn. "Care to tell us where that rude Sunshine is?!" a grown-up pegasus asked in a furious tone. "Sorry, I usually like helping other creatures, but unfortunately, a case like this one is not one of those cases," Falcon Dive announced. "He's probably just trying to cover for his girlfriend!" an abyssinian shouted. Falcon Dive blushed slightly for a second before confronting every creature, "I do not have a girlfriend! Only best friends and friends and family!" "And Sunshine Rays may be scary and impolite, but she's really just trying to help you by ensuring you do what is right and good for every creature!" Yellow Bright pointed out. "And she will make it up to you," Luster added, but the mob doubted the heroes. "Oh, really?!" the Earth Pony asked. "then why don't you tell us what she's going to do?!" the pegasus asked in a demanding tone. "Or what she's doing right now?!" the abyssinian finished, before the mob crowded around the three creatures. Inside the Castle, Sunshine Rays had finished her script and gave it to Volcano and Nature Bloom, who examined it. "Well done. The Introduction explaining the topic is just right. The following two paragraphs clearly explains your view with Point, Elaboration, Example and Link. The second-final paragraph being the Counter-Argument to show your understandng of the opposing side, and the Rebuttal to move the focus back to your view. Followed by a good summary." Volcano commented. "And no nasty words, nor tone. I'm sure it's better than your ...old presentations." Nature Bloom added. "Great! Thanks for your help!" Sunshine Rays thanked, before taking the script and flying outside Outside the Castle, Luster Dawn, Falcon Dive and Yellow Bright snuggled with the mob, before their Best Friend arrived and caught ever creature's attention. "Every creature in this crowd, I am so sorry about earlier, my purpose is not to criticise you, it is trying to help you see that what you are doing has to be stopped, as it is for every creature's good, including you!" Sunshine Rays announced, "And yes, my behaviour did not seem to show I waned what's really best for you as a friend, so now, I am going to reason with you, in a much better way, with a much better speech." "Smoking is the practice of burning tobacco and ingesting the smoke that is produced. The smoke may be inhaled, as is done with cigarettes, or simply released from the mouth, as is generally done with pipes and cigars. Some grown-ups smoke for stress relief, pleasure, or in social situations. But smokers often become addicted to smoking, and worse, suffer health conditions because of it, and even worse, become a bad influence, motivating others to smoke before they pass on. Smoking is known to be bad for health, and should be stopped! Smoking can be fatally harmful to the smokers, as it destroys the tiny air sacs, or alveoli, in the lungs that allow oxygen exchange. When one smokes, they are damaging some of those alveoli. Alveoli don't grow back, so when one destroys them, they have permanently destroyed part of their lungs. When enough alveoli are destroyed, the disease emphysema develops. In other words, smoking is self-harm, and it cannot be undone. Another reason why smoking is something bad and that must be seriously taken care of and stopped is because many had died from it! Smoking can cause fatal diseases such as pneumonia, emphysema and lung cancer. It also causes 84% of deaths from lung cancer and 83% of deaths from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease! These numbers are already more than four out of five, and we can lose more creatures than we gain if the situation continues. This proves that smoking is indeed something harmful to every creature, to both smokers and non-smokers, as every creature is affected by the population whether it grows or shrinks. Smokers, despite knowing the harm smoking causes, still chose to smoke, mostly because of addiction or the feeling they feel when they smoke. Some people feel that smoking helps them to be alert and to concentrate, and also that it helps them to feel relaxed. Research has shown that smoking raises levels of dopamine, a chemical in the brain, increasing feelings of pleasure and reinforcing the desire to continue to smoke. Although having pleasant emotions are better than having negative ones, smoking is not a good method to feel those emotions, as it endangers lives, plus, there are many other ways to feel pleasant emotions that will not harm one's health! Smoking is burning tobacco and ingesting the smoke that is produced Smokers may find smoking relaxing and stress-relieving, but it harms them by destroying the alveoli, which helps them to breathe. Many deaths were caused by smoking, and the population will decrease if it continues, affecting every creature! Although smoking brings pleasant emotions, other, better methods to feel those emotions do exist. Smoking is more harmful than useful, and should be stopped." After explaining, Sunshine Rays told the audience, "I hope you can all understand." The Earth Pony from earlier stepped up, "Sunshine Rays, I accept your apology, and, have to apologise for how I acted towards you," "We're sorry, too." the others said in unison. "Don't worry, apology accepted, plus, how about I show you some better ways to satisfy yourselves, with the aid of my best friends?" Sunshine Rays offered, causing the crowd to cheer that they accepted the offer. "That was quite a speech, explanation, and offer!" a familiar voice commented. "Princess Twilight Sparkle!" the creatures greeted, before bowing before her. "Luster Dawn, my faithful student, I was told that there has been some...chaos and angry creatures storming around Ponyville. I was looking all over the town for them, but found your friend giving a speech out in the open instead." Twilight told the unicorn, before asking, "What is going on here?" "Well, it's a really long story..." Luster chuckled. "I can explain, your Majesty." Sunshine Rays told the alicorn, "Today, I learnt that morality is not independent of other good values, it is just as dependent on them, as they are dependent on it, in making sure that some creature does not do something wrong or bad! Ever since I was interested in morality, I always have it as my number one favourite value, and wanted to others to be moral, too. But I was so focused on wanting them to be moral, I forgot to be nice and patient and did not listen to my best friends! I was not really good without the presence of other good values, making myself look bad as some creature who scolds and scares and criticise others for their wrongdoings! My best friends still agreed to help me show others that being moral is still the good thing it is, after how I acted. My best friends also helped me realise that the Elements of Purity are like we ourselves are, helping every creature benefit when we work together as friends! And I cannot disagree with the Magic of Friendship being the most powerful magic of them all! For every creature, and everything." "Well done, Sunshine Rays, I can assure you that in my presence, Luster and all of your best friends do not need to write a letter to me, but I figure that you all would still like to write such a valuable lesson down." Princess Twilight Sparkle responded. "She does have a point," Yellow Bright commented. "We will never want to forget a lesson like that!" Evergreen added. "We can write it in a notebook," Alkali suggested. "Or, we can start our own friendship journal!" Luster announced, approaching every creature with a book in her magic aura, "There's plenty of pages for every creature! And yes, it is inspired by the friendship journal you and the Council of Friendship wrote years ago, inspired by Princess Celestia and Princess Luna's diary!" Princess Twilight Sparkle replied, "Thank you for the acknowledgement, Luster, and I will be delighted if you ever published your journal one day, if what happened to me and my friends don't happen to you. " the Alicorn made the Heroic Ten express a bit of shock and fear for a second, before she turned to Sunshine Rays, "Anyway, Sunshine Rays, you really stood up to every creature, and it is indeed an inspiring act. Thanks to you, I have decided be a real good friend to every creature, ensuring that they get the real best thing for them, starting by checking on what should be removed for theirs and others' good." "That is good to know, your Majesty." Sunshine Rays bowed. "Now, if every creature excuse me, I must return to Canterlot to resume my royal duties," Princess Twilight Sparkle told every creature, "You all may resume your activities, as well." In a burst of magic sparkles, Princess Twilight Sparkle teleported herself out of Ponyvillle, disappearing in front of every creature's eyes. "Now, who's ready to try out some other fun, great, episodes activities to satisfy yourselves?" Falcon Dive asked the crowd of creatures, causing them to cheer. The scene then changed to show what was happening at the lake near Ponyville; creatures racing with Falcon Dive, swimming with Alkali or chatting with their friends, as the Heroic Ten taught them to get over smoking. Luster and Nature Bloom decorated the cover of their team's new journal, and showed it to Sunshine Rays, who approached them with picnic snack. "Hey, Sunshine, what do you think of our new journal cover?" Luster asked, levitating the book for the pegasus to see. "Acceptable, and I can't wait for it to be filled with our friendship lessons and more!" Sunshine Rays responded, "But that doesn't mean we need to rush." "That's the Sunshine Rays we all love to have around," Nature Bloom commented, causing a shared laugh between the three girls.
11. Apple HouseAuthor's Note Apple House serves as the eleventh episode of the series. The episode and its title are inspired by the animated TV Show, The Loud House. Summary: The Heroic Ten visit the Apple Bloom and her husband, Tender Taps' family and housemates, who reside in Caramel's former residence, to help the large family become better creatures in order to start a space-saving campaign. Featured Characters: Juicy Apple, a teenaged earth pony, Apple Bloom's paternal relative, Apple Orchard and Haystack's only daughter. Apple Orchard, Juicy Apple's mother and Apple Bloom's paternal relative, who is in her fifties. Haystack, Juicy Apple's father, the husband of Apple Orchard, and Apple Bloom's paternal relative-by-marriage. Despite not being born a member of the Apple Family, he speaks like a farmer. Boiled Pear, an elderly Earth Pony. Despite being called 'Grandpa Boiled Pear', he is not the grandfather of any creature, since he is never married. Due to being a member of the Pear Family, he is Apple Bloom's maternal relative. Pear Sweet, Apple Bloom's eight-years-old maternal relative. Like Luster Dawn, she and her younger sister, Pear Treat were not raised by her parents, but raised by their relatives far away from their parents. Pear Treat, Apple Bloom's six-year-old maternal relative, Pear Sweet's younger sister. Tender Apple, Apple Bloom and Tender Taps' first born foal. Similar to her maternal cousin, Big Sugar, she is named after her parents. She is slightly older than her twin brother. Bright Butter, Apple Bloom and Tender Taps' second-born foal, named after Apple Bloom's parents, Bright Mac and Pear Butter, so that the family can always remember the late ponies. Dacite, a male adult Diamond Dog. He was involved in the speed dating event in 'Development of Relationships' with Rosa, despite not having any lines in the said chapter/episode. He is named after a type of rock called dacite. Rosa, a female adult abyssinian. She is named after the scientific name of roses, rosa. 11. Apple House In the Castle Throne Room, books and long scripts of paper were scattered all over the place, with Equestria's newest heroes looking through them. "Not long after the first speed dating event, we can't doubt that new couples and families will be formed in a not-so distant future," Sunshine Rays reminded every creature. "And more families mean more buildings and residences are needed!" Falcon Dive pointed out. "Every reason we are checking on the population and land of Equestria and Beyond to see if we really have enough or not," Volcano added. "I just hope we have more than we need!" Nature Bloom whimpered. "But not too much! Too much is not good!" Evergreen stated, "No matter what it is." "Good news every creature, I figured out that more apartments are being build in the big cities like Manehattan and Las Pegasus, and they probably will be enough to hold one hundred families!" Luster announced. "One hundred?! That isn't even one tenth of all the families in Equestria and Beyond!" Alkali shrieked. "Glad to see some creature really knowing her Geography and Social Studies," Volcano commented, earning a glare from every creature, making him gulp, "But still...problems are problems, and solving them is necessary." "Housing and population problems are serious! We need to do everything in our power to prevent them from happening! Especially before they can even happen!" Luster declared. "But how are ten creatures going to fix a problem like that?" Krona asked. "We can just tell Princess Twilight that Equestria and Beyond need more residences and apartments!" Yellow Bright suggested. "But wouldn't that cost materials and land?" Buffer asked. "And destroy natural habitats?" Nature Bloom added. "Now that you mentioned the, idea thrown out the window," Yellow Bight plainly said. "Or maybe we should invite our families to live in the castle with us? So they can sell their former residents to some creatures?" Falcon Dive suggested. "But their jobs are in their hometowns! It is really inconvenient for them to go there from here, and come here from there!" Buffer pointed out. "Or maybe we should open the Castle of Friendship to creatures? As in, make it like a building to house many, like an apartment block in Manhattan?" Evergreen suggested. "But it doesn't have enough bathrooms if that many creatures live in it! The Tree of Harmony must never had thought of that when it grew this castle," Sunshine Rays protested. "Well, maybe we should tell Princess Twilight to call off the next speed dating? I mean, we can't have too many creatures!" Yellow Bright suggested. "But we still NEED those births and future young adults!" Sunshine Rays remonstrated. "Or maybe we should suggest a law? I mean, a law to prevent having too many births, like, for example, each couple can only have one to two children. Although, triplets or more born at the same time are acceptable." Volcano suggested. "That is a great idea, Volcano!" Alkali commented. "But the residence problem is still unsolved," Krona reminded. Every creature groaned in unison, as they had more thinking to do. "Just when we could finally take a break from thinking of all these suggestions," Nature Bloom commented. "If only every creature can reside in the houses and residences that their families already own, so they won't need new ones!" Falcon Dive announced, giving Luster an idea. "You know what, Falcon Dive? You're a genius! If every creature resides with their families, they won't need new residences!" Luster exclaimed. "But, wouldn't that makes things very squeezed?" Krona asked. "Actually, the needs of the residents are not usually the problem: it usually is the wants and desires of the residents, that are the problem." Volcano explained, "I went to Alkali's home before, and even though there were only five hippogriffs, or should I say, used to have five hippogriffs residing there, before Alkali moved away, the place was full of stuff, that were mostly things that aren't needed, or not needed anymore. In other words, they are wants!" The dragon then turned to his hippogriff best friend, "Sorry I told every creature about your home without your permission." "It's alright, Volcano, I understand that they need an example!" Alkali assured. "So the problem is everything they don't need is taking up space! Easy! We can handle that by being selfless and abandoning our desires!" Falcon Dive proudly declared. "Easy for a fan of selflessness to do so, but not for those who aren't!" Sunshine Rays remarked. "But, maybe if we taught them selflessness, and our Elements of Purity, they will get rid of everything that they don't need, and free up some space for more creatures in their homes!" Luster figured. "Now that's the idea every creature needs!" Krona commented. "I agree and accept the idea," Evergreen announced. "Told every creature that there is always a bright side," Yellow Bright added. "So, where shall we start?" Falcon Dive asked. "In the house in Ponyville with the most creatures living in it: Madam Apple Bloom's house!" Luster declared. After the series' theme song intro played, Apple Bloom was seen leaving the School of Friendship with her best friends, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, for home. After crossing the bridge that connected the school with the shore on the other side, the Cutie Mark Crusaders bumped into the newest heroes they knew. "The Heroic Ten! It's been long since we last saw you!" Apple Bloom greeted. "Yeah, I mean, we never seem to encounter you after your graduation." Sweetie Belle explained. "Except for the time when Head-mare Starlight and Vice-head stallion Sunburst took Luster around on a World Tour, we interacted with the nine of you," Scootaloo pointed out. "Right..." Luster nervously chuckled, before asking Apple Bloom, "So, Madam Apple Bloom, do you still have ten creatures, including yourself, residing in your house?" "Yeah, only, that house is actually Caramel's, my brother-in-law's, he donated it to members of the Apple Family after marrying my sister Applejack, and moving into the Barn. As soon as I was married to Tender Taps, I moved there with him, and took over being in charge of the house from the relatives who were in charge of it before I came," Apple Bloom explained, "But by the way, back to the main point, there are ten creatures, including myself, living there." "And there would have been ten creatures living in Carousel Boutique if Button Mash and I lived there, and took our daughter with us." Sweetie Belle added, "But I live with Button and his parents in their residence, so I live in an environment with five creatures, including myself." "Rumble and I live with my aunts, and our daughter, so that's five creatures in our residence." Scootaloo stated. "Same as me!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed, hi-hoofing Scootaloo. "While I'm different, having to live with nine other creatures isn't as good as it sounds," Apple Bloom sadly stated. "Um, hello? You're talking to ten creatures who live together with four unicorns older than them; Head-mare Starlight, Vice Head-stallion Sunburst, Guidance Counsellor Trixie and Miss Sunset Shimmer!" Falcon Dive told the Earth Pony. "Hello, you live in a huge castle, while we live in a house!" Apple Bloom reminded. "Back to the point: living in a house with nine other creatures is hard, isn' it?" Luster asked. "It is." Apple Bloom sighed, "In a family as big a mine, everything is a competition for wants and needs. We have to race to the bathroom, we have to do a lot of dishwashing every day, we have to clean up, we have a lot of things..." "That is what we came to talk to you about!" Sunshine Rays told Apple Bloom, "We just decided to teach our virtues to families, and have chosen to start with your big family!" "Really? You guys are kidding, aren't you?" Scootaloo asked. "Heroic Ten won't lie! They are helping families learn the Elements of Purity!" Krona responded. "And we figured that a family like Madam Apple Bloom's would really need it urgently," Nature Bloom pointed out. "So, is it alright for us to meet your big family and teach them virtues the whole day?" Luster asked. Apple Bloom thought for a while before responding, "Alright. But just for one day, it is difficult to ensure ten out of ten creatures are all well and available on the one same day in my family." A few days later, Apple Bloom and her husband Tender Taps led the Heroic Ten to their residence. "Now remember, things are far from perfect in there," Apple Bloom reminded the creatures. "So don't be shocked to see what's in there, we know!" Buffer responded. "Alright, every creature," Apple Bloom announced, "Meet my big family!" The door opened to reveal a noisy, messy house occupied by Earth Ponies of different ages. "Wow, you are not kidding..." Evergreen said, staring at what she was seeing. "Alright, every creature, like I told you the other day, the Heroic Ten will be coming over to..." Apple Bloom began, before being cut off by one of her relatives. "Visit us! We know, thanks to you, and we're all so excited!" "Calm down, Juicy Apple, the heroes are here for more than visits!" Apple Bloom reminded her paternal relative. "Luster Dawn, the star student of Princess Twilight Sparkle, isn't it?" Juicy Apple's mother, Apple Orchard, asked the unicorn. "Yes...and the biological daughter of the Heads of the School of Friendship," Luster added. "Volcano and Alkali, you're teachers, aren't you?!" Pear Sweet, one of Apple Bloom's maternal relatives asked the dragon and hippogriff. "Partially correct: I am the teacher, and Alkali is my teaching assistant whom I rely on to ensure the students pay attention and not fall asleep during class," Volcano corrected. "And since we're older than you, you better call us Mr. for males, and Miss for females, instead of our names," Alkali pointed out. "Alright, Miss," Pear Sweet's younger sister, Pear Treat responded, before calling the rest of the Heroic Ten, "And Mr., and Miss, and Miss, and Mr..." "That's not what I meant!" Alkali panicked and shook her claws and flew after the filly. Falcon Dive watched the chaos unfold just before he turned his attention to one of Apple Bloom's paternal relatives, Haystack, the father of Juicy Apple. "Howdy, griffon." the Earth Pony greeted like a farmer. "It's Falcon Dive, as in, I'm Falcon Dive," the griffon told the adult. "Ah, Falcon Dive, Element of Selflessness, isn't it?" Haystack asked. "Yes, and still is." Falcon Dive plainly answered. "What is all the commotion?!" an old voice asked, before every creature turned to see its owner: Apple Bloom's maternal relative, Boiled Pear. "Grandpa Boiled Pear, " Tender Taps greeted his in-law, before whispering to the heroes, "Grandpa Boiled Pear is not any creature's grandpa, he never married! We just call him that!" "Alright...now you have seen the oldest member of the family, it's time for you to meet the two youngest ones!" Apple Bloom told her guests, rushing off to bring her twins. "Meet Tender Apple, we decided to name her that, after ourselves, just like her cousin Big Sugar was named after his parents." Tender Taps explained. "And meet her younger twin brother, Bright Butter, named after his maternal grandparents, my parents, Bright Mac and Pear Butter, so we can remember them," Apple Bloom explained. "They are so...adorable!" Nature Bloom squealed, a second before Alkali was heard panting. "And this...is Miss Nature Bloom, she's the changeling and Element of Niceness of the Heroic Ten," the hippogriff exhausted told the Pear children, collapsing in tiredness. "Wow! The Heroic Ten is so...awesome!" Pear Sweet exclaimed. "I wish our family can be different in species, too! Then we can be like the Heroic Ten!" Pear Treat added. "I completely advise against that wish! I mean, wanting to change what you biologically are born as isn't right!" Sunshine Rays told the kids. "Anyway, here's a better introduction of my family members, or should I say, relatives, who reside with me and Tender, excluding ourselves" Apple Bloom began, "From youngest to oldest: Bright Butter, Tender Apple, Pear Treat, Pear Sweet, Juicy Apple, Apple Orchard, Haystack, and Boiled Pear." "Wow, that's unique!" Yellow Bright commented. "But, where are Pear Sweet and Pear Treat's parents?" Evergreen asked. "Well, they live far away in a Pear Farm, they actually have a lot of kids that can't afford to take care of, so they sent some of those kids away to be taken care of their relatives who don't live with them! They sent Pear Sweet and Pear Treat here, when the two were born. Therefore, these Pear sisters were never raised by their biological parents!" Apple Bloom explained. "I totally know how that feels, experiencing that myself. " Luster declared. "But, do they ever get to see and remain in contact with their parents?" Buffer asked. "They do, but not very often, a few times every year." Tender Taps answered. "That's...so...sad!" Krona declared. "It's just what happens when you cannot afford to take care of kids: you need to hand them to some creature who can, while you do your job." Luster explained. "At least it's better than showing that you care about the children more than you care about your job, to the point that you don't care about your job at all." Sunshine Rays pointed out. "Anyways, Tender and I really appreciate your offer to help our family, Heroic Ten," Apple Bloom gratefully told the ten creatures. "But unfortunately, we have to go out today, so we can't see how you progress, as in, how you are going to help our family improve...whatever they need to improve on," Tender Taps added. "But we know that we can trust you ten, especially when you all have been in my Honesty Classes for months, in other words, you are my former students, and I know you all mighty well now," Apple Bloom pointed out. "We will not let you down," Luster replied. "Apple Bloom! Tender Taps!" Button Mash, Sweetie Belle's husband, could be heard calling from outside. "What are you waiting for? We are supposed to go on ou plans, like planned!" Rumble, Scootaloo's husband, added. "Coming!" Apple Bloom called to the ponies outside, before telling the heroes, "We got to go!" "Goodbye! Or...see you later?" Yellow Bright responded. "Whatever, as if choosing between that phrase and clause were important," Sunshine Rays commented. "And how do you know that one is a phrase, and the other is a clause?" Nature Bloom asked. "Clauses have subject-verb combination, phrases do not!" Sunshine Rays answered. "Glad to see some creature not confused, nor wondering the difference between them," Volcano stated. "Alright, now. All we have to do is get them too..." Luster began instructing her team, before Falcon Dive cut her off. "Be selfless and abandon all their non-needs to free up space!" Unfortunately, his sentence was said in a volume loud enough for the residents to hear. "What?! But...I love my toys!" Pear Treat cried. "And I love my collection!" Pear Sweet added. "All my childhood stuff..." Juicy Apple stated. "And my extra dresses!" Apple Orchard contributed. "Calm down, every creature,I know it sounds difficult for you, but maybe it won't be once we teach you the Elements of Purity," Evergreen assured. "You mean your imaginary myth?" Boiled Pear asked. "How dare you call those virtues, good values, an imaginary myth!" Sunshine Rays instantly confronted the elderly Earth Pony. "Sunshine?" Buffer called, making the pegasus retreat and nervous chuckle. "Whoops, sorry, every creature, I must not have mastered patience yet, and you all know me, I have a very intense dislike for immorality." "Back to the main point, we are not against your desires because we want things our way," Alkali told the Earth Ponies residing in the house. "Heroic Ten do it, because they want what is BEST for every creature!" Krona declared. "And that means encouraging you all to change your ways and become who you need to be," Volcano ended. "What are you talking about? We are fine, getting along with our family!" Haystack asked. "We may have fights and arguments with each other every week, but we always get along in the end," Apple Orchard stated. "And we already barely get what we want, living with many others takes away our freedom to get a lot of stuff," Juicy Apple briefly glared at her relatives-by-marriage, before turning back to the heroes, "And getting to keep our favourite toys and objects is all we can ask for." "And we're keeping them!" Pear Sweet declared. "Absolutely!" Pear Treat supported her. Seeing that encouraging the family to change would not be easy, Luster called for a team huddle. "Alright, every creature, we only have less than twelve hours to change this family for the better, and it sure won't be easy!" Luster told the creatures. "Maybe we can tell them that we will give whoever has the best personality characteristics today will get a prize? And give them a gem as the prize?" Alkali suggested. "But that will just get them to think that good deeds are done in order to get rewards, when the good deed being done is the reward," Sunshine Rays remarked. "Or maybe we should make them see that valuing the Elements of Purity is great and enjoyable?" Yellow Bright asked, "By making it look fun?" "Good idea, Yellow Bright!" Evergreen praised. "But one problem: How are we going to make it look fun?" Nature Bloom asked. "We can always invent a new game," Falcon Dive suggested. "Good idea! I suggest we create the game, 'Follow the Rules', the winner will be whoever can follow all the rules, without breaking any single one of them!" Sunshine Rays announced. "What if they detest it and call it boring? No offence, really, but, before Alkali came, my students slept through my classes, probably because they weren't fun." Volcano informed. So, we ned a good approach," Evergreen figured, "Any creature got an idea?" "Well, I suggest that we..." Buffer began, before he was cut off by Falcon Dive. "Spend individual time with them! Each of them! And teach them our Elements of Purity values!" "but I was suggesting that we..." Buffer began, but he was once again unheard, as Luster praised the griffon. "That is a great idea!" "Plus, teaching morality is what I always wanted to do, ever since I was fourteen." Sunshine Rays added. "But.." was all Buffer could utter as his best friends rushed pass him, to his dismay. "Buffer, what are you waiting for? We got work to do!" Yellow Bright called. "Coming!" the buffalo replied. "Alright, so I have decided, that we go in a circle so no creature will miss out an Element of Purity," Luster explained. "But how long are we going to be with each family member before we switch?" Nature Bloom asked. "Fifteen minutes, because in one hour, each member could see four of us! So it takes two and a half hours for them to see us all!" Luster explained. "But who will be with who at the beginning?" Krona asked. "And, what order will we be going in?"Yellow Bright added. "We will be the creatures going around while the family members will be staying in place." Luster explained, "And we will be going in the clockwise order of the Elements of Purity, as in, the order we introduced them." "Good to know the order, but you still haven't answered the question of who is with who at the beginning," Evergreen pointed out. "Oh, right," Luster responded, "Now, at the beginning, Krona will be with Boiled Pear, Buffer will be with Bright Butter, Sunshine Rays will be with Tender Apple, Volcano will be with Pear Treat, Nature Bloom will be with Pear Sweet, Alkali will be with Juicy Apple, Evergreen will be with Apple Orchard, Yellow Bright will be with Haystack, while Falcon Dive and I will be observing all of you until the fifteen minutes time is up, and I'll spend time with Boiled Pear, and soon after the next fifteen minutes, Falcon Dive will move up and see Boiled Pear, since Madam Apple Bloom and Mr. Tender Taps aren't here." "So, it's going in a circle, we can handle that!" Falcon Dive commented. Meanwhile, the Cutie Mark Crusaders and their husbands were visiting the restaurant, Tasty Treat in Canterlot, which was still ran by Saffron Masala. After getting a table, the adults started ordering food, after the orders were made, the six ponies started a chat with one another. "So, every creature, what should we talk about? Can't start nor talk without a topic," Scootaloo asked. "Well, we can always talk about life, like Rarity visiting me with her kids, but without Spike since he was busy, recently," Sweetie Belle started. "And how did that visit go?" Apple Bloom asked. "Normal and nothing special. Regular slice of life," Sweetie Belle groaned. "Well, things are never slice of life in my ten creatures house," Apple Bloom commented. "You mean, our ten creatures house," Tender Taps reminded his wife. Apple Bloom chuckled, "Right, Tender Taps. Now, I was saying, things are never slice of life in our house, with that many creatures living in it. I mean, it's like living in a jungle!" Flashbacks began as Apple Bloom narrated. "Every time the infants cry, some creature has to check on them, regardless of what they are doing!" The scene showed Apple Bloom taking a shower when she heard her babies wailing, before she stepped out of the tub with a tower wrapped around her body. "Pear Treat and Pear Sweet often get into a lot of mischief," The scene showed the fillies running around the house, nearly destroying some fragile jars and plates, which would had fallen to the floor and shattered if it were not for Tender Taps. "The two Pear sisters always need help with homework, schoolwork, their subjects! Even basic math questions!" The scene showed Pear Sweet asking Apple Bloom, "Aunt Apple Bloom, what is 9 times 10?" "Isn't it obvious? 90. Any number that isn't a decimal or a fraction, multiplied by 10, is just putting a zero at the end of it!" Apple Bloom face-hoofed. "What is a decimal? And what is a fraction?" Pear Sweet asked, before her sister asked. "Aunt Apple Bloom, do you know what five plus five is?" "Ten..." Apple Bloom plainly answered. "Juicy Apple may be a teenager, but she doesn't do any work! Except for her homework!" The scene showed Juicy Apple in her room, as Tender Taps was at her door, trotting towards her. "Juicy Apple, can you please sweep the floor today?" Tender Taps asked. "Sorry, Uncle Tender, I got homework today," Juicy Apple responded. "That's what you said the last time!" Tender Taps complained. "I'm sorry, I'm afraid getting more work is just part of my life," Juicy Apple told her uncle, to his annoyance. "The housewife, Apple Orchard, cannot handle two infants, two fillies and an elderly all at once!" The scene showed Apple Orchard being overwhelmed by the family members she had to take care of, as they were all in the living room giving her demands. "Aunt Apple Orchard, can you help us with our homework?" the Pear sisters asked in unison. "Apple Orchard! Where is my water?" Boiled Pear asked. The infants suddenly wailed as a horrible smell spread to the surroundings through diffusion. "What is that awful smell?" Pear Sweet asked. "Sorry, every creature! Infants first!" Apple Orchard apologised, rushing off to the cradle. "But... we are all born before they were! So it should be us first!" Pear Treat protested. "Correction, missy. I'm the oldest creature here, so I should be first, I'm the first-born in this house!" Boiled Pear argued. "Haystack is not good with understanding instructions," The scene showed Apple Orchard and her husband in the living room near the door, with her walking pass him. "Haystack, can you please take Juicy Apple and the Pear sisters to Sweet Apple Acres the next day?" Apple Orchard asked. "Sure thing, hon. Is it taking them there tomorrow?" Haystack asked. "I thought you said sure thing!" Apple Orchard complained. "Well, I did....but I just wanted to make it really clear..." Haystack struggled to reply. "And every time when we have cake, pie, or pizza to share..." The scene showed the family in the Dining Room, sitting on their seats around the Dining Table, just as Apple Bloom came walking in with a plate that had slices of cake on it. "Last few pieces of cake! Who wants it?" Apple Bloom asked. "I do!" every creature with the exception of the infants, exclaimed in unison. "But...we don't have enough to share. Maybe we should cut them into even smaller fractions..." Apple Bloom nervously told her family. The plate was snatched from Apple Bloom's hoof as the family members fought each other for the final slices, determined to not be the unlucky creature. "And whenever just one member of the family gets sick, the whole house will be like under lockdown, or...taking disease preventive measures!" The scene then showed two bored Pear sisters wearing masks as they looked out the living room window. "Can we please take off our masks?" Pear Sweet asked Tender Taps. "Sorry, we need to keep wearing them so we won't catch the same illness Grandpa Boiled Pear has!" Tender Taps apologised. "And we need to wait until he is well?" Pear Treat complained. "It's for our health," Tender Taps insisted. The three then turned to see Apple Bloom and Apple Orchard, who were mopping the floor and spraying ammonia around the house to keep it clean. After all the flashbacks ended, Rumble commented, "Well, try to make the most out of your adventures, because Scootaloo and I don't have something like that everyday." "They aren't adventures, we experience those things every single day, and got used to it." Tender Taps responded plainly. "Here's your orders!" Saffron Masala told the six ponies, using her magic to levitate their food onto their table. "Mmm...smells delicious!" Sweetie Belle commented after bringing her nose up close to smell the scent of the food. "It's not like anything we ever had back in Ponyville!" Button Mash added. "Why don't taste it?" Saffron Masala asked. Sweetie Belle did as Saffron suggested, levitating her (Sweetie Belle's) spoon and scooping a mouthful of food. After sending the food into her mouth and swallowing it, the white-coated unicorn commented, "It tastes...divine!" "Wow, you really mastered your sister's ways, Sweetie," Button Mash commented. "Oh, Button, I only talk like she does a few times," Sweetie Belle blushed. "Anyway, let's just make the most out of our hangout today!" Scootloo reminded her best friends. "You're right, Scootaloo! Let's just eat and make the most out of today! Plus, the Heroic Ten can probably handle my family," Apple Bloom responded, but she unintentionally said her sentence out loud that Saffron and several customers around them could hear, and cast their attention at the Earth Pony. "Wait. The Heroic Ten are handling your family?" Saffron asked. "Well, that's because they wanted to?" Apple Bloom nervously replied. "What?! Why would they want to choose a family in a village, rather thann a family in the capital city of the kingdom; Canterlot?!" a well-dressed Canterlot unicorn asked. "Well...they are planning to families virtues..." Apple Bloom stated. "Then will they come to see our families? I mean...teach our families?" another Canterlot pony asked. "Well...they do want to teach virtues to families, so...they probably will like it if you want them to teach you..." Apple Bloom answered. "Then please ask them to teach us!" the customers in the restaurant exclaimed in unison, overwhelming Apple Bloom and her best friends. "Hey, back when our sisters and our friends were the heroes of Equestria who kept saving it from threats, no creature sees to show so much attention towards them!" Sweetie Belle pointed out. "Any idea why you would be interested in new heroes who had only saved all of us from a villain once, when the Council of Friendship, who had saved us all a million times before they became the Council, and no creature treated them like heroes!" Scootaloo added. "We're sorry, nut the Council of Friendship aren't here," one of the customers pointed out. "Neither as any of the heroic Ten," Tender Taps reminded. "But the Heroic Ten has been becoming more of the...popular heroes, especially ever since they were featured in the best book in Equestria and Beyond..." another customer began, before Scootaloo sarcastically named the book. "An Author Meets the Heroic Ten, True Story, based on the events of the Heroic Ten helping the author write a better book than the most popular one before it, because the heroes knew the consequences of having a bad influence being popular." "And the song they created, about the Real, true best. They really are inspiring," Saffron commented, daydreaming bout the heroes. "But, the Council of Friendship wrote and published their Friendship Journal and sung for a crowd before!" Sweetie Belle pointed out. "There is no record or disc or whatever to record their song!" one of the customers remarked. "And, the Heroic Ten were the creatures who brought that wonderful event that made me meet and get along with my newest friend, Rosa," a Diamond Dog said in a somewhat romantic tone as he embraced his mentioned fried, a female abyssinian. "Oh, Dacite, we just got along well thanks to them," Rosa reminded. "Whatever!" Scootaloo interrupted, "Can we just go back to normal? As in, back to having meals here?" "Right after you promise to take us to see the newest heroes that we are fans of!" one of the customers ran straight up to Apple Bloom, influencing others to queue up behind him. Meanwhile, in the house, Buffer watched he youngest resident sleeping and sighed. "Nothing much to do, watching a baby," the buffalo then turned to his pegasus Best Friend, "Sunshine, how is your side going? As in, how things are going?" "Things are going fine! With Tender Apple asleep, I got plenty of time planning how I'm going to teach the residents here morality! As in, which things are right, or should I say...help them identify what is right and wrong in some situations, and don't you worry, Moonshade Fright is back in the Castle, and won't be showing up here to scare some creature!" was the reply. "Good to know that things are going good for you so far, and, since you seem to be more available than the others, maybe you can get them too..." Buffer began, before they heard Krona throwing a temper. "WHAT?! How dare old pony say that!" "Uh-oh..." Sunshine Rays and Buffer said in unison, rushing in the direction of the sound and finding the two in the elderly's bedroom, with the yak furious at Boiled Pear. "Yaks should not smash! They'll destroy lots of things faster than we can create them," the elderly said, enraging Krona. "Yaks smash! Yaks should smash! Yaks smash as a tradition! Yaks always smash!" Krona roared. "Krona! You only smash sometimes, not really all the time." Buffer pointed out, just before they heard Volcano going crazy. In the Study Room, Volcano lost his patience, saying his words out loud, "I can't believe it! I have never seen any creature your age not knowing all this basic stuff! You must have went through them a million times with the rest of your class! How can you not know that 1+2+3? Are you dependent on a calculator that you have been using all the time?!" "Sorry, I just...can't remember this kind of thing..." Pear Treat apologised, just before the dragon's bst friends opened the door. "Volcano, what is wrong?" Sunshine Rays asked. "Some creature can't remember the most basic things..." Volcano answered. Every creature then heard another commotion nearby, as they heard their Best Friend, Alkali crying out. "I was only trying to help!" In the hallway upstairs, Falcon Dive confronted his hippogriff Best Friend for teaching Juicy Apple to use her (Alkali's) method of cleaning the floor: Skating on soap bars. "Seriously, Alkali. You should know that not every creature learnt to skate, and Juicy doesn't have wings like you do! You are lucky that her head and brain and skull are protected by her helmet, but at the same time, not giving her a whole body safety gear is still not good! Especially when you're teaching her to do something that can risk her falling down and breaking her bones!" Falcon Dive scolded. "I'm sorry, I just thought that if she learnt my method, she wouldn't be so...not into cleaning anymore," Alkali responded. "Well, well, well. Looks like some creature needs morality lessons so soon," Sunshine Rays commented, as she approached the scene through flying. "Look out!" Apple Orchard shouted, as she slipped and slid on the hallway floor, crashing into her daughter and pushing them both towards the bathroom, hitting the pipes of the sink, causing the water to flow out like a water jet. "Sorry, every creature. I was training Madam Apple Orchard to be quick and patient, but she slipped and...you all know," Evergreen apologised from the room Apple Orchard came slipping out of. "What is going on up there?" Luster could be heard asking from downstairs. After clearing up the mess, Luster paced around the living room, in front of her best friends and Apple Bloom's family. "Alright every creature, we only got a few more hours before Madam Apple Bloom and Tender Taps return, so we got to hurry and make progress!" "We already know that!" Haystack remarked. "We just need another way to teach these values!" Sunshine Rays stated. "Well, earlier, I was suggesting that we all teach the whole family at once like teachers in a school does!" Buffer told Luster. "That's a good idea, Buffer! Why didn't you tall us earlier?" the unicorn responded. "But I tried to tell you all about it earlier! Anyway, there's more to it than just that, I suggest that we..." Buffer began, but he was cut off by Yellow Bright. "Teach the family our virtues one by one! In other words, we take turns teaching our Elements of Purity! As in, only one of us teach at a time, while the others stand by and wait for their turn!" "But..." Buffer tried to say what he wanted o say, but unfortunately, he was ignored. "Great idea, Yellow Bright! Now, we just need to find out an order, as in, a sequence, that we will go in," Luster declared. "I know we may usually go in the order we put the Elements of Purity in, but I already prepared for teaching morality, so, may I go first? Please?" Sunshine Rays asked. "Well, as long as every creature is alright with it," Luster replied. "Krona needs some time to calm down. Pegasus can go before Krona," Krona told the creatures. "And since I already started teaching diligence, I'm sure I can go fine, being the second-in-line," Volcano added. "Well, I usually don't like being the only creature the crowd looks at, but with ou all nearby, I'm sure I can handle it," Nature Bloom figured. "And don't worry, I will be more careful and check on safety, before I do anything not acceptable..." Alkali nervously chuckled. "I can teach patience to a whole class of creatures! I do have a job as a mediation teacher after all, and I can patiently wait for my turn," Evergreen assured. "Positivity is my thing since a long time ago! I can teach that after Evergreen's turn," Yellow Bright stated. "And I know what I should teach about being selfless!" Falcon Dive claimed. "Great, now let's get started! The order will be Sunshine, Volcano, Nature, Alkali, Evergreen, Yellow, Falcon, me, Krona then Buffer, before it repeats," Luster announced, "We do not have much time, so we are starting now!" "Did they all just forget about me?" Buffer asked himself, as he watched his best friends walk pass him to the side of the house. "Come on, Buffer, give the Apples and Pears some space! They are learning, while you aren't!" Evergreen called. "Coming!" Buffer replied, joining most o his best friends at the side of the room, watching Sunshine Rays teach from afar. "Now, the definition of morality is principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong, or good and bad behaviour, but it actually means a lot more than that. It is also knowing and doing what is right, because when you are moral, you care about if something is right or wrong!And will choose right over wrong!" Sunshine Rays explained. Bored and knowing that his turn was the furthest away, Buffer started to walk towards the door that was the entrance and exit of the house. "Where is Buffer going?" Krona asked. "Outside to buy some drinks, I'm getting thirsty, anyway." Buffer answered. "Alright, then. Just be sure that you can come back before your turn!" Luster called. "And before we start worrying!" Falcon Dive added. "Sure!" Buffer replied, before exiting. Some time later, Buffer returned to Apple Bloom's residence, only to find that a problem had grown in his absence, as his best friends were arguing over who should be allowed to teach the residents that moment. "They need to learn to be selfless in order to save space!" Falcon Dive argued. "But they need encouragement to do that!" Alkali protested. "They need to be diligent and work harder so that they won't need so many books!" Volcano joined in the argument. "They need to do the right thing!" Sunshine Rays quarrelled. "Telling the truth is important! The will make them trustworthy and trusted! Integrity should go first!" Krona disagreed with the rest. "Every creature, stop!" Buffer shouted, catching their attention. "Oh, hi, Buffer. You're back," Yellow Bright greeted. "Every creature, what happened?" Buffer asked. "Well, Sunshine Rays' morality stuff started to become something the family dislike," Krona explained. "It's not that detestable nor unlovable!" Sunshine Rays furiously remarked. "I tried to cheer them up by naming some positive things, but then when Grandpa Boiled Pear disagreed with one of my statements, I can't handle things....so Evergreen decided to fill in for me with her patience teachings," Yellow Bright continued. "But then, the family found meditation uninteresting," Evergreen added. "So I tried to help by encouraging them with encouraging lessons, that teaches them how to encourage one another..." Alkali contributed. "The main point is, none of us made it up to fifteen minutes, as we kept on...having setbacks," Volcano pointed out. "And just started this argument a few minutes before you came," Nature Bloom finished. "Well, you are lucky I'm back. Because I have listened to you long enough, right now, I'm going to let myself be listened to, and not ignored." Buffer declared, "And here's what I have been trying to say since the start of our virtue teaching: We should teach the family virtues like a teacher teaches a class, but instead of one teacher, we should teach them altogether. Because we know that the Elements of Purity only make us pure and good, when all are present, and not just one." "That is actually...undeniable," Luster commented. "And you are right about the Elements of Purity only making us good when all are present and not just one," Sunshine Rays remarked, "I myself learnt that lesson the difficult way..." "And we are all so sorry that we didn't listen to you," Evergreen apologised. "And forgot about you when we decided to take turns teaching the whole family," Nature Bloom added. "That's alright, every creature. Because right now, we got a family to tech!" Buffer announced. In a montage, Krona and Nature Bloom taught the family how to tell truths in a respectful way so that they would not hurt any creature's feelings. Soon, Nature Bloom and Evergreen taught how to be nice and patient towards others, followed by Sunshine Rays and Falcon Dive, who taught he family what being moral and selfless was about. Soon, Buffer taught what good listening was, creating better harmony among every creature. Luster Dawn then complimented her best friends, "Well done, every creature. It looks like our. work here is done, the family has improved, and it's all thanks to us," she then turned towards her buffalo Best Friend, "especially you, Buffer." "No need to compliment, I know that listening doesn't mean just listening to any creature, every creature must not be ignored, including the listener themselves, because they would also have something to say. So at the end of the day, every creature is both, a listener, and some creature listened to!" Buffer declared. "And thanks to listening, every creature is getting along!" Krona added, watching the family talk harmoniously from afar. "And I got something to write to my mentor," Luster added, taking out a scroll and quit. Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle, Today, my best friends and I learnt and found out that listening is a factor that leads to harmony and goodness in the land. Listeners do not just listen to any creature, they listen to what every creature has to say, including themselves. Followed by a spark of morality, they would do the rightful thing, and listen to whoever they knew was right, and that can either be some creature else, or the listeners themselves. When every creature is listened to, no creature will feel left out, even if their idea was not chosen, because when every creature is listened to, their existence is acknowledged, and when every creature is listened to, a good idea will not be so easily missed out. Signed, your faithful student, Luster Dawn After Luster used her magic to send the letter away, there was a knock on the door. "They're back!" the Pear sisters exclaimed. Once the door was opened, Apple Bloom and Tender Taps were revealed on the other side of it, looking exhausted. "Oh, heavens! Apple Bloom, Tender Taps, what happened to you two?" Apple Orchard asked in a concerned tone. "It's a long story," Apple Bloom answered. "And we need to see the Heroic Ten right away," Tender Taps added. "We are all here, " Luster told the exhausted earth ponies, "So, why would you need us?" "Well...remember what you said about your virtue-teaching campaign?" Apple Bloom asked. "You know, saying that you want to teach families virtues?" Tender Taps clarified. "Oh yeah. And guess what? We just taught your family enough in less than a day of twenty-four hours!" Falcon Dive proudly responded. "They are now getting rid of mostly everything unneeded to free up space," Evergreen explained. "Great! But um...do you think that many creatures wanting you to teach their families virtues, is alright?" Tender Taps asked. "Sure it is alright! We need every creature to have virtues!" Sunshine Rays answered. "Well...here's that every creature!" Apple Bloom said as she and Tender Taps stepped back to reveal the crowd of customers from Tasty Treat earlier, to the shock of the heroes. "What?! That's a lot of work for us..." Volcano fainted as he was already tired from all he had that day. Alkali helped her dragon Best Friend up, being watched by Krona and Buffer, while Falcon Dive face-clawed himself, Sunshine Rays, Evergreen, and Yellow Bright looked overwhelmed, Nature Bloom hid behind her best friends, while Luster Dawn gasped. "This is going to take a while..." Luster muttered.
12. Corrosive ReunionAuthor's Note Corrosive Reunionserves as the twelfth episode of the series. Summary: The Heroic Ten and their families visit Mount Aris to attend a birthday party, but not everything goes smoothly as Alkali discovers what her little brother has done in her absence. Featured Song: Do You Want to Mak some Water? (Parody of Disney Frozen's Do You Want to Build a Snowman?) Acknowledgements: Some information (rephrased or not) from The Facts About Ammonia Hydrochloric Acid-an Overview|ScienceDirect Topics Caustic Burn - an Overview | ScienceDirect Topics Featured Characters: Acid, a male preteen hippogriff who has a red coat, orange mane, yellow eyes, beak and claws. He is Alkali's younger brother (as mentioned in 'Jealous Teacher' by Buffer, and in 'Independent Morality' by Alkali herself), who is a decade younger than her. Water Rush, a male hippogriff with a blue coat. He is the father of Alkali and Acid, and a Chemistry Teacher at one of the Higher Grade Schools in Mount Aris. He taught Alkali the basics about acids and alkalis since she was young. Vapour Float, a female hippogriff/seapony with a light grey coat. She is the mother of Alkali and Acid, and a chef at an underwater restaurant in Seaquestria. She and her husband are twenty-five years older than Alkali, and thirty-five years older than Acid. Icicle, a female hippogriff with a light blue coat. She is fourteen years younger than her sister Vapour Float, the maternal aunt of Alkali and Acid, and a security guard around Mount Aris beach. Her stern, serious, protective, no-nonsense and tough personality is inspired by the character Ixlan from the animated TV Show, Elena of Avalor. Princess Aqueous, a preteen hippogriff/seapony who was born on the same year as Acid. Like her mother, Queen Skystar, she is friendly, cheerful and bubbly, unlike former Queen Novo. She has a very light blue coat, an indigo mane, and purple eyes. Lava, a preteen dragon who still had not gotten her wings, Volcano's younger sister. Krone, a preteen yak, Krona's younger brother. Purple Blend, a preteen earth pony, Yellow Bright's younger sister. Jack Pine, a preteen kirin, Evergreen's younger brother. 12. Corrosive Reunion The Canterlot sky turned darker and darker, as Twilight lowered the sun, making way for the moon and beginning dusk. In the streets below, Luster and her best friends were tired out from their virtue-teaching campaign, which was meant to help every creature save more space. "I'm glad that we finished teaching! I can really use a break!" Falcon Dive announced. "You are not the only creature," Sunshine Rays told her griffon Best Friend. "And, I'm glad that that was the last family we had to teach for the moment! So I can buy a special gift for some creature I'm visiting tomorrow at his birthday party..." Alkali told her best friends. "We all know who that is: Your only sibling, your little brother Acid." Volcano responded in a tired tone. "Yup, he is turning ten this year, and that means a decade old! So I, his only sibling and big sister, have decided to give him something more special than all my previous birthday gifts for him..." Alkali declared. "So you aren't giving him citrus fruits this year?" Yellow Bright asked. "And not giving him vinegar?" Evergreen added. "Nope! It is not an acid! Nor is it an alkali, neither is it a base, nor amphoteric oxide, and it is also not a neutral oxide!" Alkali replied. "Then is it, a universal indicator?" Volcano asked. "Close, but not it!" Alkali replied. "Is it a pH sensor?" Volcano asked. "Correct! I figured that he should get something special from me when he turns a decade old, and since he loves neutralising acids and alkalis with me since little, I figured that a pH sensor is a perfect gift! And I'll make sure I will get him the safest one I can find," Alkali declared. "Well, I have stayed here after the age spell for more than a year, so I can remember where a shop that sells Chemistry equipment is," Luster stated. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go buying!" Alkali exclaimed, grabbing Luster's front hoof and pulling the unicorn with her in a flash. After the series theme song intro played, the scene showed the events of the next day. The train was headed for Mount Aris, with many passengers inside. "I wonder how much has changed since I left," Alkali said her thoughts out loud, looking out the window. "How long since you have last been there?" Buffer asked. "Since the last School of Friendship break," Alkali answered. "That means you haven't been there for months!" Volcano gasped. "I know. I just hope that things never changed so much," Alkali responded. "Kids! You are preteens! You are closer to being teenagers than the rest of the kids! Is this how you should behave?!" Sunshine Rays could be heard scolding the younger siblings of the Heroic Ten. "We're sorry, Sunshine. We just barely see each other. We can't help ourselves but to have fun every time we meet!" Lava, Volcano's younger sister apologised. "Krone and Krone's friends only see each other every playdate! Which is not even every week! Can't Krone and friends play whatever they want?" Krone, Krona's younger brother, complained. "Things cannot always go the way you want them to! You can't just do whatever you want! Especially when what you want is not good!" Sunshine Rays roared. "Calm down, Sunshine. Remember patience?" Evergreen reminded. "Oh right, sorry every creature," Sunshine Rays nervously chuckled. "But what can we play in the train?" Purple Blend, Yellow Bright's younger sister, asked. "Well, kids can always chat with friends like adults!" Krona suggested. "Kids? We are preteens!" Jack Pine, Evergreen's younger brother pointed out. "Next stop, Mount Aris Station!" the train conductor announced. "We're here!" Nature Bloom exclaimed. After all the members of the Heroic Ten's families got off the Train, they were amazed by the view. "It's just the way I remembered!" Alkali exclaimed. "Good to know that nothing bad has happened. Now can we please go to the party? Some creatures need to play with their friends, here!" Lava complained. "Oh, right! Come on, every creature! I still remember the way!" Alkali announced, leading the guests to her former residence. "I can't believe how fortunate you are, Alkali. Living near the beach, so you are near land and sea!" Nature Bloom opined. "My Dad works on land as a Chemistry Teacher, and my Mum works as a chef at a restaurant in Seaquestria, they figured that they need to live somewhere in between their workplaces to work out," Alkali explained, "And my maternal aunt Icicle, who is fourteen years younger than my Mum, never married, she works as a Royal Guard around the beach, so she lives with my parents, and little brother." "So, is your family's income alright?" Evergreen asked. "More than alright, we have more than enough to buy what we need!" Alkali answered. "I still don't quite get how royal guards here get an income," Falcon Dive stated. "The Ruler of Mount Aris will give them money for every day they work!" Volcano explained, "Some creature totally forgot his Social Studies." Suddenly, there was the trumpeting of trumpets, which meant only one thing: there was royalty nearby! "Queen Skystar," the creatures bowed before the Ruler of Mount Aris. "Heroic Ten, what a lovely surprise to see that you brought a lot of members of your families here. I just hope that you really do have safety in numbers and not chaos and arguments. Because I believe that you are attending the same birthday party my daughter is attending," Skystar told the heroes, "And since most of you never met her before, allow me to introduce, Princess Aqueous." Skystar stepped aside to reveal a preteen hippogriff with a very light blue coat, an indigo mane and purple eyes. "Your highness," Purple Blend blowed before the younger royalty, causing the princess to giggle. "Don't worry, you do not need to be so formal towards me. I'm the future queen, not the current queen. And I'm still learning the duties and everything necessary." "Wait a second, Queen Skystar, what birthday party is Prinecss Aqueous attending?" Alkali asked in a somewhat worried tone. "How can you not know? We are here on the beach, and your younger brother is turning a year older today..." Queen Skystar gave the heroine a strong hint. Alkali gasped, "She's attending my little brother's birthday party?! But...she never met him!" "What do you mean, Alkali? Aqueous met Acid some time after you and your best friends became famous heroes, a few months ago. How can you not know that?" Queen Skystar asked. "What?! But...they don't even live close, nor do they go to the same school, how did they meet?!" Alkali questioned in a shocked tone. "You really don't know? Aqueous used to like eating all those not-so healthy cupcakes and sweets, until the day she came across Acid's fruit stand and tried his homemade strawberry milkshake. She then befriended him as he helped her get rid of her sweet tooth and choose fruits over those cakes and sweets!" Queen Skystar explained. "How can I not know that?! I'm Acid's big sister and only sibling for Equestria sake!" Alkali dramatically shrieked. "Well....you don't live with your brother ever since you left for the School of Friendship, perhaps that's why you don't know anything happening here," Queen Skystar figured. "But....how can my family not tell me anything when they attended Buffer's surprise party?!" Alkali asked. "Maybe you told them too much about what happened to you and not let them tell you what happened to them," Queen Skystar suggested, "Anyway, I sadly cannot attend the party, neither can I stay. I have some important errands to attend lately, and will pick up Aqueous at sunset. Just enjoy the celebration, and please save at least a bit of dessert for me if you can." After the queen left, Alkali was stunned: she could not believe everything she missed. "Are you alright, Alkali?" Nature Bloom asked. "Not really. Maybe I did not let my family have a chance to tell me what happened to them and what was happening at Mount Aris while I'm not around." was the reply. "That's alright, listening is not as easy as it sounds," Buffer assured. "Plus, you're about to see your family, and get a chance to learn what happened to them!" Yellow Bright pointed out. "And, you probably will not make the same mistake after knowing what the mistake is," Sunshine Rays added. "Thanks, every creature." Alkali thanked her best friends. "Can we just get going?!" Buffer's father, Bulwark asked in an impatient tone. "Oh right, sorry about the delay, every creature. Let's just get to the party," Alkali apologised to the party guests. "Actually, Miss Alkali, I already visited Acid several times, and know the way. Can I lead the way instead? It will be good practice for when I become queen," Princess Aqueous asked. "Sure, your highness. I do need a little time as not-the-most-important-creature," Alkali answered, allowing the princess to be in front of every creature. Once Princess Aqueous was leading the way, Volcano noticed something troubling his hippogriff Best Friend. "Alkali, I know that something's bothering you. Is it not knowing much about your little brother?" the dragon asked. "It is, Volcano. I'm Acid's only sibling, I should know all that the family knows about him, especially when I was the one who took care of him when no creature else was around, I can't believe I don't know much about him now, especially the fact that he is friends with the future queen of Mount Aris! And the future queen has been to my former residence several times?!" Alkali sadly explained. "Don't worry. I don't know much about what happened to my sister Lava, nor anything about what my family experiences in my absence, but we always have good times together." Volcano stated. "I hope I can have a good time with my family this time," Alkali lamented. "We are here!" Princess Aqueous announced, as they had reached the door. The door opened to revel a grown-up hippogriff with a blue coat, who greeted Alkali as he hugged her, "Alkali, my daughter. Welcome home, it's been ages since you last came!" "Thanks for the welcome, Dad. And just as expected, I brought the guests with me," Alkali replied, "even though Princess Aqueous took over leading them here half way." "Ah, Princess Aqueous, your highness, it's lovely to see you again," Alkali's father greeted. "Good to know that you welcome me as always, Mr. Water Rush, but I will like to be treated as a friend of Acid's," Princess Aqueous responded. "Wait....did she just call you Mr. Water Rush?! And did she just say that you always welcome her?! Which means she knows you and your name?!" Alkali asked. "Well, yeah, she knows my name, and your mother's and aunt's, and not to mention, know our jobs. She knows that I'm a Chemistry Teacher, your Mum is a chef at a restaurant in Seaquestria, and your aunt Icicle, is a Royal Guard protecting the beach." Water Rush answered. "I totally missed out all that?!" Alkali shrieked. "Calm down, Alkali, it's not the end of the world," Evergreen assured. "And the party has started!" Krona exclaimed, "Come and enjoy it!" The living and dining rooms were revealed to be full of creatures, most of them not being the guests whom the Heroic Ten brought with them. "I don't recognise most of these guests," Alkali said her thoughts out loud, just as two younger hippogriffs raced pass her, "And who are all these kids?!" "I thought you call these creatures these ages preteens!" Lava reminded. "Kids, preteens, whatever!" Falcon Dive sarcastically responded. "Oh...how much have I missed?! I need to see my brother ASAP!" Alkali told herself. "Alkali! There you are, I missed you so much, dearie." Alkali's mother, Vapour Float greeted. "Mum! I'm sorry I never visited home for a long time, and never let you and Dad tell me much about what happened to you, and what happened here." Alkali apologised. "It's alright, Alkali. Family always get through, plus, I knew you would be coming, so I made you your favourite seafood, and also prepared your favourite land food: Seaweed Salad, and Bitter Gourd soup respectively." Vapour Float responded. "Thank you so much, Mum! But, right now, I really need to find Acid and catch up on everything about him that I missed," Alkali told her. "Well, Acid is playing with his friends right now, maybe you should wait until their playtime ends. You don't have to look after him like you did years ago, meaning that you are completely free of your big sister duties," Vapour Float stated. "But he is not a teenager yet! He is turning ten today, and that means he is still a preteen! He still Neds some creature to look after him!" Alkali argued. "Oh really? Why don't take a peek at what he does nowadays, because he is doing one of those activities right now in the free room," Vapour Float insisted. "Wait. We have a free room?!" Alkali asked. "Well...after you graduated from the School of Friendship and became a resident of Princess Twilight Sparkle's former castle, we figured that you will never need your room anymore, so we...move all of your things into a new closet, and made your room a free room for us to fly around in. Or...for Acid and his friends to play in." Vapour Float explained. "Alright, Princess Aqueous, all we need to do is solve all these math questions and we can get pass!" Acid told his friend. The hippogriff children were playing a game of Break into the Lab, which was a game they invented themselves: One team had the role of heroes, with the aim to break into the opposing team's headquarters and shut off the alarm clock before it rings. The game not only tested their agility, but also their academic knowledge of science, math and language. The game was interrupted by a door knock. "I'm busy! Try again later!" Acid called to the creature on the other side. "But Acid, it's me! Your big sister!" Alkali called. "I said later, sis." Acid responded, before resuming his game. Outside, Alkali felt a heart ache, "Did my little brother just...shunned me out?" "Alkali, there you are. Your maternal aunt is here, don't you want to see her?" Luster asked. "Aunt Icicle is back?! Thanks for telling me, Luster!" Alkali quickly dashed off. Meanwhile, Falcon Dive and Sunshine Rays were playing a hippogriff-themed board game against Yellow Bright and Evergreen, with not much luck due to Falcon Dive's attitude. "One, two, three, four, five, landed on another....question tile." the griffon groaned. "Question: What do hippogriffs do before the Storm King?" Evergreen levitated the question card at the top off the stack and read the question out loud. "Just fly and run around Mount Aris?" Falcon Dive sarcastically answered. "What?! No! The correct answer is grow up, go to school, then get a job, get married for some of them, have kids, then retire when old enough, let their grown-up children take care of them, as part of the life cycle, and celebrating their traditional holidays!" Sunshine Rays corrected. "Since you answered it correctly, you still got marks, but unfortunately, since your team's second answer is correct, you only get half of full marks," Evergreen plainly told her opponents. "Well done, Falcon Dive," Sunshine Rays sarcastically told her teammate. "Cheer up, you two! You still got plenty of chances to get your score up!" Yellow Bright pointed out. "Thanks for the positive points and thoughts, Yellow Bright," Falcon Dive responded. On the other side of the living room, Alkali's maternal aunt was having her first interaction with Krona and Buffer. "So, when Eclipse Instant took control of every creature, you just used tricks and most commonly make your opponents crash into each other?" Icicle asked. "Absolutely! Heroic Ten was outnumbered, so they just used that trick to solve the problem!" Krona declared. "We are still...sorry about having to hurt every creature back there, we were actually doing our best not to hurt ay creature," Buffer stated. "No reason to apologise. I am impressed by your actions. I just have to try that out one day," Icicle replied. "Makes sense, because you're a Royal Guard," Buffer commented. "And protector of Mount Aris!" Krona added. "Protector of anywhere I'm needed," Icicle corrected. In the mean time, Alkali was asking the guests who were the parents of all the hippogriff kids whom she did not know, what she missed. "Well, Acid is becoming somewhat popular this year," an adult hippogriff told the heroine. "Somewhat popular? But how?" Alkali asked. "By starting that fruit stand, I recall," the adult stated. "But a fruit stand cannot become so popular! There are shops and restraunts in both Mount Aris and Seaquestria!" Alkali pointed out. "Well, his stand does have some mouth-watering fruit salads," the adult described, with saliva dripping out of his beak. "Back to the main question; what makes the stand popular?" Alkali reminded. "Oh, right. Well, Acid does create some smoothies and milkshakes and fruit juices for his costumers..." he adult stated. "Are those drinks so irresistible that they became so popular?" Alkali asked. "I wouldn't say that irresistible ," the adult figured, "But I do remember that Acid does tend to show that he is your brother." "Wait. He did?! But how?! I wasn't there with him!" Alkali asked. "Well, he has pictures of you and him together since you were little," the adult explained. "And...did he keep on saying that I am a member of the Heroic Ten? And the fact that I'm his big sister?" Alkali asked. "Well...sometimes, I remember, but he does sound proud when he declares that he is your brother," was the reply. "He used my name to boost his fame?! That does it! I'm giving him a piece of my mind!" Alkali stormed off, marching away like a giant. "Uh...what is Alkali mad about?" Nature Bloom asked, watching her hippogriff Best Friend from a far. "Alright, birthday boy, what should we play now?" Jack Pine asked Acid. "Can every creature play charge and smash?! Just suggesting!" Krone asked. "Wouldn't that be a little dangerous? Some of us are stronger than others?" Nature Bloom's younger brother,Terrain asked. "No offence really, but he does have a point," Purple Blend stated. "Or maybe we should race each other across the beach?" Falcon Dive's younger sister, Kestrel suggested. "Or just play Buck Ball?" Sunshine Rays' younger brother, Clear Sky, recommended. "I was thinking that we..." Acid began, just before there was a loud knock at the door. "Whoever that is knocking the door, really have no idea how loud they are!" Buffer's younger sister, Cushion, said her thoughts out loud. "If none of you are answering it, I will," Lava announced, marching towards the door. Once the door was opened, the creature who was knocking it pushed it all the way to the wall, smacking Lava who responded with a yelp. "Acid!" Alkali confronted, once she entered the rom. "Sis, why did you do that?! I told you that I will see you later, and that 'later' isn't now!" Acid scolded. "And can some creature get me out of here?" Lava asked, with her voice muffled by the door. "Coming!" Jack Pine responded. "Sorry if I'm being so rude, but I have some very important business that I need to talk to you about, little brother," Alkali resumed confronting Acid. Acid's friends all stood away from him and his older sister, as their confrontation began a new level. "What can be so important to you? You always do cheerleading, encouraging and do everything the fun way!" Acid asked. "I am not like I used to be before studying at the School of Friendship and after studying there, Acid, and there are some certain things that I do take seriously. Like what the real right and wrong are," Alkali braved. "So, what is it that you are taking so seriously that you're confronting me about right now?" Acid asked. "Did you use my name to gain fame?" Alkali started the topic. "How did you know that?!" Acid asked in a somewhat furious tone. "Doesn't matter. It is not right, and now that I know morality, I'm here to get you to stop doing what is wrong!" Alkali faced him. "Or maybe you are not pleased that I'm getting popular here in your absence, and wanted me to stop so you can be the popular hippogriff around, once again," Acid protested. His sister was shocked and backed off a bit, "What?! No! I am serious! Using some creature else's name to get what you want is never right! Doing it will make you immoral! Plus, you would be like that horrible former manager of Coloratura's, using her fame to manipulate others and get what he wants!" The preteen hippogriffs and creatures around gasped as they continued watching the siblings face off. "I never manipulated any creature! I was earning the family some bits fair and square by selling our fruits after making them into something unique!" Acid defied. "But you became more popular than I did when I had my hygienic, cleaning campaign when I resided here! You totally used my fame as a heroine nowadays, to gain every creature's attention!" Alkali confronted. "Probably because my acidic fruits are better than your alkaline soaps and detergents," Acid denied his sister's words in a sour tone. Alkali felt hurt when her brother offended her favourite things for the first time since ages, gasping before she angrily accosted him, "I'm so sorry, Acid, but acidic fruits still have their sugar, like some acidic foods, and they can cause health problems like very serious cancer! Alkaline fruits and food most likely wouldn't cause problems like that, because some of them even improve health and reduce the risk of such diseases caused by acidic diets." "But acidic fruits are still considered healthy," Acid plainly denied his sister, "Plus, they taste way better than alkaline food. Because alkalis taste bitter!" Alkali gasped after hearing her brother say that about alkalis, especially in an offensive tone, something that he would barely do, especially around her. In the mean time, Volcano was calculating the scores of the players playing the board game earlier. "And the winning team is Evergreen and Yellow Bright, sorry about that, other team." Volcano told the players in a polite tone. "Way a go, Falcon Dive, for halving our score throughout the game," Sunshine Rays sarcastically praised. "What?! I was giving the best answers I could think of! If you want to hear the worst answers I got, here's the list! If, I can remember them..." Falcon Dive responded. "I don't think you should say them, Falcon," Yellow Bright informed. "Yeah, there are plenty of hippogriffs here, they can hear your bad answers, and get offended!" Evergreen pointed out. Right after the word 'offended' was said, commotion could be heard as Alkali and Acid's confrontation went to an even higher level. "Acids taste sour!" Alkali could be heard shouting in an offensive tone. "Alkalis feel soapy!" Acid could be heard offending back. "Acids are corrosive!" Alkali criticised. "Alkalis are also corrosive!" Acid maligned. "Acids react with metals, except for unreactive ones, forming a salt dependent on what acid and metal was involved, and hydrogen gas, and corrode the metal in the process!" Alkali insulted. "Bases can also corrode metals, including the soluble bases, alkalis!" Acid retributed. "Acids react with carbonates to form salt, depending on the type of acid and carbonate, plus water, plus the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide that traps heat in the atmosphere!" Alkali criticised. "Alkalis react with ammonium salts to form salt, depending on the type of alkali and ammonium salt used, plus water, plus ammonia gas that can cause immediate burning of eyes, nose, throat and respiratory tract and can result in blindness, lung damage or even death!" Acid affronted. "Only when there is a high concentration of it!" Alkali corrected, with bitterness in her tone, "Not to mention that acid solutions can conduct electricity, making it even more dangerous!" "Alkali solutions can also conduct electricity, because they have free-moving ions to conduct it, like acid solutions do!" Acid retributed. "Acids can burn skins as they donate protons or hydrogen ions that lowers the pH, and it can even go to pH of zero!" Alkali offended. "Alkalis can also burn skins, and they can go even deeper into the skin than acids, causing even more damage!" Acid discredited. "Acids are simple covalent compounds, and they behave as acids when those compounds dissolve in water or water vapour, and some of them causes pollution, more specifically, acid rain pollution!" Alkali maligned. "Alkalis are soluble bases! Bases are any metal oxide or hydroxide, insoluble bases do not react nor dissolve in water, therefore they are not alkalis. But alkalis do dissolve and react with water, and they are most likely Alkali Metal hydroxides, formed by an explosive reaction between the metal and water. Alkali Metals are the most reactive and dangerous elements in the Periodic Table, and they tend to become more reactive down the group! Thus, alkalis can be formed through an even more dangerous way than acids!" Acid criticised. " Only sodium and potassium form alkalis, the rest of them form insoluble bases! The soluble bases are sodium, potassium, calcium and ammonium hydroxides!" Alkali corrected before starting another point in an offensive tone, "Acids react with basic oxides and amphoteric oxides!" "Alkalis react with acidic oxides and amphoteric oxides!" Acid vociferated. "Acids do not react with acidic oxides and neutral oxides!" Alkali shouted in an offending tone. "Alkalis do not react with neutral oxides and basic oxides!" Acid retributed. "Acids turn blue litmus paper red!" Alkali offended. "Alkalis turn red litmus paper blue!" Acid insulted. "Acids have pH values less than 7!" Alkali exclaimed in an insulting tone. "Alkalis have pH values greater than 7!" Acid reacted with a similar tone. "Acids are substances that produce hydrogen ions when dissolved in water, and the hydrogen ions are responsible for its properties, also known as acidity!" Alkali shouted. "Alkalis are substances that produce hydroxide ions in water, and all alkalis dissolve in water to give hydroxide ions, which are responsible for its properties, also known as alkalinity!" Acid shouted back. "Acid! Alkali! Since when do you two criticise each other's favourite things?!" Vapour Float asked, entering the room. "I taught you two everything I know about your favourite things, but not for you two to insult each other!" Water Rush added. "And you're a twenty-years-old adult now, Alkali," Vapour Float began, before Alkali interfered. "Going to be twenty. The year I was born may come before the year Acid was born, but its day and month comes after the day and month Acid was born." "Fine, going to be twenty, but you are still expected to act like a mature grown-up and not have quarrels with kids, especially your younger brother, that easily," Vapour Float pointed out. "Acid used my name to gain fame!" Alkali explained, "He kept saying that he's the brother of one of the famous new heroes of Equestrian and Beyond!" Alkali stated. "And using others' names to earn something for yourself, is obviously a wrongdoing!" Sunshine Rays told every creature, as she and the rest of the Heroic Ten arrived. "Seriously, very disappointing to see you act and behave that way," Icicle commented. "I was just trying to get some creatures to do things with me, especially after Alkali never did so, when she became busier! And shunned me out!" Acid cried, before running away in tears. Alkali was shocked to hear what her brother said about her, asking herself out loud, "I...did shun him out?!" "Well, now that it is mentioned, Acid did look up to you as his Best Friend since he came into the world," Water Rush told his daughter. "Your father, maternal aunt Icicle, and I were always busy doing our jobs in the afternoon once you return from school, leaving you at home alone with Acid most of the time," Vapour Float added. "You were a great big sister and care giver to him, keeping him safe from everything that can be harmful to him," Icicle contributed. "Especially when you taught him about acids and bases by telling him about them before he was even a year old!" Water Rush continued. "And ensured you played safe, especially whenever you use to neutralise the weak acids and alkalis such as fruit juices and soaps," Vapour Float added. "But as soon as you were a teenager, you became busier," Icicle recalled. "And we were still busy working as always," Water Rush stated. "So...when I became busier, Acid didn't have any creature to play with, nor do things with..." Alkali sadly said her thoughts out loud, "I failed my job as a big sister..." "I may not have any siblings, but I do know one thing that you must do: you have to be like a friend and companion to him, so you can become closer once again," Luster told her hippogriff Best Friend. "And, since you don't live with each other, you need to still keep in contact!" Nature Bloom added. "You can always arrange a meeting with him once every week, or two weeks, or...any period of time that is less than a year," Volcano suggested. "But right now, some creature got to Mae up to her little brother!" Krona reminded. "You are right," Alkali responded. In his room, Acid was talking to himself, still upset with his only sibling. "How can she have graduated from a friendship school? She still mistreats her own sibling! Her only sibling! And never cared! And never interacted ever sine she had best friends! And the her only sibling finally got new friends to do things with, she had to ruin things...just like she ruined our favourite thing to do..." Memories of the past years then came flowing into his head, as he remembered how old he and his sister were when they still did their one favourite thing: neutralising acids and alkalis. "Looks like we need a bit more acid..." a twelve-years-old Alkali told her two-years old brother, who gave her another lemon that was already used for making lemonades earlier, with a bit of juice left in it. "Thanks for the assistance, Acid, now hopefully I can put in the right amount..." Alkali responded, dipping a portion of the lemon into a solution, before she asked her only sibling, "Can you pass me the litmus papers?" Acid did as told, giving his sister what she asked for. After she dipped the papers into the solution, and observed that neither of them changed colour. "Great! That means the solution is finally neutralised! Although, it is impossible to really get pure water around here, but anyway, since the litmus papers did not change colour, we can finally just remove the salt and collect the water," Alkali declared. By the time the adults arrived home, Alkali and Acid were watering the plants. "Alkali, Acid, let me guess, that water you are using for the plants is the water from your experiments, isn't it?" Water Rush asked. "Indeed, Dad, we neutralised lemon juice and soapy water, like we used to do. And, Acid only touched the litmus papers and lemon, nothing too dangerous," Alkali replied. "Good to know that you always keep Acid safe and occupied, Alkali," Vapour Float told her daughter, "Sadly I did not do the same with my younger sister, being busy when she was born..." "But she lives with us here, you'll have plenty of time to talk over dinner!" Alkali cheered her mother up. "You're right, Alkali, let's just make the most of our time when we can," Vapour Float responded. On the year Alkali was turning thirteen... "Alkali! You're back! Can we do neutralisation now?" Acid greeted his sister. "Sorry,Acid! But my teachers gave me a lot of homework! I'm afraid that that needs to come first!" Alkali responded. "Hopefully you can still look after him, because Aunt Icicle is going out to do her Royal Guard work," Icicle told her niece. "Sure Aunt, Icicle! I can show him how I do my homework and explain why the answers are the way they are, to him! That way, I'm killing two birds with one stone, which means achieve two aims at once," Alkali replied. "Hopefully you will," Icicle answered, closing the door and leaving. "But, Alkali! What about our favourite thing?" Acid asked. "Sorry, Acid, you don't want your big sister failing her tests, don't you?" Alkali asked. "No..." was the response. "Good, now, just make yourself comfortable listening to what I have to say as I do my work..." Alkali said, walking to her room with her brother following. The next year, Icicle brought Acid home from his kindergarten school. "Remember to do your work," Icicle told her nephew. "Of course, Aunt Icicle! Hopefully Alkali can finish her work as well, then we can finally do our thing again..." Acid said, his tone gradually changing from cheerful too sad. "Why don't you just do your homework?" Icicle asked. "Oh, right..." Acid replied. Soon Acid, with a plate of squeezed lemons, walked to Alkali's door, knocking it, he sang, "Do you want to create some water? Come on your exams are over. There's plenty of time to do so, and it'll be finished the sooner we go, it's a little while and fun! I waited for a time like ages! For this one action to finally be done! So do you want to make some water? It does not have to be purified water!" Alkali, on the other side of the door, working on some plans on her table, sighed and called to her little brother, "Not today, Acid! I'm busy preparing for my activism to encourage every creature to be more hygienic and wash themselves more often!" "Alright, bye." Acid sadly sang, retreating to his room. In a short montage, the days and nights flew by as Alkali became an effective activist who successfully encouraged every creature certain good habits. Soon, summer came, and a slightly older Acid decided to try get his big sister to do their favourite experiment once again. "Do you want to make some water? This time try it with different reactants? Like other citrus fruits or vinegar? Or even dishwashing soap, from the kitchen? I'm really getting lonely, never playing with you, after all this time..." In a second montage, Acid was seen graduating from kindergarten, and finally getting to interact with his big sister, but still not do their favourite experiment. After Spring returned, and Acid going to his new school, Alkali packed her things for the School of Friendship, to her little brother's dismay. Soon, a Parents-Teacher Conference Meeting was held at the School of Friendship, granting the students' families a chance to see both the teachers, and the students themselves. Acid went with his parents, in hopes of seeing his big sister, but unfortunately, Alkali was constantly distracted by meeting her best friends' families and barely noticed him. The many months passed and the events of the Heroic Ten's Graduation Day unfolded, making Acid believe that his sister was finally returning to Mount Aris. But to his horror, Princess Twilight Sparkle let the heroes reside in the Castle of Friendship, officially making it clear that Alkali would not be returning. In the present, Alkali, with her birthday present for her brother, sadly approached his door, knocking it, "Acid?" "Little brother if you can hear me, I would like to, and have to say I'm sorry. I'm a horrible sis, let things turn out like this, after everything I missed... I was so distracted by other things, that I have the least concerns, for the fat that I'm some creature's only sibling... Before the day is over, do you want to make some water? The door opened and revealed Acid, who looked at his big sister and her gift for him. Seeing how she silently expressed that she wanted him to open her gift for him that instant, he took the present and found a pH sensor, smiling. "A pH sensor! Thanks sis, but are you sure you want to use it for our favourite thing?" Acid asked. "Sure, anything for you, especially today, little brother." Alkali replied in a warm tone. Later that day, after Acid and Alkali finished neutralising their solution, filtering it through a filter paper, then poring the solution into a flat, wide container for evaporation and setting up a clean, silver tray above it for the water vapour to condense on and slide into a beaker at the end. "That's really unique!" Buffer commented. "And best of all, those reactants did not go to waste!" Nature Bloom added. "I'm always glad to see something good around the world," Sunshine Rays remarked. "Alkali, after all these years, I'm glad that old times are returning," Acid told his sister. "And I'm glad that we're finally close together once again, Acid," Alkali replied, before sharing a hug with her brother. "Acid! It's time to have the birthday cake!" Princess Aqueous informed. "Thanks for telling me, Aqueous!" Acid responded, before announcing, "I'm coming, eery creature!" As the events unfold, a letter for Princess Twilight Sparkle was read out loud. Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle, I may have graduated from the School of Friendship, but there is still a lot of things about friendship that I have to get right. Today, I got into a major fight with my only sibling, my little brother, Acid, when I visited Mount Aris and my former residence to attend his birthday party. I soon discovered that I have shunned him out, over the years, nearly ending my friendship with him. Thanks to my best friends, who gave me helpful suggestions, I fixed my mistake and learnt something magical about a good sibling relationship. A good relationship between siblings, is very similar to the relationship between good friends. They would look out for one another, and show care towards one another. Now I learnt this lesson, I will be more concern for each of my friends, and family members, for as long as I remember them. And never shun any of them out. Signed, one of your faithful students' best friends, Alkali After the letter was finished, trumpets could be heard outside. "That's my Mum. I'm sorry, every creature, I have to go," Princess Aqueous told every creature. "That's alright, we can always see each other again next time!" Purple Blend stated. "Such a shame that one of our friends is unable to be here because of some unfortunate things," Lava commented. "Otherwise he can meet you," Jack Pine continued. "But there''s still next time!" Krone reminded. "And don't forget the food that your Mum wanted!" Kestrel reminded, giving Princess Aqueous a food container with cake and some of the party food in it. "Hopefully she likes blueberry cake," Terrain added. "And apples, and pineapples and peaches and all the food in there..." Clear Sky listed. "Thanks, every creature!" Princess Aqueous responded, before leaving. "Goodbye! And safe travels!" Cushion waved. Outside, Queen Skystar greeted her daughter, "Aqueous! How's the party? And is that some of the food I'm hoping for?" "Well, it is some of the party food, and you did ask every creature if they can reserve some for you, so it probably is..." Princess aqueous answered. "Blueberry cake and fruits?!" the queen exclaimed, the moment she opened the food container, "I didn't have these for a long time when I was hiding from the Storm King! This is great party food! I should totally get my Mum to return to Mount Aris, too. And have a land food feast with cakes and fruits..." "Oh, Mum," Princess Aqueous giggled. "Alright, I'll just have a daily diet of land food with your grandma once I invite her over, and we can have lots of land fun!" Queen Skystar cheered. "Right...By the way, I think you have to be a bit more careful with food, especially after what I heard Acid and Alkali said about acidic and alkaline food back there..." Princess Aqueous advised. "Wait, there's acidic and alkaline food?!" Queen Skystar asked. "Well, if you don't really know, here's the long explanation..." Princess Aqueous began. Meanwhile, in Acid's room, the two hippogriff siblings were spending private time like they used to do when they were younger. "And this is a gift from your friend who unfortunately can't come today..." Alkali told her brother, giving him the last present he had that day. "A book about Acids and Bases, too bad its title cannot be 'Acids and Alkalis,' something I would like even more," Acid commented. "It's alright, we're still close siblings, especially since we made arrangements of when and where our next three meetings will be, so we can stay in contact," Alkali assured. "And I can't wait for your birthday, even though the food will most likely be alkaline," Acid said. "Don't worry, acidic food is allowed as well," Alkali chuckled. "And I don't need to guess, that the cake is an almond cake," Acid remarked. "You know me too well, Acid," Alkali told her brother. "Alkali, the train will be here in quarter of an hour! We got to go!" Luster called from the living room. "Whoops, I got to rush off, see you next meeting, Acid," Alkali informed. "See you next meeting sis,"Acid replied. "There you are," Evergreen greeted her hippogriff Best Friend. "Let me guess, spending some last minute time with your brother," Volcano commented. "Totally, after shunning him out for all those years," Alkali responded, scratching her head a bit. "So you made up to him by companying him!" Yellow Bright exclaimed. "The more likely correct words to say are 'by keeping him company', Yellow Bright," Sunshine Rays corrected. "Anyway, good to know that hippogriffs got long," Krona stated. "Actually, since Acid was born, he and Alkali are known as the 'Corrosive Siblings', a nickname that family and friends of their parents used to call them whenever they are together," Water Rush told the heroes. "And I bet we all know why you nicknamed them that," Falcon Dive started. "Because both acids and alkalis are corrosive," Buffer finished for the griffon. "Something that our favourite things have in common," Alkali declared. "Anyway, we're glad that you do get along after all that happened earlier," Nature Bloom remarked. "Not to interrupt your conversation, every creature, but you got to catch your train," Icicle reminded the guests. "Our train! We almost forgot! Goodbye, and see you next gathering!" Luster called to Alkali's family, before rushing off with the rest of the guests.
13. Medallion of the LionAuthor's Note Medallion of the Lion serves as the thirteenth episode of the series, as well as the mid-season finale of Season 1. This episode is inspired by the Elena of Avalor episode, Heart of the Jaguar. Summary: The Map sends Luster Dawn and a friend of the Heroic Ten's younger siblings, Gloss Semblance, to an isolated hidden area where they meet an ancient serpent, Xian Zhe, who sends them on a quest to get the Medallion of the Lion. Featured Songs: Do Not Let Fear, Ancient Serpents, Decide or Divide Featured Characters: Gloss Semblance, a preteen unicorn colt with a gloss green coat and a silver mane. Like the Heroic Ten's siblings, he is the younger sibling of a graduated student from the School of Friendship, but unlike the siblings, his sibling is the same gender as he is, and he is not related to any of the heroes by blood. Xian Zhe, a wise ancient serpent, his name is derived from the Chinese word, '先哲‘ which means sage/ great thinker of the past. He is inspired by Quita Moz from the Elena of Avalor. 13. Medallion of the Lion Early one morning during breakfast, every creature gathered around the Dining Table as for usual. "Pancakes for every creature this breakfast!" Starlight cheerfully announced. "I believe that the correct saying is 'this morning'," Volcano corrected. "Whatever, just enjoy every creature! It's not every morning that you eat these fruit faces pancakes, especially when they're inspired by the ones made by the previous Ruler of Equestria..." Starlight began, before Falcon Dive cut her off. "Princess Celestia, we know." "She tended to make them for her sister Princess Luna, every morning, something I found out when the Map summoned me to sole their friendship problem," Starlight recalled. Once Starlight's sentence was finished, her daughter's cutie mark began to glow. "Um, Luster? Is that mark supposed to do that?" Krona asked. "It is when she is summoned by the Map," Starlight explained, before gasping, "That means...the Map is calling her!" Rushing to the Throne Room, the creatures found out that the Map had not only summoned Luster, but also summoned a pony with a cutie mark of a shiny silver platter. "Is it just me, or did I see that cutie mark before?" Starlight asked, observing the floating cutie mark images on the Map. "That's because you have met the pony with that cutie mark, before, Head-mare Starlight!" Yellow Bright exclaimed. "He is the youngest brother of one on of the students at the School of Friendship!" Alkali gave a hint. "She meant, one of the former students, the student had graduated!" Evergreen clarified. "But we still take our younger siblings to see him, as in, see the pony with that cutie mark!" Buffer added. "If you can't work it out, we're talking about our siblings' unicorn friend, Gloss Semblance," Sunshine Rays stated. "Oh! Right, Gloss Semblance is the youngest brother of a former student, since their parents have three sons, and no daughters," Starlight remembered, "And Gloss tends to come to the School whenever parents and guardians can enter." "He and our younger siblings met and befriended each other on the first Parents-Teacher Conference we had," Nature Bloom recalled. "Because he was with his parents when they came," Krona added. "Just like our siblings!" Alkali contributed. "The only difference is, Gloss's sibling is the same gender as he is, and his sibling is close friends with other creatures, not us." Volcano pointed out. "I may not be there when Gloss befriended your siblings, but I do remember my first meeting with him, we became friends so instantly!" Luster remembered. "Don't mean to ruin this good conversation, every creature, but Gloss isn't here yet! And if he isn't here, Luster can't go on her mission to whatever that place on the Map that the cutie marks are floating around at!" Falcon Dive announced. "Oh, right! Thanks Falcon! I'll just use the name scan and magic compass spell I learnt before to find him, and get him here!" Luster declared, using her magic to do as she said she would do. "To make things faster, I'll give you a lift!" Falcon Dive told his unicorn bst friend, picking her up and flying out the door. In the Throne Room, every creature waited for the return of two of their best friends, just before there was a spark of magic, as Luster had teleported herself, Falcon Dive, and Gloss Semblance into the room. "Gloss Semblance, it's good to see you again!" Nature Bloom greeted. "Especially since you couldn't make it to the last birthday party we all went to, with our families!" Alkali added. "Good to see you all again, older creatures..." Gloss Semblance greeted in a rather nervous tone. "Gloss? Are you alright?" Luster asked. "Not quite!" the preteen unicorn shuddered. "Maybe he needs a little space," Luster told her best friends, taking Gloss to a corner of the room. Once they were away from the crowd, Luster asked the preteen, "What were you so uncomfortable about?" "I...I never experienced being the only kid in a room before, it was so...overwhelming!" Gloss Semblance cried. "But, you know all these creatures older than you, especially when they are the older siblings of all of your friends!" Luster pointed out. "But this time, none of my friends are around! I always feel braver with them! Without them, I feel like a coward!" Gloss sobbed. "I do feel braver with my best friends nearby, too But I do not depend on them as a source of bravery," Luster explained, "And company is actually a boost of bravery, the real source of bravery is in the creature who owns it." "But...I'm not very brave, that's why I never went to the School of Friendship, because I'm not brave enough to live somewhere my parents aren't living! My oldest brother went to the School, my older brother went to an Academics School far away, while me? Stuck in hometown because I'm too afraid to leave my parents..." Gloss sobbed. "Tell you what, I was uncomfortable when I left Sire's Hollow and my grandparents for the School for Gifted Unicorns," Luster explained, "But that was until I became close to Princess Twilight Sparkle, my mentor who can...be kind of like a mother to her students." "You are lucky to have some creature like her, but I don't," Gloss stated, looking gloomy. "But the Map had called just the two of us! Maybe we'll get along better throughout the mission! Pus, you're not going to feel like the only preteen in an adults' group since there aren't any group of adults just a duo," Luster pointed out. "Maybe you're right," Gloss replied. "Alright every creature," Luster turned to the others as she announced, "Sorry that Gloss can't quite handle being the youngest in a huge group, he needed some space, and I'm sure I can take him on whatever mission the Map has for us, so no reason to worry." "Except for the fact that you are chronologically younger than him," Starlight said with a smirk. "Mum, that doesn't matter because of the age spell..." Luster reminded. Starlight giggled, "Just joking, I know that, Luster. And by the way, safe travels." After getting off the train, the unicorns were amazed by the natural sight, as there were no houses nor buildings around. "Why would the Map send us here? There probably won't be any friendship problems to solve if there aren't any creatures here to have such problems!" Gloss whimpered. "Or maybe the problem can be a problem that the problem solvers themselves have!" Luster figured. "What do you mean?" Gloss asked, still afraid. "Well, my grandparents told me that they used to have problems, and soon, when the Map sent my parents to solve it, my parents realised that the friendship problem they had to solve, is their relationship with their parents," Luster explained. "So, you think that the Map sent us here to solve...our friendship problem? I mean, can't it just send us to Ponyville to look for the problem and get along?" Gloss asked. "I don't think 'send' is the right word for this situation, I mean, there wouldn't be much of a send, if we were already there..." Luster told the preteen. "Or maybe the Map's broken! Or Discord messed with it to send us on a wild goose chase like he did when he sent the School of Friendship's first and former teachers away!" Gloss figured, "We probably should just go back..." "No way Gloss, maybe there are creatures here that we have to help, only...right now, we haven't found them. Maybe they live deep in these woods surrounding the Train Station," Luster interfered, "We should explore it and check, just to be sure that it is, or is not a false alarm." "But...the woods is...somewhere we never bent too! Plus, I don't think many creatures go there! It can be dangerous!" Gloss cried. "Then we'll just use our magic to defend ourselves, simple as that," Luster said in a calm, easy-going tone. "No! " Gloss cried as he hung onto Luster's back legs. "What was that for?" Luster asked. "I'm sorry, Luster. It's just that...I don't want either of us to go in there, nor do I want both of us going there. It's just so...scary," Gloss whimpered. "Gloss, it's not even as scary as it is at night! And I can just conjure up a force field as we walk in there! We'll be fine!" Luster assured. "You can keep on saying that, but I just...can't think the way you do!" gloss cried. "Gloss Semblance, you don't have to worry. Things are only scary because you think they are! Scared is a feeling, and just like other feelings, creatures feel them because of different things, and what the creature themselves are like. In other words, what you are scared of might not be what I'm scared of, because it is only scary to you, so the real thing can't be that scary," Luster explained. "I will like to believe you, but I'm not so sure how I'm supposed to brave my way though the mission!" Gloss replied sadly. "Don't worry, a little company should be enough to boost your bravery," Luster assured, hopping into the woods, followed by Gloss, as light, upbeat, positive music started playing. Luster sang, "Take a look, listen and smell of this amazing natural place! What you first think can be proven wrong, as you take a closer gaze. Keep your feelings and worries down as they can alter your views, what is real remains reality and you see it as what you choose! Don't let your characteristics take away the beauty of your surroundings, the reality can be better than what you think of certain things. Never let your fear, make the refreshing water feel freezing, put all of your negativity aside, and let your world be pleasing. Look closely and you will see, the branches are just the regular branches that they always will be. Strolling and seeing the little animals roaming around, in the tall trees, or safely on the ground. Don't let your characteristics take away the beauty of your surroundings, the reality can be better than what you think of certain things. Never let your fear, make the refreshing water feel freezing, put all of your negativity aside, and let your world be pleasing. What can look awful or frightening only worsens, as you let your negative thoughts make some twitches and turns. The only way to not view them as something not scary nor frightening, is to tell yourself, that it is only terrifying because of what you are thinking. Don't let your characteristics take away the beauty of your surroundings, the reality can be better than what you think of certain things. Never let your fear, make the refreshing water feel freezing, put all of your negativity aside, and let your world be pleasing." After the song ended, the two unicorns were in front of a huge boulder that was surrounded by bushes. "I guess you are right Luster, I did let myself get scared by making things look scary to me, so everything here can be rather pleasing and alright, nothing to be afraid of," Gloss told his companion. "That's the spirit, Gloss! And a reason why positivity is one of the Elements of Purity," Luster replied. "And maybe we can get a better view by standing on the top of this boulder," Gloss suggested. "Worth a shot," Luster replied, teleporting them both on to the top of the rock, only to fall through the intangible surface and find a secret cavern underneath! "That surface was an illusion!" Luster said her thoughts out loud. "Does this mean that there are more illusions in this woods?" Gloss whimpered. "No there aren't, the illusion you just found is the only one here," a somewhat old voice could be heard saying. One of the tree roots from the underground caverns turned into a fifty-metres long serpent, who slithered down towards the unicorns. Gloss Semblance whimpered and hugged Luster in fear, as the serpent chuckled. "What's wrong, kid? Never seen a serpent before?" "Well, don't mind him, he can be afraid of countless things, unlike me," Luster told the serpent. "That's alright, even I was scared of serpents bigger than me when I was little, way back when. By the way, I'm Xian Zhe, named after the Chinese word that means sage, or great thinker of the past. And it is a pleasure to meet you two unicorns," "It's a pleasure to meet you too, Xian Zhe. Anyway, I am Luster Dawn, and this is Gloss Semblance, a friend of my best friends' younger siblings." Luster Dawn introduced. "Good to meet and know you both, although, one of you seems to have a great problem that needs to be solved," Xian Zhe stated, closing into the unicorns, causing Gloss Semblance to hug Luster even tighter. "And...that problem is a lack of courage, and it is obviously, manifestly, Gloss's problem," Xian Zhe plainly said, pointing his tail at the younger unicorn. Luster then gasped, "Could this be the friendship problem...or basically, the problem the Map sent us to solve?" "Did you mean, the Castle of Friendship's magical map? The one grown by the Tree of Harmony?" Xian Zhe asked. "How did you know about it?" Luster asked. "That's because, I'm not any regular, common, ordinary serpent; I'm a special, divine, ancient serpent, the rarest serpent around! And I can sense what's happening around Equestria, and most likely the big changes everyday!" Xian Zhe explained. "I don't remember reading such thing! Or such creatures that can do that!" Luster scratched her head.. "That's because..." Xian Zhe started, before singing. "Ancient serpents are very special creatures; they can live up to twelve decades, one of their many rare features!" "Twelve decades?! That's 120 years!" Gloss Semblance interrupted by saying his thoughts out loud, before Luster shushed him. "They eat both plants and meat, but despite their great size, a plateful is the most they can eat! They have the ability to store trillions of joules, all from consuming several food molecules." "Are you telling the truth? Because that sounds too impossible to be true!" Gloss Semblance could not help but say, before Luster pulled him back with her magic. "Gloss! Let him finish explaining!" "Ancient serpents are not usually seen, because they spend their time protecting their lairs, and keeping it clean. Most importantly, they get a lair to look after, once they passed a big test, and become their mentors successor." "Mentor's successor?! Just like Princess Twilight Sparkle!" Luster could not help but comment. "Oh great, now you are the creature interrupting," Gloss Semblance responded. "Every ancient serpent with a lair of their own, has a duty to watch all of its magic, and keep it hidden with stone. Ensuring that no creature unworthy, will ever get such power that might shape reality..." "So, this lair contains magic powerful enough to do that?!" Luster asked. "It does," Xian Zhe replied, "In fact, every ancient serpent protects unique magical things from the outside world, so no creature can mess with them, which is why they keep them, and themselves hidden in lairs that are hidden from everything. But fortunately, you two are nothing like threats I have to protect this lair from." "Ancient serpents may not have wings nor look light, but they have the ability of bird-like flight! But they sadly have a low reproduction ability, one couple can only have offsprings as many as three..." "Maybe that's why you're so rare, you don't have much of you to begin with," Luster figured in a somewhat sorry tone. The next second, Xian Zhe immediately switched back to a cheerful tone as he sang. "But cheer up! There are so many wonderful things about ancient serpents! They can do so much, they don't need any servants! But they are still the friendly kind, they totally welcome friends, and can put burden behind..." After the song ended, Gloss Semblance caught Luster Dawn's attention, "Luster, can I have a private talk with you?" "Sure, you can," Luster relied, before telling Xian Zhe, "Can you please excuse us for a second?" "Of course, if only I don't have knowledge of many things power!" Xian Zhe answered. "What is it?" Luster asked in a soft tone. "I'm getting really scared: I mean, a serpent who barely leaves his lair? Saying that he is the rarest species of serpent around? And he keeps a lot of magical things in his lair? And he says that his species can live up to twelve decades old?! Do you think that's too out-of-the-ordinary?" Gloss asked. "It can be very hard to believe, but don't forget, former Rulers of Equestria, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are much older than regular creatures, something that is very uncommon, too! As well as Dragon Lordess Ember's father, the former Dragon Lord!" Luster pointed out. "But they didn't hide from every creature! Unlike he does! And staying in a lair deep in a woods with a secret entrance? Those former rulers don't have something like that!" Gloss Semblance argued. "Gloss Semblance, Xian Zhe already explained his reason why he hides here, I believe the real reason why you think he is a little...appalling, is because you're thinking of too much negative thoughts, that's what negative thoughts do: Mostly nothing good," Luster assured. "Looks like what Gloss Semblance needs is something even more powerful than any magic, to be confident and brave," Xian Zhe told the unicorns, "And I know just the thing he needs to find: The Medallion of the Lion, whoever can get it from the King Lion will undoubtedly be some creature with unspeakable bravery." "Are you sure he needs that? I mean, he'd probably gain courage as he gets older like every creature does," Luster responded. "But what about the problem that we have to solve? And my courage problem?" Gloss asked. "Well, solving one problem is better than solving none," Xian Zhe stated, "And don't worry, the medallion is right around the corner, or kind of around the corner, as far as I can get you to the King Lion, is to the border of his kingdom," the serpent swiped his tail and made a magical portal to another realm. "Do you think that we have to go there? I mean, who would want to go up close to an actual...lion?" Gloss asked Luster, shuddering. "Well, we might have to at least give it a shot, so we won't miss anything, plus, Nature Bloom taught me that we should always start a first meeting by being polite and respectful," Luster answered. "Oh, and one more thing: You must remember, that the realm the King Lion resides in, have magic of its own. You unicorns best not try your own magic there, because the realm is nothing like the world you live in. And one more warning: It is safer to reverse your answers there." Xian Zhe warned. "Don't worry, we will," Luster vowed, before walking through the portal with Gloss. Reaching the realm, the unicorns were amazed by the natural surroundings with many animals whom they usually could not understand like other creatures. "So this realm is just filled wild animals from the African Savannah? Like giraffes, elephants, antelopes, gazelles and birds? I don't see any magic here! Maybe Xian Zhe just said that so we wouldn't use our magic and make things tougher! We should just use magic to find the King Lion, and get what we came for, and leave!" Gloss suggested. "I'm not so sure we should do that right away, we can just ask the animals for directions, no need to use magic for that!" Luster pointed out. "Fine," Gloss Semblance responded, following Luster. Approaching two giraffes, Luster asked, "Excuse, me, giraffe? Do you know where we can find the King Lion?" "The King Lion?!" the giraffes asked in a somewhat shocked tone. "Why would you want to find him?" one of the giraffes, the female giraffe, asked. "He doesn't usually get visitors, but he still has guards to protect his territory!" the other giraffe, the male giraffe explained. Gloss Semblance whimpered to hear what the giraffes said, shuddering, "Th King Lion doesn't have visitors? That is so unusual, especially for a ruler!" "But do you know how to get to his territory from here?" Luster asked. "We do, but we never dared to go there," the female giraffe replied. "Just go straight uphill and through the maze, his territory is in the very centre," the other giraffe explained. "Thanks for the directions!" Luster thanked, walking off with Gloss Semblance following. "Just be careful!" both giraffes said in unison. "See? Asking isn't that hard," Luster assured the colt. "But maybe that's just the ease before the advance, what if they can't be trusted? I mean, we're probably creatures they have never seen before, and yet they just give us directions without asking us questions? Do you think that it's odd?" Gloss asked. "But Gloss, back in Sire's Hollow and Canterlot, whenever some creature asks me for directions, I just directly answer them and not ask where they are from, or why they are skingquestions!" Luster pointed out. "But those giraffes sound scared when you ask them about the King Lion, you don't think that the king is...scary? Do you?" Gloss Semblance whimpered. "Maybe they just think he is scary, so in reality, he isn't," Luster positively figured. "I just hope that you are right..." Gloss Semblance said as he followed her. The two unicorns then spotted the maze when they made it to the top of the earlier mentioned hill. "There's the maze! And...the centre looks like a huge mountain," Luster observed. "This really makes no sense! Lions do not live in mountains! They usually live around rock formations in the savannah! This is the weirdest thing I've ever encountered!" Gloss Semblance remarked. "Come on Gloss, let's just get what we need and go as soon as we do so," Luster assured. Once they reached the entrance of the maze, two male rhinoceros, like Royal Guards, stopped them. "Halt! Who goes there?!" the large animals said in unison. Fearfully, Gloss Semblance nervously replied, "No creature..." "Excuse me, please don't mind us being from another realm, but we will probably leave as soon as we get the Medallion of the Lion," Luster told the rhinoceros. "Any good reason why you would want that medallion?" the other rhinoceros asked. Gloss Semblance walked backwards in fear as Luster stood in front of him, "An ancient serpent said that my friend Gloss Semblance here needs to find it, and we can't go back if we don't get it." "If what you were saying was true, why isn't your friend the one doing the saying?" one of the rhinoceros asked, with steam flowing out from his nostrils. The unicorn colt whimpered as the events unfold, but Luster managed to advice her friend, "Remember! Things are only scary because you think they are!" Gaining courage from Luster's advice, Gloss Semblance stood up to the rhinoceros, "The only reason I didn't do the talking, is because I was scared, and thinking of all sorts of negative things that hold me down. Now, this instant, I am telling you: Brave or not, I'm going to get that medallion and return to where I belong! And most likely, you will never have to deal with me coming here, ever again!" The rhinoceros looked at each other, before one of them responded, "You sure have bravery in you, kid." "And that's something that makes you unlike every animal in this realm! Except for your friend here," the other rhinoceros stated. "You both may enter," the two large creatures made way for the unicorns, allowing them to get into the maze. "You did it!" Luster praised, as she and Gloss Semblance walked down the path in between the maze hedge walls. "Only because you were there to advise me," Gloss Semblance replied. The two unicorns quickly encountered a decision: They had to choose between the left and right paths. "Which way do we go?" Gloss Semblance asked. "Left or right?" Luster said her thoughts out loud. "We must get it right! If we got it wrong..." Gloss began, before he realised something, "Wait...get it right? Switch answers? Maybe we should just go left all the time when we have to choose! Because we have to reverse our answer! And the reverse of right in the directions' case is left!" "Alright, left we go!" Luster exclaimed, trotting off and causing the preteen to follow her. Not long after making a few turns, the two unicorns encountered a board with a math question on it. "State the maximum or minus value of the graph? How can a natural habitat like this have a math question? Don't tell me that there are secret academics, educational schools here!" Gloss Semblance said his thoughts out loud. "It's not just a math question: It's an Additional Mathematics question! Volcano and Alkali taught me how to do it, you just start with some factorising and..." Luster began, while activating her magic to write the answer, but unfortunately, she found that instead of doing what she wanted it to do, her magic was levitating all sorts of things, including her friend! "I'm so sorry, Gloss!" Luster apologised. as she deactivated her magic, causing everything to fall." "I guess now we know what Xian Zhe meant about magic here," Gloss Semblance groaned. "Who goes there?!" a female cheetah asked, causing the unicorns to turn their attention towards her and her companion, a male cheetah. "Just...two creatures needing to see the King Lion..." Gloss Semblance nervously answered. "You sound rather nervous, are you hiding something?" the male cheetah growled after she asked her question, scaring the colt. "Gloss, remember? What you think is scary?" Luster reminded. "Is not really that scary," Gloss finished for her, as he took a deep breath and faced the cheetahs, "I am not hiding anything. My friend and I just need the Medallion of the Lion so that we can leave." "You are brave to go this far, but you need to have something valuable to trade the king for the medallion," the female cheetah responded, "Don't have anything, and he will barely give you that medallion for free." "But we don't have anything that is worth a lot to give him!" Gloss Semblance ejaculated. "You can find a diamond to trade," the male cheetah suggested, "All you have to do is answer that math question, and use your answer to figure out which one of the points on the graph that you must go." "Which one of the points on the graph that you must go?" Gloss Semblance repeated the sentence in shock, "But the graph's too small for us to fit in!" "Not the actual one on the ground," the female cheetah stated. "As soon as you draw your graph on that board, the graph on the ground will appear as well," the male cheetah explained. "Alright, Gloss, since some creature your age won't get a hang of Additional Mathematics, I might as well do it, despite my chronological age." Luster declared, as she used the dirt on the ground as ink, and her hoof to write. As she wrote, the preteen unicorn noticed lines forming on the ground the cheetahs pointed at. "Luster, look! Whatever that's on that board is the same as whatever is on the ground!" Gloss Semblance called. Luster moved her head to see the ground that the board was blocking from her view, seeing the lines like the ones on her graph, Luster giggled, "Looks like this place really does have magic of its own." After a while of difficulty, Luster eventually completed the graph, ending with the coordinated of the graph's maximum point. "Alright Gloss, because the coefficient of x square is a negative number, this graph has a maximum value that serves as the turning point. And the coordinates of that point is (5/3, 66/9) Now, 66/9 is the y value, and since the graph is asking for the maximum value, we should just choose the y value." Luster told her friend. "But wait, we have to reverse our answers, so maybe instead of positive 66/9, we should go for negative 66/9," Gloss Semblance suggested. "Um...Gloss, the y-axis on the graph do not go that far down!" Luster stated. "Then maybe we should try going down the x value instead! That's the reverse of y, is it?" Gloss Semblance asked. "Well, maybe in this realm," Luster remarked. "Or maybe the y value? Or just draw the negative y value? Oh...why is it so hard to get a hang of this place?!" Gloss Semblance asked. "You got to hurry," the male cheetah warned the unicorns. "Because once the graph is completed, you are expected to go, go, go!" the female cheetah added. "And if you don't make up your decision...or you will most likely suffer a division!" the other cheetah continued. "Lose what?!" Gloss Semblance asked. But instead of directly answering his question, the cheetahs began to sing. "Time is running pass, time is running fast. You got to make your decision, or you will get a division. Decide or divide, so you better choose a side, could it be wrong, or could it be right? You'll find out by going on a ride!" During an instrumental bridge, Gloss Semblance figured, "Wait, the maximum value or the minimum value? Since on the y-axis, minimum values are down at the very bottom, and we would usually find diamonds deep down, and things are reversed here, we should go up the y-axis and go for the maximum value, which is on the graph!" "Alright, then through the maximum value it is!" Luster announced, about to go onto the huge life-sized graph. "Unless that is what they want us to think!" Gloss semblance suddenly thought and said out loud, "We should go for the minimum value instead." "But when the coefficient of x square is a negative number, there are no minimum points nor values! Just a maximum!" Luster stated. "You must make your choice, before this plant splits apart!" sang the cheetahs, as they stood around a plant with a large fruit. "If you do not, you might get an attack on your heart!" The cheetahs' words were making Gloss Semblance even more anxious and panicked as he tried to figure it out, "Maybe we should include the x-coordinate? Or maybe go for the x value? Or go for the exact maximum point involving both x and y coordinates?! I just can't decide!" "Decide or divide, so you better choose a side, could it be wrong, or could it be right? You'll find out by going on a ride!" As the music went on and the cheetahs repeat the chorus, Luster noticed that the plant was getting very close to the last seconds before its splits. "Gloss! The plant!" "Luster, be careful!" Gloss Semblance called out. The cheetahs ended the song with, "Divide!" Unfortunately for Luster, when she reached the plant, it bursted open, scattering several seeds on the ground where she stood. To make matters worse, the seeds grew into a new plant that sprayed magical dust on her, making her cough as she went through a transformation, to Gloss Semblance's shock. "Luster! Are you alright?" the colt ran up to his friend, to his horror, instead of a unicorn, all Gloss Semblance could see was a parrot with Luster Dawn's colours. "Luster?! Is that you?!" Luster did not seem to remember anything her regular self knew, as she acted like a wild parrot, being focused on animal needs. "Seeds! Seeds! Seeds!" she chanted, as she flew forward, trying to find the mentioned food. "Hey, where are you going?! I need you with me!" Gloss Semblance called, running after Luster, but he unfortunately fell right through the intangible ground that had the graph drawn on it. Once he landed after a scream as he fell, Gloss Semblance looked up to see the mirrored image of the graph on the underground cavern ceiling, something unpleasantly surprising. "Are you kidding me?! I was having a horribly tough time making a decision that isn't even necessary because all points lead to the same place here?!" The preteen then turned to look at a diamond in the cavern, gasping once his sight sensed it. "The diamond! All I need to do now is get it to the King Lion, and hopefully go back with Luster," Gloss Semblance told himself, just before gasping, "Oh no, Luster! I can't leave her here! Neither can I take her back without changing her back into a unicorn..." "Seeds!" Luster could be heard squawking, catching Gloss Semblance's attention as he turned to notice the entrance of the caverns, about thirty metres away. "Luster!" the preteen unicorn called, as he picked up the diamond with his hooves, placing it on his back, "Wait up!" Once he was out, he quickly caught up with his friend, "Luster..." he panted, "Please stop flying around without me, I really need you by my side..." Luster obviously did not listen to Gloss Semblance's words, as she continued squawking, "Seeds!" "What did I just tell you?!" Gloss Semblance asked Luster, annoyed that she flew off out-of-control again, during the chase, he mumbled to himself, "Now I know what that 'divide' and 'attack on the heart' means..." After chasing Luster, Gloss Semblance soon found what she was looking for in the area she circled around. "Luster...look at what I got..." Gloss Semblance said in a persuasive tone that lured Luster to him, as he held up a leaf of seeds with his front right hoof. "Seeds!" Luster exclaimed, charging at the preteen. "Then come and get them!" Gloss Semblance called, running with the diamond on his back, and the leaf pocket filled with seeds in his mouth. Soon, the two reached the mountain foot, where the chase ended as Gloss gave Luster the seeds "Luster, I may not have any seeds left, after you eat them all, but can you please stay close to me and not fly off wild and on the loose?" the unicorn asked, as she pecked on the seeds. Luster did not answer, but she responded by giving him a warm nuzzle, causing him to giggle, "Oh, Luster! I guess that is a yes." The two then looked at the mountain and its height, before the preteen unicorn declared, "Well, all we got to do know is...climb and find the king." The scene then changed to show the two as they hiked up the mountain, with Gloss saying his thoughts out loud, "Who would want to live on a mountain that' really tall? Especially at the peak? Probably some creature who doesn't like visitors...and why is it getting colder and windier?" The freezing winds on the mountain acted like friction, as it opposed Gloss Semblance and Luster's motion. After all their struggles, the two finally reached their destination, with Gloss Semblance panting and wheezing for air. "We finally made it! Now...as soon as we meet the king, the sooner we can leave..." The gates to the king's lair opened after Gloss Semblance gave it a push, catching the attention of the former. "Who dares enter my lair?!" King Lion roared, revealing himself to the visitors. Getting scared, Gloss nervously started a conversation with the lion, "Hi...I'm Gloss Semblance, and I came here to ask you if I can trade this diamond for the Medallion of the Lion..." King Lion was where near pleased, responding with a roar, "NO!" "No?!" Gloss Semblance repeated in a shock tone. "But I will keep the cute, little birdie instead," King Lion said, turning his eye on Luster. "What?! No! She's my friend!" Gloss Semblance cried. King Lion went closer and closer, making the frightened colt retreat, allowing the former to grab Luster. "Birdie stays, while you and your diamond offer goes!" Determined to not lose his friend, Gloss Semblance snatched Luster from the king's paws, and tried to dash off with her. Unfortunately, the king was even faster, and managed to snatch Luster from the colt's left front hoof. "Luster! No!" Gloss Semblance called. "Lionesses! Get him out of my sight!" King Lion called, summoning several lionesses who surrounded the colt, who quickly tried to use his magic to. fight, only for it to fail and give out nothing but sparks. The lionesses then moved in on the colt, as the scene went black. Gloss Semblance was soon imprisoned underneath a rock pile like a prisoner locked in a dungeon. With his magic not working, all he could do was call for help, "Xian Zhe?! I'm sorry I messed up this badly, but I can really use some help now!" Unfortunately, there was no answer, leaving him to figure a way out all on his own. "If Luster were here, she'd probably just bravely try her best to get out..." the preteen figured, "But...I am not her, and now, I don't have any magic. Plus, I'm not match for those lionesses, and I can't get out without making the rock pile collapse on me. And...I still haven't figured out why the King Lion did not accept my offer?! I mean, who would want to have a bird more than a diamond?" Gloss Semblance then looked at his reflection in the shiny diamond's surface. Staring at his reflection, made him gain a different kind of reflection. "What have I done? What a fearful coward I was the entire way, especially after how Luster told me that things are only scary and...awful when I think they are, and mostly because I am thinking negatively...so it means.." he gasped as he realised something, "The King Lion isn't that scary! And he probably doesn't like it when I'm scared of him! Just like the other animals today, I was scared of him! He might not like being feared of by every creature... just like...what regular creatures are like...I was the one scaring myself the entire time, I should have known." "What is he crying about?" one of the lioness guards asked. "Who cares, as long as the king doesn't see him close to the birdie, he's fine," the other lioness guard replied. Their conversation immediately reminded Gloss Semblance abut the King Lion and Luster. "Luster! I must save her, no matter what!" the colt told himself, with determination in his tone and heart, "But first, I need to get out of here..." He then looked up and said to himself "The rock pile will collapse on me if I moved one of the rocks surrounding me..." he then looked at the ground he was standing on, "But there aren't any rock piles below me! ?I'll just use magic and try to blast the ground, hopefully, it works..." With a determined and brave expression on his face, Gloss Semblance activate his magic and destroyed the ground he was standing on, falling down with a scream, catching the lioness guards' attention. "The prisoner escaped!" one of them told the other. "We better warn the king..." was the reply. Armed with his bravery and determination to save his friend, Gloss Semblance was able to perform his spells like he could in his home world, being able to make his hon glow like a super-powered torch, and levitate the diamond as he ran. "I'm coming, Luster!" Gloss Semblance called, rushing out of the caverns in the mountain, and soon up the trail until he was back at King Lion's lair. "You again?!" the king roared. "Yes, it is me, Gloss Semblance, and I am here to inform you that I need my friend back, and as a king, you should put others before yourself, regardless of whether they are your subjects, or not."the colt confronted, surprising the king, who backed down a bit. King Lion then smiled, "Now that is the spirit I was hoping to see from you!" "Wait, you were?" Gloss Semblance asked in a tone with confusion, but not fear. "I never saw any animal who isn't afraid of me before, you are the very first one to do so, something I'm proud of you for, therefore, you may have your friend back," the king gave the unicorn Luster, who was happy to be reunited with the colt. "Thank you, your Majesty, and, I'm sorry about what I've done to escape from the rock pile prison, I would make up for it by being the creature who repairs it," Gloss Semblance vowed. "That is a noble offer you got there, Gloss Semblance but my guards have already done so, a while ago..." was the reply. "If you say so, and one more final thing before I go...Your Majesty, may I please have the Medallion of the Lion, in exchange for this diamond?" the colt asked politely with a bow. "Sounds like a fair deal...I accept it," King Lion answered, before he took out the said medallion from his fur, like a magician trick. After the trade was finished, Gloss Semblance replied, "Thank you so much, Your Majesty," before picking up Luster and calling, "Alright, Xian Zhe, you can come out now, I got the Medallion of the Lion, and once I got it, Luster and I should be going back, remember?" The surroundings suddenly transformed back into Xian Zhe's lair, as Luster turned back into a unicorn. "What did I miss?" she asked, confused. "Oh Luster, I'm so glad that you're back to normal, and not a seed-obsessed parrot!" Gloss Semblance hugged his friend, causing them both to share a laugh. "You two are really interesting creatures..." King Lion said, as he approached the two unicorns. "King Lion? Your Majesty? Shouldn't you be in your realm?" Gloss Semblance asked. The king chuckled, "I actually am in my realm, because I am..." within a second, the lion transformed into something surprising. "Xian Zhe?!" the unicorns asked in unison. "You were the King Lion, this entire time?!" Gloss Semblance asked. "Indeed I was, I just set that whole test up so you can finally find the unspeakable bravery you need," the ancient serpent explained. "So... the Medallion of the Lion doesn't give whoever has it courage, getting it from the King Lion proves that they have courage!" the colt finally understood. "And your courage really proved itself strong when you were able to activate your magic and have it to obey your commands despite the environment in that realm," Xian Zhe added. "Probably because saving my friend was the only thing that mattered to me, something that really boosted my courage," Gloss Semblance figured. "I may not remember what I did or went through after getting sprayed by that plant, but, everything you two are saying is quite enough to know for now..." Luster stated. "And since the medallion doesn't give any creature any courage, I believe that I don't need it, and therefore, I'm going to return it to its rightful owner," Gloss Semblance said, levitating the medallion to the ancient serpent. "That's nice of you Gloss Semblance, but I believe that you should have it, as a token and reminder of this day," Xian Zhe replied. "Thank you so much, Xian Zhe, and I'm ready to hear more from you anytime, because now that I know I have courage the whole time, I will not scare myself with any of those stuff I think of," Gloss Semblance responded, just as his and Luster's cutie marks glowed. "That means our work here is done!" Luster exclaimed. "And it turns out, the Map did send us to solve our own problem! Or more technically...my problem..." Gloss Semblance said, somewhat embarrassed. "And this is a very valuable lesson to learn. Can I please report a letter to Princess Twilight Sparkle about this?" Luster asked the two for permission. "Sure, but please tell the Princess that she should be more careful with information about rare creatures, especially when they have a reason to hide from every creature," Xian Zhe pointed out. "Don't worry Xian Zhe, I promise that this letter will not say a word about you, if you really wanted that," Luster assured. "I respect your decision, Luster Dawn," Xian Zhe chuckled. Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle, Today, the Map sent Gloss Semblance, a friend of the younger siblings of my best friends, and I out of Ponyville to solve a problem, but we soon found out that the problem was Gloss' lack of courage problem. He overcame his fears when he finally took in my saying that things are only scary to the creature who thinks that they are, so in reality, they are not. Gloss Semblance soon found out that courage and bravery have always been with their owners, and friends and allies only help boost their courage and bravery, but never really give them it. Gloss Semblance's courage became the strongest thing he ever had when he was determined to save me, his friend. Therefore, the Magic of Friendship has the ability to boost courage and bravery, among its many wonders. Signed, your faithful student, Luster Dawn After Luster sent the scroll away, Xian Zhe asked the unicorns, "So, now that some creature finally let his courage and bravery out, should I tell you more about ancient serpents?" "Well, I can stay, but not for too long, especially when I have school on Monday," Gloss Semblance stated, "And we promised every creature that we will be home as soon as the mission is accomplished. "I respect your promise-keeping spirit, colt. Of course you two may go, but don't forget to visit me if you can!" Xian Zhe replied, waving them goodbye. "We will!" Gloss Semblance answered before Luster teleported both unicorns out of the lair.
15. The Solo MissionAuthor's Note The Solo Mission serves as the fifteenth episode of the series. This episode is inspired by the Big Hero Six The Series episode, Fan Friction. Summary: Nature Bloom goes on her very first solo mission when a new fan fiction book about the Heroic Ten and the creatures they have relationships with, humiliates all of them except her. Featured Characters: Mitigate, a young adult serpent residing in the Smokey Mountains. Like Nature Bloom, he can be sensitive, despite publishing a fanfic about his favourite heroes. 15. The Solo Mission Inside the Castle of Friendship Hallway, Nature Bloom whimpered as she stared at Luster Dawn's magically created obstacle course. "Come on, Nature, it's just for a little while, then it's over...shouldn't be too hard..." she muttered to herself, before she closed her eyes and charged blindly through the obstacles. The turquoise-green changeling's method was proven to be quite unsuccessful, as she got hit by the popping spines, poisonous gas shot out by the large wild flowers, and caught in the thorns. Seeing how bad their Best Friend was in the obstacle course, the rest of the Heroic Ten decided to keep the course away, with Luster using her magic to return the hallway to normal. "That is the sixth failure in a row, Nature!" Falcon Dive complained. "Not to discourage you, Nature, but you need a lot more practice and confidence, and bravery to pass!" Alkali stated. "I know that means I'm awful..." Nature Bloom sobbed. "Now, now, Nature, you'll get there some day!" Evergreen assured, sitting next to the crying changeling. "Like all of us did!" Buffer added. "We know you can do it, Nature Bloom!" Yellow Bright cheered. "But, I just broke the fail record!" Nature cried. "Krona may failed five times and got mad, but she made it in the end." Krona declared like a yak. "What if I never past? That could mean I'll never be strong enough to go solo!" Nature cried, "And that will mean I'll be super dependent of others!" "Don't worry, we will be there for you when you need us most!" Luster assured. "And the purpose of this solo obstacle course training is to help us gain independence spirit," Sunshine Rays pointed out. "But the whole reason behind it, is to train ourselves to be independent!" Nature Bloom pointed out. "To prepare us in case we have to do something on our own!" Falcon Dive explained. "But we barely have something to do on our own, other than our personal things, of course!" Volcano stated. "For now, we're going to be at your side and go through everything together if we can," Luster assured. "And if your ways don't work, you can always try ours, or seek our advice and suggestions," Evergreen figured. "It's only when we can't, you'll be handling it alone!" Falcon Dive stated. "Which is impossible! I mean, there's barely a time we can't help you when you need us most!" Yellow Bright pointed out. "I hope so, I really am not good at going...solo..." Nature Bloom replied, sadly walking away, leaving her best friends behind to look at each other... After the series' theme song intro, the sun could be seen rising outside the Castle of Friendship, marking the start of the next day. Nature Bloom joined every creature for breakfast at the Dining Table, as usual. "Good morning, every creature! So, what are we going to do today? It's a Saturday, we're all mostly available with nothing to do, other than whatever we can..." Nature began, before being interrupted by a burst of magic that suddenly appeared in the room. "Eclipse Instant! Shapeshifter! What's with the sudden undeclared visit?!" Luster Dawn asked the two creatures who had teleported in. "We're so sorry about that, Luster." Shapeshifter apologised. "We were travelling around Equestria and Beyond, but stopped because of...this..." Eclipse Instant explained, levitating a book for every creature to see. Luster took a look at the book's cover and read its title out loud, "An Alternate Route for the Heroic Ten?!" the unicorn gasped, before noticing something, "It is just a fanfic, nothing much to worry about, fanfics are quite common ever since long ago!" "But fanfics about real creatures?!" Sunshine Rays pointed out. "That is totally different from fanfics about characters!" Falcon Dive contributed. "And we don't think you all are going to like this one..." Shapeshifter informed. Luster, the fastest reader, levitated the book in front of her and read the chapters silently, getting shocked and shocked as each second flew by. "So, what's the book about?" Krona asked. "Something that most likely won't happen in our world!" Luster answered. "Ooh! Can it be all of us having some special super powers that we don't really have?!" Yellow Bright asked, "I mean, superpowers and action stories are pretty popular as many age groups come up with such ideas!" "Something like that..." Luster replied, as Yellow Bright took the book and and a look in its pages. "What?!" the Earth Pony shrieked. "We figured that would happen..." Eclipse Instant plainly said. "When you see it..." Shapeshifter added. "Yellow Bright going on a date with Evergreen?! In a place far away from the crowds and towns, the wilderness?! A picnic?! And kissing?!" the Earth Pony summarised, before calling to the friend he mentioned, "Evergreen, what do you think? I mean, what do you think bout this?!" "Well, I think that it might be a little..." the Kirin sneezed before she could finish the sentence. "Are you alright, Evergreen?" Nature Bloom asked in a concerned tone. "Somewhat alright..." the Kirin let out another sneeze before a series of sneezes began, causing every creature else to back off. "I think you need to rest, Evergreen," Nature Bloom advised, "Rest will enable your body to heal, as your white blood cells fight the viruses in your systems." Before Evergreen would respond, Krona yelled, "What is this?!" The yak had taken a look in some other pages in the book, and that meant some other part of the story, and she was certainly not pleased with it, at all. "Krona building a statue of her and Buffer that is as big as they are?! Krona can't build! Doesn't whoever wrote this know?!" Krona roared hr question out loud. "Come on, Krona, maybe we should get you away from this," Buffer suggested, leading his yak Best Friend away. "Is there anymore?" Falcon Dive asked, before he quickly got an answer that was obviously not the kind that he would be hoping for. "There is more, alright! And worst of all, it is something that I really don't like! Well, precisely one part of it is something I really dislike!" Sunshine Rays started, before showing the griffon the page. "Falcon Rays?! Sunshine and Falcon's relationship name?!" was the shock reaction. "That doesn't sound right..." Volcano said his thoughts out loud. "Of course it isn't right?! This never happened!" Sunshine Rays responded, "And it's pretty awful to the creatures this fanfic is about! I mean, their relationship story is something no creature but friends and families should know!" "If Falcon Dive and Sunshine Rays were to get together, Sunshine would be known as Sunshine Dive or Mrs. Dive, not the other way around with Falcon being known as Falcon Rays!" Volcano explained. The pegasus and griffon were unpleased to discover what their dragon Best Friend was really thinking about. "What?! Out of all the bad things, that's what you're most concerned about?!" Falcon Dive asked in a rather mad manner, like Sunshine Rays whenever she went insane. Their conversation was interrupted by some creature who did not get upset with the book, flipping through it and reading with a positive spirit and a small smile expression on her face. "Alkali, how can you be pleased with something that upsets and humiliates your best friends?!" Sunshine Rays angrily asked. Upon hearing the question, Alkali turned to the pegasus, "Sorry every creature, there's just this chapter...I mean storyline...or whatever...about me and my little brother, Acid. And it says here in this book that Acid is my only sibling, a decade younger, or more precisely, almost a decade younger than me." "That's quite true! I mean, Acid is indeed your only sibling, and your age difference is correct," Volcano stated. "Lucky you," Falcon Dive huffed, not being satisfied nor pleased with some creature else's fortunes this time round. But as soon as the short phrase was said, Alkali's calmness disappeared when she gasped and read, "Acid returned to Alkali after his encounter with that scorpion, but instead of praising him for getting rid of that threat, Alkali nicknamed him 'Acidic', and Acid thought, I knew that she would not be idolised!" "Nicknaming your brother instead of showing concern for him?!" Volcano asked, before commenting, "That is so not you! I mean, you will never do that!" "Acid, finally becoming resentful towards his sister and alkalis, turned into a villain named Acidic, with acid-controlling powers?! Used his powers to make everything acidic, killing plants and animals, bringing about acid rain...the Heroic Ten banished and imprisoned him in an acidic lake?!" Alkali read out loud, completely unpleased and shocked with the story's format. "That makes no sense: There's only natural seawater that is alkaline, fresh water that is weakly alkaline and very close to neutral like pure water, but never any natural acidic water known!" Volcano pointed out. "And I will never banish nor imprison Acid in an acidic lake!" Alkali cried out loud, before dramatically placing her head down as if it was a bowling ball that fell. "Oh great, now our siblings are getting involved!" Falcon Dive panicked. "I won't even banish nor imprison him at all!" Alkali continued dramatically drying. "Let me take a look at the rest if you really can't handle it," Volcano told his hippogriff Best Friend, flying over and taking the book from her, "Let's see, fifteen years later, Acidic's return...Alkali and Volcano's kid?!" The dragon then went through the same experience as the rest of his best friends, "I have had enough of this!" snapping the book shut in a second, he stormed off, "I'm leaving it for whoever wants to read it next...or whatever!" "Hmm...whoever wrote this fanfic clearly never thought ahead of who it can impact.." Luster began, after the angry Volcano, Falcon Dive, and Sunshine Rays, plus a crying Alkali left. "In some not very nice ways, unfortunately," Nature Bloom added in her usual, soft-spoken tone. "That's why we came here with it," Eclipse Instant stated. "We knew you will figure that it is...quite unacceptable..." Shapeshifter added. "It is unacceptable indeed!" Sunshine Rays responded in a furious tone, causing the remaining creatures to look in the direction gf her voice. "What? It even got you two involved?!" Luster asked, after flipping through several pages. "Well, it is probably because Shapeshifter and I...do have roles in your real adventures..." Eclipse Instant sheepishly stated. "Says in here that you have secret feelings for each other that you kept secret before it is revealed and got together?!" Luster summarised, before closing the book with her magic, "If I were either of you, I'd be embarrassed!" "I think it's quiet...awkward..." Shapeshifter blush. "Maybe we should stop, looking at what's in this fanfic, as it is not giving any creature a pleasant time, we should try to avoid it instead," Nature Bloom figured. "Hang on, I'm looking at the contents to see what else is in here," Luster informed, before reading out loud, "The Heroic Ten and Others, Yellow and Green, Furry of Mammal Love, Romance between the Wings, The Tale of Two Siblings, A Reformed Duo, Dusk and Dawn?!" "Uh oh," Nature Bloom muttered, as the unicorn quickly flipped through the pages of the book. "Nightfall Dusk and Luster Dawn?! Dating?! Kissing?! Romance adventure?!" Luster gasped, "I haven't even know if Nightfall Dusk likes me the way I like him!" the unicorn dramatically cried out. Every creature had gathered in Evergreen's room after seeing the fanfic that upset them. All with the exception of a certain changeling and a sick Kirin. "I may be selfless and care about the needs and wants of others than my own, but this fanfic is a want...that can never be accepted!" Falcon Dive claimed. "I may like romantic relationship between opposite genders, but about real creatures instead of characters?! That is not what I like!" Sunshine Rays added, "But I still like opposite-sex couples, though." "Whoever wrote this book should think twice!" Krona roared. "Especially when it is published," Yellow Bright contributed. "Every creature, do you think we should talk about this elsewhere? I mean, Evergreen needs her rest since she's sick," Nature Bloom asked. "Oh, right! Sorry about that, Evergreen," Buffer apologised. "We thought that you could use some company!" Volcano explained, "And...hear about what's going on." After sneezing, Evergreen replied, "Don't worry, every creature. I know you all care, but sick or not, I have to say that something must be done about those fanfics! I mean, we can't have such things that hurt some creatures' feelings out and about!" "It hurts more than hurt! It's heartbreaking!" Alkali cried dramatically as her tears flowed out of her eyes like waterfalls. "Still upset with the made-up story involving your little brother?" Volcano asked his hippogriff Best Friend. "More than upset; I'm devastated!" Alkali responded, before resuming her crying. "Look at poor Alkali! Something must be done," Evergreen told every creature. "Well, we can find the author and tell whoever that is to stop what they're doing..." Yellow Bright began, before asking the others, "Does that sound familiar?" "You don't say?" Buffer responded. "Of course! We confronted authors before! Or...helped authors before!" Sunshine Rays recalled, "When we found a horror book being the most popular, Luster casted a spell that helped us find the author, and as soon as we got to our location, we helped him write a better book that became the new most popular book! And fortunately, it still is the most popular book today!" "We all know that!" Eclipse Instant informed. "Because we all were involved when those events happened?" Shapeshifter reminded. "Oh, right." Sunshine Rays responded to the reminder. "But back to the point," Evergreen announced after a sneeze, "We need to find the author of this fanfic and convince whoever it is to stop!" "And do more than just stop! They have to fix the damage it caused!" Sunshine Rays pointed out. "But...who's going to take care of Evergreen? I mean, Head-mare Starlight and Vice Head-stallion Sunburst are looking after the School alongside Guidance Councillor Trixie, and Miss Sunset Shimmer is asleep right now!" Yellow Bright asked. "Well, Shapeshifter and I are quite available," Eclipse Instant stated. "We'll look after her, while you ten...I mean, nine, will go and find the author!" Shapeshifter finished. "Thank you, both of you," Luster thanked, before instructing her available best friends, "Alright, every creature, follow me!" As they ran through the hallway alongside the others, Falcon Dive asked Luster, "Um, do you even know how are we going to find the author, this time? I mean, shouldn't you conjure that magic compass through scanning the name written...or whatever that spell is!" Luster stopped in her tracks, replying, "Thanks for the reminder, Falcon Dive. I'm just glad that I have learnt this spell." After casting the spell and receiving the magic compass, Luster led the creatures to the front doors of the Castle of Friendship, "This way, every creature!" But unfortunately for the heroes, when Luster used her magic to open the golden doors, the other side was revealed to have an overwhelming crowd of creatures who obviously had seen the fanfic! "Uh oh..." was all Volcano could mutter. "Um, hello? Is there anything we can help you with?" Luster asked. "We just read the fanfic and would like to ask you and the Heroic Ten some questions!" Matilda the donkey, an old friend of the Council of Friendship, responded to Luster's question. "The fanfic is a fanfic!" Krona declared loudly, for every creature to hear. "And fanfics are most likely just stories written by fans of others' stories, using the same characters!" Volcano defined. "Volcano, isn't it?!" an excited Earth Pony mare rushed up to the dragon and asked. "Yes, it is." Volcano answered, "As in, yes, I am Volcano...Volcano the dragon...I'm just named after volcanoes." "You're just as intelligent as the fanfic said so!" the Earth Pony commented, before asking, "But by the way, are you really going to be married to..." Unable to stand the question, Volcano quickly used one of his claws to cover the Earth Pony's mouth to prevent her from saying the final part of her sentence clearly. "Sorry about that, and the fact that I am done for! I'm out of here!" Volcano stormed into the Castle angrily, slamming the doors shut. Meanwhile, Krona and Buffer were experiencing the same situation that had drove their dragon Best Friend to his brim. "Are you two romantically involved?" a pegasus stallion asked, before receiving an unpleasant respond. "Obviously not something for every creature to know!" Krona angrily roared. "What she meant is, we haven't even dated before! We just hang out as best friends?" Buffer clarified. With Yellow Bright... "Do you like Evergreen?" Matilda asked. "Like her as a best friend!" Yellow Bright answered cheerfully. "But the fanfic says that..." before the donkey could finish, Yellow Bright intervened. "The fanfic is just a fanfic! You can't believe that it is real!" "And since this story fanfic is not about characters of a story, you can't expect them to be so confirmed with a chance of becoming real...I mean, if it was about the characters of a story, maybe the fanfic can be an inspiration for the author to use in the actual stories?! But back to the main point, we are not characters of a story! We are real, living, existing creatures!" Sunshine Rays informed a group of creatures on one particular side. "Real life cannot be predicted by fanfics!" Falcon Dive told some creatures on another side. "Did your brother Acid..." a unicorn stallion asked Alkali, only to be interrupted by her immediate dramatic crying response. "Don't say that! I mean...don't ask that! The fanfic's ridiculous! I mean...I won't..." Luster strolled through the crowds and tried her best to calm them down, "Come on, every creature. Just remember the fanfics are fanfics! They aren't real! And since this kind is not about characters, it really won't be happening for..." The unicorn bumped into a creature wearing a hoodie, who helped her up and told her, "We got to stop bumping into each other like this. Luster gasped as she knew and recognised the creature at once after hearing him say that sentence. "Nightfall Dusk?!" she whispered. "Be careful, we don't want to give ourselves away," Nightfall whispered in response. Luster nodded with a determined expression on her face, before she teleported herself, Nightfall Dusk, and the rest of her best friends in the area inside the Castle. Once they were back inside, the creatures heaved a sigh of relief. "That was a close one!" Nature Bloom said. "Too close!" Sunshine Rays added. "Krona does not like what happened back there!" Krona declared. "None of us did," Buffer contributed. "And not just you," Nightfall Dusk informed, as he stepped forward and removed his hoodie, revealing himself to the heroes. "Nightfall Dusk?!" Luster's best friends, minus the crying Alkali, and the absent Volcano and Evergreen, asked in unison. "Yes, every creature. I am Nightfall Dusk, I came from Canterlot to inform you all about this fanfic about you called An Alternate Route for the Heroic Ten..." "We all know about that!" Falcon Dive shouted in an impatient tone. "And we are all annoyed and upset with it!" Yellow Bright exclaimed, before saying in a softer tone, "I'm sorry, but there aren't any positive sides about this..." "Something must be done! I don't know how much longer any of us can stand the effect the fanfic caused!" Sunshine Rays complained. "And now we can't even go out without the crowd overwhelming us like this!" Buffer added. "We might as well just hide her and wait until the effect wears off..." Falcon Dive figured. "Wait?! It can go on FOREVER!" Krona complained. "We have to do something right away!" Sunshine Rays claimed. ""Or we might never go out alright, ever again!" Buffer contributed. "And I might never be able to see my little brother Acid, nor be happy with him ever again...because of this fanfic!" Alkali dramatically cried before her head collapsed onto the Castle of Friendship's floor. "And I might never be able to do my job without a disguise, ever again!" Nightfall Dusk added. "Don't worry, we will fix this!" Luster assured, placing her hoof onto Nightfall Dusk's chest. "But, how?" Nature Bloom asked. "We cannot leave the Castle because we cannot let the public see us..." Falcon Dive stated. "Or they will just...you know back there!" Buffer continued. "Overwhelm and ask such questions because of the fanfic?" Krona clarified. "And I don't think any of us can stand creatures talking about the fanfic that upsets us!" Sunshine Rays ended. "And I will never do such an awful thing to my one and only little brother and sibling, Acid! How can the author do this?!" Alkali resumed crying over what she disliked. "Just calm down, every creature!" Luster announced. "Calm down! You know what, Luster? You just reminded me of a certain Best Friend of ours who always tell us that!" Yellow Bright commented. Luster thought for a while, before solving the puzzle as she figured out who Yellow Bright indirectly mentioned. "Of course! Evergreen! She is our Element of Patience! She can handle this! I mean, being patient, she certainly won't get as upset nor overwhelmed like the rest of us!" Luster exclaimed, beginning to gallop off. "But, Luster, isn't Evergreen unwell and in bed?" Nature Bloom reminded, causing the unicorn to screech to a halt. "Oh, right, Nature Bloom! But that means she can't go out and handle the problem! Nor go and find the writer to set things right," Luster sadly stated. "If only there is some creature else here who can handle the crowd, and the environment," Yellow Bright figured. "Most likely some creature who isn't said to be in romantic relationship in the fanfic!" Nightfall Dusk added. "Wait a second! the fanfic!" Luster remembered, before using her magic to take out the book and flip though its pages. "Yes! The fanfic doesn't have anything about Nature Bloom being in romantic relationships nor anything much about her relationships! So that means..." Luster began, starting to turn her attention to Nature Bloom, with the other creatures around doing the same. Nature Bloom was overwhelmed, "What?! Me?!" "You're the one creature here who isn't humiliated by the fanfic!" Falcon Dive implied. "So Nature would probably not have any trouble with ridiculous questions because of fanfic!" Krona added. "And I'll just transfer the magic compass to you, so you can find the author," Luster informed, further overwhelming the changeling. "I'm so sorry...every creature...but I...might not be able to do it alone..." Nature Bloom interrupted them. "But why?!" Nightfall Dusk asked. "Well...I broke the fail record with six failures on the obstacle course, and every creature isn't going on up to the even harder levels until I passed! And the obstacle course doesn't even have magic-absorbing difficulty to prepare us for situations in those environments in many schools and buildings nowadays! Plus, the obstacle course is a solo test! Testing for independence! And failing it means I am not...independent..." Nature Bloom explained, "I might be a dependent, scared, little changeling forever!" "Nature, don't say that!" Sunshine Rays told the changeling. "You just have to try again!" Falcon Dive aded. "Like we all do!" Yellow Bright cheerfully commented. "Quite true," Buffer responded to Yellow Bright's comment. "Best friends will pass together!" Krona declared like a yak. "Together or not, I'm sure we'll all pass!" Luster ended. "But right now, we aren't going to be right by your side, physically," Sunshine Rays informed Nature Bloom, approaching the latter from the latter's right side, "You will have to find the writer of this fanfic and get whoever that is to stop and fix the damage! Without us." "But we will still be together at the end!" Falcon Dive said as he flew to Nature Bloom's left side. "Plus, we can give you advice and instructions to follow in case you don't know what to do!" Yellow Bright cheerfully added. "Alright..." Nature Bloom responded, still a bit nervous and unsure. "Don't worry Nature, Heroic Ten believes in you!" Krona assured. "So will I, Heroic Ten member or not," Nightfall Dusk contributed. Soon, a long list of instructions and advice was created by the Heroic Ten, with the exception of a certain nervous changeling, who was trying her best to calm down while waiting for some creature to open the door and let her into Evergreen's room to get the list. "Nature, the list is completed!" Luster informed, opening the door and levitating the long script with her magic. "That's a...long list alright..." Nature Bloom commented, sounding a lot like Fluttershy. "Every creature got something to write in it," Luster stated. "Even...Evergreen?" Nature Bloom asked. "Well, since Evergreen was unwell...I mean, is unwell because she is still unwell, Yellow Bright wrote what she had to say for her," Luster explained, using her magic to levitate the list to her changeling Best Friend, "Though I'm not so sure if you can find it amongst the many others in the huge list of instructions, advices and more..." "More?! Like what?!" Nature Bloom asked, scrolling down the list, before reading some notes...most likely requests of what the others want the writer of the fanfic to know, "I may strongly support opposite-sex gender couples, but not fanfics about real creatures like that! One factor that makes some creature a great creature regardless of job, is the ability to listen... I will never banish nor imprison my beloved only sibling and little brother in an acidic lake! And he's never going to turn evil! Fix this!" "Well...knowing our best friends very well, I'm sure you can tell which sentence is from who, right Nature?" Luster asked after nervous chuckling from hearing the changeling read such sentences. "I know Luster, but, I'm still not so sure about this..." Nature Bloom voiced her thoughts out. "Come on, Nature! Think about it! Do you really want us to suffer?!" Falcon Dive asked. "Do you want us to be humiliated?" added Volcano. "Do you want us to not be able to leave the Castle ever again?" Sunshine Rays contributed. "Do you want to let us all down?!" Alkali asked, with tears flowing from her eyes continuously. "Well, I will never want something so awful to happen to any creature..." Nature Bloom figured, "So...I guess I will do it..." "YOU GUESS?!" every creature around asked in unison, expressing shock in their tone. "Alright...I will do it..." Nature Bloom whimpered. "Good. Then here's the compass that will lead you to who you're looking for," Luster told the changeling, using her magic to transfer the ownership of the compass to Nature Bloom. "Now the magic compass will be following you to guide you to your destination. Good luck, Nature!" Luster finished. "Wait! Wat! Wait!" Yellow Bright called, rushing towards the changeling with a pile of clothings and hats and scarves and more outfits, "In case the creatures out there see you, wear these disguises and walk right pass them!" The Earth Pony then went very close to Nature Bloom, whispering the message, "If they don't recognise you, they won't act the way they will want to act around you..." "Thanks, Yellow Bright...I just hope that no creature finds it strange for me to dress up in this kind of outfit," Nature Bloom opined. "Don't worry, we're sure you'll do fine!" Buffer assured. "And can you please get going?! Half day just passed by, you know?!" Falcon Dive impatiently reminded. "Oh, right! Goodbye, every creature! I'm going!" Nature Bloom announced, putting on her clothes disguise and flew off. The unrecognised changeling rode the train all the way to the Smokey Mountains, currently resided by Hoofields, Colts, and all aces of different creatures. "The Smokey Mountains!" Nature Bloom gasped, "I can't believe I'm visiting here! Without...my best friends..." she sadly sighed her last sentence, before moving on. Not long after her arrival, Nature Bloom encountered a small yellow bird with its feet stuck in the soil. Quickly responding, she used some of the water in her water bottle to wet the soil, before she dug the bird out, receiving a nuzzle from it as thanks. "You're welcome, little friend," Nature Bloom giggled, "But right now, I got something to take care of, and I got to hurry!" Nature Bloom ran off into the town, giving herself a quick tour before she went back to business, looking for the writer she had came for. "The compass says that whoever I'm looking for is right in this building..." Nature Bloom told herself, just before the door opened to reveal a serpent, who was alerted by the soft sound of Nature Bloom gently touching the door with her front left hoof. "Hello there...whoever you are..." he greeted, before asking, "What are you doing here? You aren't like any of my Mum's friends! Wearing some outfit like this..." Nature Bloom nervously chuckled before starting her pat of the conversation, "I know that what I'm wearing is...quite unusual, but...I really need to look for whoever wrote the latest fanfic about the Heroic Ten called, An Alternate Route for the..." "Before she could finish naming the fanfic, the serpent dismissed her, "I'm sorry, but I can't help you with that!" The serpent retreated and slammed the door shut, making Nature Bloom theorise "If he acted scared when I'm talking about the writer of the fanfic, there's a huge chance that he is the writer! But, how am I going to convince him to come out and talk?" Nature Bloom's attention was then turned towards several creatures who were around a poster of the Heroic Ten, which read, 'Our Newest Heroes'. Seeing how many creatures adored her and her best friends, Nature Bloom knew the one thing that might get the serpent to come out. "That's it! If every creature loves me and my best friends, and most likely will give us what we ask for, maybe the serpent will come out and talk to me if he knows that I'm me! " she told herself in a soft volume so that she would be the only creature capable of hearing what she just said. "But...how am I going to ensure I won't arouse too much attention?" As Nature Bloom was pacing around, she accidentally tripped on a small stone and fell, scattering her clothings. causing a few creatures around to gather around her, with intentions to help. But as they cleared away the clothing, they were able to see Nature Bloom's undisguised self, recognising her! "Nature Bloom?!" the creatures gasped. The changeling nervously chuckled in response. Overwhelmed by the crowd, Nature Bloom backed off towards the building she was in front of, telling the creatures, "Please...stay away! I don't like undivided attention! I really don't! Please..." As the crowd got closer and closer, Nature Bloom got more and more overwhelmed and afraid, as the shadows loomed over her, occupying the area the light was supposed to shine... All of a sudden, a loud noise indicating a crash, could be heard from behind the crowd, catching their attention temporarily as they turned their heads, while they were distracted, a claw grabbed Nature Bloom and pulled her up before the crowd turned back to see that the famous heroine was out of sight. "Where did she go?" some creature could be heard asking. "She must have gotten away while we're not looking," another creature figured. Inside the upper floor of the building, the serpent had Nature Bloom safe from the crowd. "Thank you so much, for saving me from the crowd back there..." teh soft-spoken changeling thanked the serpent, causing him to blush. "It was nothing, sweet...I mean, it was nothing, Nature Bloom. By the way, I'm...Mitigate..." the serpent said with difficulty, making his name sound rather hard to hear. "Excuse me, what did you say was your...name?" Nature Bloom asked. "It's Mitigate, I'm Mitigate, and I am a serpent," Mitigate introduced. "Nice to meet you, Mitigate, and I'm quite impressed that you've done your introduction better than I did on my first time wherever I go," Nature Bloom commented. "But...I thought that you were better than me, Nature Bloom," Mitigate responded, before telling her, "You're a famous heroine of Equestria and Beyond now, and the one creature who introduced niceness to every creature by being the Element of Niceness, and you barely use insulting words, and never offended any creature!" Nature Bloom blushed before replying, "Thanks, Mitigate, it's great to know that some creature outside the friends and family I know thinks this way, too!" "So...what were you doing dressed up like that earlier? I mean, no creature could recognise you when you looked Lik that!" Mitigate asked. "Well, it is a long story explanation...but, from the looks of it, I'm sure you can tell that I didn't want to be...recognised," Nature Bloom answered. "Actually I kind of wish that I wouldn't be recognised, too," Mitigate commented. "Wait, you do?" Nature Bloom asked in a somewhat shocked tone. "Yeah, for some reason, my two best friends aren't the only creatures who will pay attention to me back during school times. For some reason, many classmates seem to like saying attention to me, like they like me for some reason. It makes me feel like I will never get privacy unless I wasn't seen, or...not recognised..." Mitigate explained. "I can understand that, before I enrolee in the School of Friendship, I was he top Biology student in my whole entire school, gaining lots of attention, overwhelming me!" Nature Bloom mentioned her tough times, "My schoolmates probably want to learn Biology from me, but...they always overwhelm me with their attention..." "My classmates kind of overwhelm me with the unwanted attention the they were giving me," Mitigate stated. "I just can't help but feel sorry for you, I mea, getting attention that you don't want? That must be a hard time!" Nature Bloom commented. "And I feel kind of bad for you when I heard what you said about your schoolmates...I guess that we are pretty much alike, for two creatures who just met each other for the first time." Mitigate replied. Nature Bloom blushed a bit before saying, "Well, that is something I can't disagree with...I mean, something that I have lots of reasons to agree with?" "Oh Nature Bloom, they say that you are always careful with your words, and it's quite true, I mean, you don't seem to want to get your words wrong, and you certainly don't seem to want to make a mistake trying to correct tone," Mantigate told her. Nature Bloom could not help but blush when she head what the serpent said about her, before responding, "Aw...thanks, Mitigate. My close ones probably already know that about me so they won't usually utter a word about my words! Although, I do remember my best friends acknowledging my concerned with words nature." "And you're amazing at it, Nature Bloom. You're the nicest creature I know, and now, you're the nicest creature I've ever met," Mitigate told her. "It's good to know that," Nature Bloom responded, just before a cuckoo clock in the building stated making noise. "That means it is seven! Time for dinner! Sorry, Nature Bloom, I don't have anything for you...probably because...no creature can predict the future?!" Mitigate told the changeling, slightly panicking at the final part. Nature Bloom chuckled, "That's alright, Mitigate, my best friends packed some food for me in my backpack. "Good to know that you have what you need, Nature Bloom, because a soul like you best not go hungry! I mean...best not suffer from hunger?!" Mitigate stated to panic with his words again, before Nature Bloom assured him. "Don't worry, I know that not every creature will know how to use such nice words all the time, and I believe the they can learn how to be nicer, some day. And you are not an exception." "Thanks, Nature Bloom, that really cheered me up," Mitigate thanked her, slightly blushing. "You don't actually always have to call me that, I'm also alright if you just called me 'Nature', just like my friends and family would," Nature Bloom informed. "Alright, Nature! I will be back in a few minutes!" Mitigate called, before slithering out of her sight. Nature Bloom could not help but think about the new serpent friend that she just made, before she open-end her bag to take out the food container which contained her snacks. The long list of requests was taken out alongside the food container unintentionally, and Nature Bloom winded up seeing an awful statement, saying, "If you don't stop and fix the damage, I will ban you from writing and sharing such stories for eternity! To ensure such thing will never happen again!" "Sunshine Rays!" Nature Bloom gasped, "She must be more than upset! I have to let the writer know! But wouldn't that be something...awful to say?" Back in the Castle of Friendship hallway, the rest of the heroes could only wonder and think about their Best Friend alone on a solo mission. "The day has already ended, I just hope that Nature Bloom is alright..." Luster told the rest of the creatures as they stood in Evergreen's room. "Well, we did help her pack some snacks for the trip, she'll have something to eat for sure!" Yellow Bright pointed out. "Maybe the search takes a little longer than we thought," Evergreen figured from inside her room, since she was sick, she was separated from the others for the sake of goodness. Despite her illness and bedroom door being closed, the others still could hear her voice from inside the hallway. "Or maybe the fixing takes more time..." Falcon Dive suggested. "But I'm sure we all can trust Nature Bloom, I mean, her niceness really helped you all out during your very first adventure..." Eclipse Instant reminded. "Sure, Nature Bloom's niceness is GREAT!" Krona declared. "I hope that it's enough to get the writer to do something!" Sunshine Rays said. "I may not be so sure about this, every creature, but do you think hat we should send Nature Bloom a message on what we think that she should do to get the mission accomplished faster?" Buffer asked. "Didn't we already did that?" Falcon Dive reminded. "I actually recall that we kind of put a lot more requests of what we wanted to tell the writer, than instructions and suggestions on what should be done," Volcano informed. "All I can recall and remember is that horrible story about me and my little brother Acid!" Alkali cried, as she still had not gotten over the fanfic. "Well, now that Volcano mentioned it, I think we did put more comments than instructions! Nature Bloom can use a lot of time to find those instructions and suggestions!" Luster announced. "Oh great, a mistake realised after it is published!" Sunshine Rays sarcastically commented. "But mistakes can be fixed, can't they?" Shapeshifter asked. "Well, we most likely say mistakes can be made up for, as in make amends for mistakes," Volcano corrected. "Anyway, back to the main point," Nightfall Dusk reminded, "If Nature Bloom can have problems finding our suggestions and instructions amongst the list of comments, we might have to send a new message, one that only has instructions and suggestions." "That's right, Nightfall! I'll get the scroll and quill, right away!" Luster declared. In the meantime, Nature Bloom finished her snacks and was mumbling to herself, "I'll just tell the writer that my best friends will like it better when there is no fanfic about them? But what if that hurts..." "Nature?" Mitigate called, startling her. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you," the serpent apologised, "Now, I just thought of what you said back there about looking for the...writer of the fanfic. And, can you please promise me that you will not...do anything that can startle some creature sensitive?" "Sure...especially when I'm sensitive myself, as well as the nicest creature my best friends and family know," Nature Bloom responded. "The writer of the fanfic is actually...me..." he admitted, making Nature Bloom a little shocked. "You are?" she asked. Mitigate nodded, "Yes, I have been a fan of the Heroic Ten ever since the day they became heroes, saving all of Equestrian and Beyond from Eclipse Instant, but it was not just the fact that they saved every creature that makes them special.." Flashback through Mitigate's point of view... "Every creature in this crowd, I've been learning friendship at the School of Friendship for a while, learning the values of Honesty, Kindness, Laughter, Generosity and Loyalty, taught by the teachers. But today, during my adventure with my best friends, each of them showed a new value that they have." Luster announced, before explaining each of her friends' values, making them feel proud. "Krona showed her integrity, when she told the truth about what she was thinking, despite it being against what she learnt about friendship, in order to prevent an unfortunate outcome that would happen if she did not." "Buffer showed his listening skills when he stopped an argument between his friends by listening to what each of them had to say, and identifying who should be listened to." "Sunshine Rays showed her morality when she prevented us from taking the treasures that we found, which is something wrong as the treasures did not belong to us." "Volcano showed his diligence, when he was hardworking enough to clear a boulder that could take days to clear." " Nature Bloom showed her niceness, when she warmly approached a Crystal Cave Spider and respected it, despite its earlier attack." "Alkali showed her encouraging spirit by giving Krona the hope and motivation she needed to slide down a slope." "Evergreen showed her patience throughout the journey, staying calm and not complaining much, and most importantly, helped all of her friends be patient enough to walk through a cavern filled with fragile crystals slowly and carefully." "Yellow Bright showed his positivity, by helping his friends think positively, when they were overwhelmed by few and negative thoughts." "Last but not least, Falcon Dive showed his selflessness, when he bravely saved every creature at the risk of his own life." "And Luster Dawn, who led us through the adventure, and the battle against Eclipse Instants's brainwashed army and Eclipse Instant herself, showed that she, Luster Dawn, is a great leader." Luster's best friends announced, "Therefore, Luster showed us her leadership!" "I never thought that we can have a group of ten heroes instead of six, especially a group of heroes that announce virtues! I mean, heroes are usually known for defeating villains, saving every creature from dangerous disasters all and all...barely the kind that introduces virtues!" Mitigate explained, ending the flashback. "But, Princess Twilight Sparkle and her friends, the Council of Friendship, released their friendship journal ages ago, before they opened the School of Friendship!" Nature Bloom reminded, "And that journal has all sorts of valuable friendship lessons! They taught some virtues, too!" "But they were never at the level the Heroic Ten are on," Mitigate explained, "When the Heroic Ten went to convince an author to write a good book than a popular one, spreading the message that the best and the most popular are not the same, I was impressed. When the team stand up for real rights and wrongs, something that no creature had done before like they did, I knew that they were and still are, the best heroes I know!" "Well, the Heroic Ten do quite much on their first few months as heroes, especially focusing on the virtues they introduced on their very first day!" Nature Bloom stated. "I know, and being devoted to those virtues really makes them so...inspirational...as they attempt to teach every creature those virtues, and real friendship," Mitigate continued. "Quite true, the Heroic Ten do teach and show such virtues," Nature Bloom insisted. "But out of the Elements of Purity, I like the Element of Niceness the most, and that means...out of the Heroic Ten..." the serpent struggled to say the rest of the words, causing Nature Bloom to finish for him. "Did you mean that I'm your favourite Heroic Ten member?" Mitigate was silent for a few seconds, before admitting, "Yes, Nature Bloom. I mean, I've actually done research on niceness and kindness after you and your friends graduated together. And my research actually leads to me finding out...that niceness and kindness are different, with niceness being..." "Just being pleasant by being polite and respectful and treat others well, while kindness is showing that you care? Yes, I know that, but I still stand up for niceness, especially when that is the virtue that my Best Friend Sunshine Rays keeps forgetting about, whenever she gets too focused on morality," Nature Bloom explained, "In other words, there is still a place for niceness." "Wow, you really are the niceness expert, Nature Bloom! I mean, I kept my liking for niceness a secret because I kept thinking that there is no way it can keep up with kindness, but now, thanks to you, I feel more comfortable about it," Mitigate commented. "Thanks for the compliment, Mitigate. But I still have to get you to..." before Nature Bloom could finish her sentence, a letter that was magically sent by Luster came flying into Nature Bloom's hooves. Unrolling it, the changeling began to show shocked expressions on her face. "What does it say?" Mitigate asked. "I...think I can really use a bit of privacy for a moment, do you mind?" Nature Bloom asked. "Sure do not, Nature Bloom," Mitigate answer. Once she was at the corner, Nature Bloom talked to herself, "What am I going to do? I only have this weekend to fix the problem, otherwise my best friends might not be able to go to work next Monday! The problem needs to be solved, fast! But that means needing to show care towards others, and by the looks of it, I have to be moral and selfless, but that might mean giving up being nice to boost the chances of success!" After thinking for a while, Nature Bloom finally made her decision, "Alright, being kind is something good, so it is worth it at the sacrifice of being nice...especially when there is a serious need for it! Plus, my best friends do get successes much more times than I did, so maybe I should be following their suggestions..." The changeling trotted towards the serpent, who greeted her, "Nature Bloom! Are you alright?" "I'm somewhat alright, because there is something I really need to inform you about." Nature Bloom began, before taking a deep breath, "The fanfic you created is ruining the lives of the creatures it is about!" "What?!" Mitigate asked in shock. "It is not right to write fanfics about real creatures instead of characters! That's why the Heroic Ten are so upset with it, alongside Eclipse Instant, Shapeshifter, Nightfall Dusk, and Alkali's little brother, Acid! If you continue writing and publishing such thing, you're just going to hurt them even more, or worse, influence every creature to do the same! We need you to stop and fix the damage at once, and if you don't...you will be threatened." Nature Bloom warned in a confronting tone to show how serious she took the situation. Instead of the effect she was hoping for, Nature Bloom observed Mitigate being hurt by her not warm nor. pleasant approach. "Well...it was great knowing you, Nature Bloom, but I...can really use some time alone right now!" the serpent cried, rushing off and away, as the changeling watched. "What have I done?" Nature Bloom asked herself. Alone once again, Nature Bloom paced back and forth, talking to herself, "I did what my best friends suggested, it should work, should it?! I was just being moral and selfless, therefore, I should be being kind! Standing up, pointing out the mistake, confronting...showing that I do take it seriously with that approach...what could have gone wrong?!" The changeling then overheard Mitigate's crying from downstairs, "How could Nature Bloom be like this? I expected her to be nice and approachable, especially when she promised me that she will be careful with her words around me! But she just..." The remainder of the sentence was replaced by crying, while Nature Bloom realised what went wrong. "I broke my promise! Worst of all, I assured him that I am the nicest creature, but now...I just followed some suggestions that showed hm...that I'm not who I first appeared to be. I really messed up...and...failed, once again..." Nature Bloom fell into despair. Just then, familiar chirping could be heard, Nature Bloom turned her head to see the yellow bird that she helped earlier at the window nearby. "Oh, it's you," she sadly said. The bird chirped rapidly, telling Nature Bloom something helpful, which the changeling responded, "You're saying that I should do things my way?" The bird nodded with a chirp, but Nature Bloom was doubtful, "But...I've done things my way on the obstacle course back at home! And got the most failures among the Heroic Ten! I kept doing it my way and failed!" Nature Bloom's sentences did not change the bird's attitude one bit, as it told her several more sentences through its chirping. "So you actually say that you may have failed learning to fly your way, succeeding only when you copy others' ways, but when it comes to finding food, your way is the most successful? And you're telling me that every creature is good at different things in different ways? So there is no such thing as some creature with all the best ways, and sometimes, I can get through the situation, my way?" Nature Bloom asked, which the bird nodded. "Thanks, little friend! I know what to do now!" Nature Bloom thanked, receiving a chirp reply from the yellow bird, before it flew off. Mitigate was still downstairs, upset and was trying to recover from the recent experience, just when Nature Bloom approached him with her usual, caring voice, "Mitigate?" "Leave me alone, Nature Bloom!" Mitigate responded in a somewhat panicked tone. "Listen Mitigate, I am so sorry about how I acted back there, especially after I promise you that I will be warm and approachable, but then hurt you by making you see that I wasn't who you thought I was, so soon..." Nature Bloom apologised, before explaining, "The truth is, I was pressurised by the new letter I got from my best friends, which urged me to get you to fix their reputations faster, so I...turned on niceness to be moral and selfless, and follow my best friends' suggestions...I'm really sorry, it is a mistake, I should have done things my way this time round, and that means ask you nicely, will you please write a message to the public to tell them that the fanfic is not something to fuss about?" Mitigate was soothed by Nature Bloom's warm, polite tone, and replied, "Well...I...I'm not so sure, Nature, I mean...a public message is different from a fanfic." "Don't worry, if you can't handle it alone, maybe a friend can do it with you, and that friend, is me." Nature Bloom assured, "I always feel braver with friends." "Thanks Nature, you really are nice, the nicest creature around," Mitigate told her. The next day, the Heroic Ten finally got the news they were hoping for. "Finally! No more fanfic mayhem!" Falcon Dive exclaimed, cheering as he loop-de-looped around the Castle hallway. "Nature Bloom has really done it!" Luster said, "She got the writer to tell every creature that publishing the fanfic is a mistake, and creatures should not write fanfics about real creatures!" "Because fanfics are about characters, not real-life creatures!" Sunshine Rays chimed in. "Right, but the main point is, they got the message to stop thinking that the fanfic can predict the future, or basically, things will not happen because of a fanfic like this, anyway, a valuable lesson is also featured in their column!" Luster informed. "Every creature is good at something in their own way or another, so there are times when your way of doing things is best," Buffer began, before Krona finished for him. "And times when others' ways are best!" Krona declared. "I'm just glad that this whole mayhem is stopped on the day before work," Volcano told the others. "And I just hope that I can patch things up with my little brother!" Alkali announced, packing her things for a trip, "I have to check on him at Mount Aris!" When Alkali opened the door, Nature Bloom and Mitigate were revealed to be on the other side. "Nature Bloom, you're back!" Luster exclaimed. "And I brought some creature who would like to have a word with you," Nature Bloom informed, brining her new friend in. "Heroic Ten and friends, I'm so sorry for publishing a fanfic about you that humiliated you all, I should have been more thoughtful and think twice, I am really sorry and I hope that my public message patched things up," Mitigate apologised. "It's alright, some creatures here caused public problems before," Shapeshifter assured, as his eyes moved to look at Eclipse Instant who was standing right beside his left. "And got forgiven, so we are going to pay it forward and forgive you, too." Eclipse Instant added. "And now we can finally go back to work," Nightfall Dusk contributed, before telling every creature, "I best be going back to Canterlot now, see you all some day." After waving him goodbye, Luster then continued the conversation, "We actually have something to apologise for, too. Pressurising Nature Bloom into doing things our way, ruining her reputation!" "Don't worry, I know that you just wanted things to get done!" Nature Bloom assured. "But we just made you into...something like me whenever I think about something bad!" Sunshine Rays stated. "I know that I was still trying to help, but what matters now, is that everything is solved," Nature Bloom pointed out. "And every creature has learnt from recent mistakes," Mitigate added. "We should be more thoughtful whenever we do something," Nature Bloom began, before Mitigate finished for her. "And remember that we are all better at something in a different way, so you just got to do things the way you know that you can do best!" "And since you got it out in a public message, I don't think a letter is needed to be sent to Princess Twilight Sparkle to inform her about it," Luster said. "And before I forget, how's Evergreen doing? Is she any better?" Nature Bloom asked. "Oh, Evergreen?!" Yellow Bright responded to the question, "We kind of forgot that we're about to go out to get her one last bit of medicine!" "Go?! Go! I have to go to the train station or I will miss my train to Mount Aris!" Alkali was instantly reminded of what she had to do as well. "Excuse us!" Yellow Bright and Alkali shouted in unison, rushing out of the Castle in separate directions, as every creature else watched.
16. Need of HelpAuthor's Note Need of Help serves as the sixteenth episode of the series. Summary: Falcon Dive attempts to resume his protector activities despite being hurt, causing even more problems in the process. Featured Song: Superhero Selflessness 16. Need of Help Loud cheering was in the atmosphere, as all of Ponyville were in the town's stadium, watching the annual Ponyville's Talents Performances, judged by the Ruler of Equestria, Princess Twilight Sparkle, who were given more special seats to sit on, alongside the Council of Friendship, and their kids. Among the regular audience, the Heroic Ten, with the exception of Falcon Dive, were watching the show with great interest. "Those moves are extraordinary!" Luster could not help but exclaim. "And that flyer surely must have taken in a trick or two from Physics with those angles and body shape changing," Volcano added. "Oh, come on, Volcano! Just take a little break from science, would you? And math, and language and...other subjects that you teach?! Basically, just take a break from them and enjoy this annual show!" Alkali told her dragon Best Friend. "Alkali's right, Volcano. It ain't every day that a show this good comes to town!" Krona added. "Plus, it's not every time an event like this occurs, one of our best friends is in it!" Buffer contributed, before clarifying, "I mean, involved in it as a non-audience." "The correct word is 'participator', which means some creature who participates in an event!" Volcano corrected. "Whatever, just stop talking and start paying attention to the show, because here comes Falcon Dive!" Yellow Bright told his best friends. As soon as Falcon Dive stood forward to the middle of the stadium, Princess Twilight Sparkle greeted him like he was any of the other participators, "Falcon Dive, it is a pleasure to have you here in this year's Talents Performance. What will you be doing for your performance?" "Glad you asked, your Majesty. I am going to take off into the air and fly in all sorts of directions, doing stunts until every creature's impressed enough!" the griffon declared like Rainbow Dash would. The captain of the Wonderbolts could not believe what she was seeing and hearing, "Whoa! That Falcon Dive's got really epic confidence, just like some creature I know," the blue pegasus said out loud. Back with Twilight, she had responded to Falcon Dive's claims, "Well, Falcon Dive. You have to act fast, because booking for the final slot in the competition has really taken loads of your time away. You only have 2 minutes before it ends." In the sidelines, Falcon Dive's best friends were shocked to hear what the Ruler of Equestria had to say. "Only 2 minutes?!" Sunshine Rays gasped. "Can't Princess give Falcon Dive more time than that?! Krona means that, Falcon saved Equestria and Beyond before, became famous hero! Can't he get more time?!" Krona asked. "I'm sorry every creature, but hero or not, Falcon Dive and the contestants or...participators have to be treated equally..." Luster explained. "And it was Falcon's own decision to book last slot," Evergreen reminded. "Because he is the Element of Selflessness!" Nature Bloom added. "Being selfless like he is meant to be!" Yellow Bright commented. "Choosing to give himself the worst slot so no creature else has to suffer from getting it!" Sunshine Rays contributed. "But don't worry, because Falcon Dive is still epic as he is!" Alkali cheered, causing every creature to pay attention to their best friend's performance. Like a real falcon, Falcon Dive was flying fas and diving down at great speeds without crashing into any creature nor anything. Going very close to the audience several times in their direction, before making a sharp turn on time to prevent himself from colliding into them as he flew pass the sidelines, maintaining a close distance between himself and the audience, that the audience cold feel the breeze as he whooshed by. "That's our Falcon Dive, alright!" Buffer exclaimed. In another part of the sidelines, Fluttershy was watching with her husband Discord, their daughter, Screwball, and their little animal friends. At one point during Falcon Dive's performance, involving the griffon flying very high into the sky, Discord could not help but get too excited, as he exclaimed, "Oh, look! He's going really high into the highest of heights under the sun!" Discord accidentally batted one of Fluttershy's mice friends of their seat with his draconneques tail, sending it on a dangerous trip, flying towards the ground! Fluttershy gasped as her little mouse friend plummet to its death. Fortunately, Falcon Dive, who noticed the mouse's situation, quickly abandoned his original plan of how he wanted to perform his finale, diving down to the animal's rescue, as fast as a peregrine falcon! The griffon succeeded in rescuing the mouse's life, catching it on his furry back, just as time was up. "Time is up! That means your performance can't go on, Falcon Dive, regardless of whether you have finished it or not." Princess Twilight Sparkle informed. "But that move wasn't the one I planned and practised for my finale!" Falcon Dive complained. "I'm sorry Falcon, but you are meant to participate like the other participants, despite being a famous hero," Princess Twilight Sparkle apologised, before announcing o the stadium, "Every creature in this crowd, I have made my decision: \the winner of this year's Ponyville's Talent Performances is none other than; Bulk Biceps! His talent of being able to juggle all those dumbbells and lift several carts is the most amazing one I've seen today!" Bulk Biceps proudly came forward to the stadium to receive the prize trophy from Princes Twilight Sparkle, and getting a photo of himself with the princess. Meanwhile, Falcon Dive returned the mouse to Fluttershy, who was relieved to see that it was alright, "Oh, thank goodness, you're fine and unhurt!" the yellow pegasus told her mouse friend, nuzzling it before thanking Falcon Dive, "Thank you so much for saving him." "But, you lost!" Screwball reminded the griffon. "I know," Falcon Dive responded in a somewhat sad tone, before getting over his slight sadness as he declared, "But tat prize and victory isn't what I cared about the most. As some creature selfless, the good of others is always what I take as the most important, my own good is the least important thing to me." "So, you sacrificed your victory, to save a mouse?" Screwball asked. "I sacrificed my wishes, to save a life," Falcon Dive corrected, "And a heart!" "That is really...awesome!" Screwball exclaimed. "It's more than that, it's really selfless! Being selfless is the game this griffon is good at! As the Element of Selflessness!" Falcon Dive proudly declared. After the series' theme song intro played, the scene changed to show more of what happened after the competition. "Falcon Dive! We're so sorry you lost," Sunshine Rays told her griffon Best Friend in a rather sad tone as she flew to his side. "Especially after how hard you trained yourself for winning!" Volcano added. "All that effort...WASTED!" Krona cried. "But they're nothing to me, compared to the wants, needs, good and lives of others!" Falcon Dive explained, striking a pose. "Falcon Dive, your show was really...epic!" Rainboom squealed, as she and her twin brother Sonic, plus their parents, Rainbow Dash and Soarin flew over. "You may have lost, but you really impressed my sister," Sonic informed the griffon. "Can you please teach me your moves? Growing up, I want to be a Wonderbolt, but now that I've seen you in awesome action, I want to fly just like you! Diving at great speeds, doing tricks, stunts..." Rainboom went on before being cut off by her mother. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, Rainboom! You can do stunts and tricks, but not those very dangerous kinds! Just stick to the Wonderbolts' safety rules, okay?" "Alright, Mum..." Rainboom sadly responded. "Oh, the poor filly looks so sad!" Nature Bloom could not help but feel sorry for Rainboom, seen the preteen pegasus upset. "You know, Rainboom. If you want to learn from me, why don't you hang out with me, and I'll teach you all the moves you want to learn!" Falcon Dive offered. Before Rainboom could say something in response as her expression changed from upset to happy, Sunshine Rays interrupted. "Halt! Sorry to say this every creature, but there are some very strict rules about children being with those who are their close family members and friends, and not being allowed to be with those who aren't their close family members and friends!" "Oh great, Sunshine Rays and one of her explanations of why we shouldn't do something!" Lil'Cheese said in an annoyed tone. "Like regular rules, these rules are rules to keep you safe! Break them and you will suffer! Not because the rules threaten you, but because you yourself let your sin nature take you over and turn yourself into a monster that causes nothing but trouble as you do what you shouldn't do!" Sunshine Rays explained background information about rules and sin nature, before moving back to the point, "Now, back to the main point, I was saying that there is such a strict rule to keep children safe this way because wandering off with strangers often lead kids to big trouble! They can get in danger, being held captive or worse, given bad treatment..." "We know! You don't need to tell us..." Sparity impatiently cut Sunshine Rays off. "Fine, but if you get into trouble by breaking the rules, you got no creature but yourself to blame," Sunshine Rays shrugged. "Sunshine, can't you be a bit more...nice? I mean, you may be very moral, but not being nice is really something not good!" Nature Bloom asked her pegasus best friend, after every creature else seemed a bit offended by Sunshine Rays' latest sentence. "Your question should have been 'can you be nicer?', because there is such word as 'nicer', you only use 'more' when there is no such word as..." Volcano began correcting, before an irritated Sweet Caramel Apple interrupted him. "Enough about all this! We probably should be playing or doing our work right now!" "But...I haven't got any tips from Falcon Dive on how to...do what he can do!" Rainboom complained. "I'll show you someday, Rainboom, especially when I'm selfless, I care about your wants and needs, alongside every creature else's, and when those wants and needs are alright, I will try my very best to help them get them!" Falcon Dive declared. "But sine you youngsters can really use some learning about morality, I would like teaching you kids, too." Sunshine Rays joined the conversation. "And you kids still have to take your school work and studies seriously!" Volcano added, "I would like to help you catch up on everything you need to know and more!" "Looks like we found some very suitable babysitters," Pinkie Pie said in a sing-song tone. "What?! Mum, my best friends and I aren't as little as we were when Luster first got here!" Lil'Cheese protested. "Lil'Cheese, we all understand, but, you and your best friends can really use interesting virtues lessons, and the Heroic Ten seem to be just the right teachers for the job!" Rarity told the colt. "But what about what Sunshine Rays just said?" Precious Treasure asked. "She has plenty of good points of why something is right or wrong," Applejack honestly stated, before turning to Sunshine Rays, "Do you think it's alright to let ten kids visit the Heroic Ten in the Castle of Friendship for lessons?" "Well, since it will be like a teacher with a class, it will most likely be alright, especially when the teacher is some creature trustworthy..." was the answer, before Big Sugar asked the white-coated pegasus. "Then why did you hold big protests against Rainboom and Falcon Dive hanging out as Falcon teach her?" The kids then started to overwhelm Sunshine Rays, gathering around her with unpleasant tones as they sounded like they were booing her. "Well...rules can get quite complicated at times, and what is truly best can be a bit...difficult to identify..." the pegasus tried to explain. Meanwhile, Falcon Dive was having a conversation with Rainboom and Sonic's parents about the mentioned foals. "So you're going to fetch them after sessions with them are over?" the griffon asked for a final time. "Totally, just make sure that they're...totally safe and alright!" Rainbow Dash answered. "Don't worry, I'll do my very best to teach them selflessness the right way, plus some of my flying tricks!" Falcon Dive responded. "Spoken like a Wonderbolt!" Rainbow Dash commented. The next day, Falcon Dive was in the Castle of Friendship's hallway, right in front of the castle's golden gate entrance. The Lil'Heroic Ten were all pitted in two rows of five in front on the carpet, as he explained selflessness, "Being selfless means putting others' good before your own! And that means, you are willing to sacrifice your own time and wishes to help them! But that help is only good when it is not helping them do something wrong! So the entire time, selflessness had mostly been combined with..." "Morality, I'm really absorbing Sunshine Rays' words about that virtue," Bulk Junior interfered. "Right, anyway, do you all want to know something very cool about me and selflessness?" Falcon Dive asked. "Cool?! Of course we will want to! I mean, please tell us, Falcon Dive?" Rainbow exclaimed before politely asking. "Wow, you really must have taken in niceness from Nature Bloom," Screwball commented Rainboom. "Alright, the coolest thing I mentioned is...just like how Sunshine Rays picture morality as her hero, I picture selflessness as a superhero!" Falcon Dive declared. "Really?!" Muffin Whooves asked in shock. "But, selflessness is a virtue!" Sweet Caramel Apple pointed out. "And not a real creature!" Big Sugar added. "Who says that heroes are just any creature who saves others from getting crushed by falling objects, falling to their dooms, getting shot and all those?" Falcon Dive asked, as music started to play, before he began to sing. "Whenever trouble arises, we used to hear stay-out-of-it advices. But there's always a need for a rescuer, to dive in and save the one in danger. Many may think that a brave rescuer, is a one true superhero, but think again! It's the characteristics and virtues that make them them. If it weren't for such good values, rescuers won't even be heroes to save you! So for one to really do such deeds, selflessness is the virtue that they need! Like real superheroes, selflessness saves others in such scenarios. More concerned for others' needs, to the point you will do such deeds! Willing to sacrifice your own good, in situations as big tough as boulder, or light as wood, all for the sake of others' goodness... That's Superhero Selflessness! If you think that heroes only save every creature from disasters, falling items, falling into a pit, or villain attacks! You will be proven wrong sooner or later, as such heroes can be overwhelmed by many setbacks! So the best thing for us to have, is every creature being able to save others like heroes! Turning others into do-gooders, will save more than ever, and make one a real superhero! Like real superheroes, selflessness saves others in such scenarios. More concerned for others' needs, to the point you will do such deeds! Willing to sacrifice your own good, in situations as big tough as boulder, or light as wood, all for the sake of others' goodness... That's Superhero Selflessness!" After the song ended, Rainboom could not help but respond, "Selflessness is really awesome! I take back what I said about loyalty being the best, because selflessness is really better!" "Um, Rainboom? I don't think Mum and Dad will like to hear you say that about loyalty! I mean, loyalty is what Mum represents, especially when she stayed loyal to her friends, plus showed Dad's team the spirit of loyalty at Rainbow Falls during the Equestria Games Tryouts!" Sonic reminded his twin sister. "Whoops," Rainboom nervously chuckled, before Falcon Dive giggled, assuring her, "No worries, Rainboom, you can combine virtues! Every virtue needs another or a few more to set a limit so creatures who possess them will not go too far! And I'm sure your parents will understand if you ever liked selflessness more than loyalty." "Or maybe I will equally love them both!" Rainboom exclaimed. "That works for me," Falcon Dive replied, just before he could hear commotion coming from outside the Castle. "Do you hear that?" he asked the kids, before they ran towards the window and saw a puff of black smoke coming from Ponyville. "Where there's smoke there is fire!" Falcon Dive cried, "Sorry kids, but I got to help in any way I can, especially when some creature can be in trouble!" The griffon dashed out of the Castle and towards the problem. Rainboom, immediately rushed out of the building through the front gate like her hero did, and was quickly followed by her best friends. "Rainboom! Where are you going?" Lil'Cheese asked. "ISn't it obvious? I'm going to see Falcon Dive and superhero selflessness in action!" Rainboom exclaimed. "What?! Are you out of your mind?!" Sonic asked. You better stay out of trouble!" Precious Treasure aded. "Fire is not safe!" Sparity contributed, "Even for dragons at times." "But I got to see what Falcon Dive does! I mean, how else can I know what some creature selfless does in a time of crisis?" Rainboom asked. "Don't you already know that they use to the rescue and help?" Muffin Whooves asked. "Yes, but I got to see how he does it!" Rainbow exclaimed, before rushing off. "Rainboom, no!" Bulk Junior cried, but it was too late; Rainboom was already gone. At the burning house, a crowd of creatures had gathered around it, watching Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich, in their fire fighter uniforms trying to put out the furious flames. "We're going to need more water mist!" Pinkie Pie called. "Don't worry, I'll get some water from a cloud! Be right back!" Rainbow Dash called back, before leaving in a flash. "All the animals have escaped, but there's some pony still inside!" Fluttershy cried. Every creature else gasped to hear what Fluttershy said. "Are you sure, darling?" Rarity asked. "The last animals that got out told me," Fluttershy nodded. "But which part of the house?! Wherever that pony is, we got to save him!" Applejack declared. "The pony is a 'her', I mean, she's a female," Fluttershy corrected. "Say no more!" Falcon Dive shouted, diving into the house like a rocket. "Was that Falcon Dive?" Rarity asked. "Sounded mighty like him," Applejack stated. "And was very fast like him," Fluttersy contributed. "Are you saying that I'm not fast?!" Rainbow Dash asked in an annoyed tone. "Not really," Rarity responded. "Falcon Dive? Where'd he go?" Rainboom asked, arriving at the scene. "Rainboom? Shouldn't you be inside the Castle of Friendship with the rest of your best friends? Attending some of the Heroic Ten's lessons on the Elements of Purity?" Rainbow Dash asked her daughter. "Falcon Dive was teaching me and the others when there is this commotion, and I got to see him and selflessness in action!" Rainboom exclaimed. "What?! Are you crazy?! He just dove into a burning building that can cook and roast a Wonderbolt, or any creature!" Rainbow Dash replied in a somewhat angry tone. Just as soon as Rainbow Dash's sentence was finished, Falcon Dive rushed back out with an Earth Pony mare in his claws. The crowd cheered to see that their hero had saved the day, with Rainboom being the most excited. "Way a go, Falcon Dive! You're a real superhero! Like selflessness!" Rainboom cheered. "Um, Rainboom, Facon Dive himself is selfless," Applejack pointed out. "He was saying that selflessness is a virtue, and a..." Rainboom began, but was cut off by Falcon Dive. "Sorry, Rainboom. But I don't think that what I told you and your best friends is something alright to be known by the public, I mean, there are some truths that are better off being kept as secrets! And since selflessness means caring about others more than caring about yourself, you got to put their good, needs and wants before your own! So, if you want to tell others something about some creature that they say is not something tat the public should know..." "Alright, alright, I will abandon my desires to tell every creature about what you just let me and my best friends know," Rainboom gave in. "That's actually pretty similar to an Element of Harmony!" Pinkie Pie commented. "And we all know which one she's talking about, right Rainboom?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Sure, selflessness!" Rainboom answered in a calm, confident tone, to her mother's shock. "What?! I was saying an Element of Harmony! Or...maybe it was Pinkie...anyway, which Element of Harmony were we talking about?!" Rainbow Dash asked. "I didn't hear you say any Element of Harmony names," Rainboom responded, making the Captain of the Wonderbolts even more shocked and unhappy. "What in the kingdom is this?! Your Dad and I told you about that Element of Harmony saving the day a million times as you grew up under our care!" Rainbow Dash reminded, "How can you forget it all?!" "I am so sorry, Rainbow Dash!" Falcon Dive apologised, "I will just tell her that selflessness and loyalty are still different in certain ways, and she has to value them both alongside many other virtues!" "You better!" Rainbow Dash replied in a commander's tone. After Rainbow Dash left and the creatures disperse, Falcon Dive turned to Rainboom, "Well, Rainboom, I only got a few more minutes left, but I'm sure I can..." "Falcon Dive, what happened to your wings in there?!" Rainboom suddenly gasped and asked, stopping Falcon Dive's sentences. The griffon looked at his wings and saw some cuts and slightly red patches at the tips, "Oh, those are the parts of me that got touched by bits of flame and all, nothing to worry about." "Are ou sure? You told me that being selfless means being more concerned about others than you are concerned about yourself! And I am showing concern for you! Right now!" Rainboom informed. "Thanks, Rainboom, you're a quick selflessness learner, but I'm pretty sure I'm fine, besides Volcano and Nature Bloom know Biology says that cells can quickly multiply and repair damaged tissues, so it will just heal all by itself!" Falcon Dive assured. "But didn't science says it needs time, and it won't heal fastest if you don't rest?" Rainboom asked. "Rest because I'm injured? No way, Rainboom! I have fought pain and injuries all my life! No reason I should be out of action because of one, when there can be plenty of other creatures who can need help any moment! A whole town full of them, that is!" the griffon declared. "Alright..." Rainboom replied, "Since abandoning my own wishes for the sake of the wishes of others, makes me selfless, I can just give up opposing you..." "Rainboom! Falcon Dive!" Lil'Cheese called, rushing over with the rest of the Lil'Heroic Ten. "Are you alright?" Screwball asked in a concerned tone. "I am, but Falcon Dive sure isn't. He got hurt when he was in that building on fire!" Rainboom explained. "It's just minor burns and cuts, nothing to worry about when you're some creature who usually dives in to rescue others at the cost of your own good," Falcon Dive assured, "I mean, I do that a whole lot of times before I became a famous hero alongside the rest of the Heroic Ten." "So you keep on getting yourself injured?" Big Sugar asked. "And don't rest?!" Sweet Caramel Apple added. "For years?!" Precious Treasure contributed. "Well, I can't stand not doing anything about those poor creatures I see that are in trouble," Flon Dive replied, "But don't worry about it, because getting hurt to save others is a major part of selflessness!" "But what would morality say about it?" Bulk Junior asked. "You mean, what would some creature moral say, Bulk." Muffin Whooves corrected. "Sunshine Rays will understand if it was really for some creature else's good! Plus, it's not like I'm giving in to some creature's immoral wishes!" Falcon Dive confidently declared. "There you all are!" Yellow Bright could be heard saying, as he arrived. "Yellow Bright! How did you know we were here?" Muffin Whooves asked. "Well, seeing smoke in the sky gives me one clear guess that Falcon Dive raced out to save the day, abandoning his lecture," the yellow-coated Earth Pony stated, while looking at his griffon Best Friend. "Well, you can totally take over teaching them from this moment, plus I got to go back to doing my lookout job!" Falcon Dive told his earth pony Best Friend. "But what about your cuts and burns?" Rainboom asked with concern. "Burns?! Falcon Dive, you should totally stay away from the sunlight right now, I mean, you learnt in Physics that heat from the sun is transferred..." Yellow Bright began, before the griffon cut him off. "Through radiation as the light waves do not need a medium! I know, Yellow Bright!" "But do you know that you got to ret to get better?" Screwball asked. "This griffon never lets his guard down," Falcon Dive began, before suddenly saying, "Especially when some creature is about to get hurt by a falling pot!" Yellow Bright and the Lil'Heroic Ten watched Falcon Dive dash to an unseen creature's rescue, and the sound of the pot hitting the ground could be heard... That evening, every creature gathered for dinner at the Dining Table as usual, but when Falcon Dive entered, things quickly became very different from usual days. "Falcon Dive! Why do you have all sorts of cuts and burns on you?! Where were you all day?!" Sunshine Rays asked. "Well, there was a house burning, a pony inside it needs sting..." Falcon Dive explained, before being cut off by Krona. "Ponyville has fire extinguishers and fire fighting force! Falcon Dive should let hem put out the fire!" "Not to mention rescue the pony," Buffer added. "Then, he saw some creature about to get hurt, dashing off to the rescue and hurting himself as he did," Yellow Bright reported. "What?! Falcon Dive, what were you thinking? You were already her from that fire, and you go on getting yourself hurt even more?!" Sunshine Rays asked. "I was saving some creature else's life!" Falcon Dive responded in a tone that expressed opposition towards Sunshine Rays' words. "But...what about your injury?" Nature Bloom asked in her usual, soft-spoken like Fluttershy, tone. "I care the least about my conditions! Because I'm very..." Falcon Dive began, before being cut of by Luster Dawn. "Selfless? We know that you're always like that, Falcon Dive, but you got to..." "Be more thoughtful towards others?! Yes I know, because ever since that incident of breaking Volcano's helium particles collection, I never dove down towards the Castle at great speeds, ever again! And always tried thinking twice or thrice or more before I do something!" Falcon Dive intervened. "What I was about to say was 'more thoughtful towards yourself', " Luster corrected. The statement caused Falcon Dive to give out an immediate reaction of opposition, "WHAT?! No! I always care the most about others and the least about myself, and I'm going to keep it that way! There's no way I'm going to care that much about my safety, needs, wants, and conditions!" "But Falcon Dive! Caring about yourself like that doesn't make you selfish!" Evergreen pointed out. "Yeah, it's only when you cared more about yourself than others, that will make you selfish!" Yellow Bright explained. "I'm not taking any chances of having such a vice like selfishness!" the griffon denied. "We do like the fact that you're selfless, Falcon Dive, willing to save any creature in need or trouble, but if you're hurt, you got to sit it out!" Volcano informed. "What about my lookout protector duties?!" Falcon Dive asked in a somewhat insane tone. "I'm sure every creature will understand! I mean, you can't go out under the Sun with burns that can worsen because of radiation, and you got cuts that need time to heal..." Alkali began, before being interrupted by Falcon Dive. "There is no way I'm going to sit out even for a day! Or an hour? Or a minute?! Anyway, I am the Element of Selflessness, always selfless! Care the most about every creature and everything else's goodness and conditions!" "And care the least about yourself to the point you don't care one bit about getting yourself hurt!" Sunshine Rays sarcastically finished for her griffon Best Friend. "Exactly!" Falcon Dive responded, somewhat striking off a pose. "But Falcon Dive, what about your poor cells and tissues? I mean, they are what makes you you, building up your body! Injuring yourself means damaging and even killing some of them! And just like creatures, they are living things!" Nature Bloom pointed out. "The last thing I ever remember about cells from hearing your Biology thing is cells naturally dies quickly, so they are meant to die!" Falcon Dive responded, offending the others with what he had to say about cells. "What?! It's the Red Blood Cells that die quickly because they don't have a nucleus like typical cells! Although, other cells do die at a fast rate, but not as fast as the red blood cells, but hat still doesn't give yourself any right to keep injuring yourself and giving them a hard time to multiply and replace the damaged!" Volcano clarified. "Whoops...sorry every creature, but you know me, I can't help it when I see some creature in need of help! I'm just so.used to being selfless!" Falcon Dive told his best friends. "Can't you be selfless and...care more about your cells?" Nature Bloom asked politely. "I'm sure they're fine like usual! As for usual! I get hurt a million times before in all my life and recovered! Plus, I care more about every creature else's cells compared to my own!" Falcon Dive claimed. "There's just no way to convince him to care about himself..." Sunshine Rays sighed. The next day, sometime during the afternoon, Rainbow had her best friends to help her practise Falcon Dive's moves by building an obstacle course out of rubber tyres and haystacks from Sweet Apple Acres. "Are you sure about this, Rainboom?" Sonic asked his sister. "Of course I am sure about this! I mean, I got to practise some hero moves so I can save any creature in need like Falcon Dive does!" Rainboom confidently exclaimed as her answer. "But, aren't there any safer, better, ways to do so?" Screwball asked. "Like uniting all of your species to help fight a threat and save Equestria?!" Sparity suggested. "Just like Professors, Silverstream, Ocellus and Smolder!" Lil'Cheese listed. "And Uncle Sandbar and Aunt Yona!" Precious Treasure added. "And Captain of the Royal Guard in Canterlot, Captain Gallus!" Big Sugar contributed. "Don't forget Rasberry Dazzle and Hyper Sonic!" Bulk Junior finished. "As if something like that's going to happen so often!" Rainboom responded, not taking in much of what her best friends had to say, "I'm going to train and train and train and become the hero Falcon Dive is! And even better, like a superhero! Saving creatures from danger!" "I don't think you're at that level, Rainboom..." Sweet Caramel Apple informed. "Maybe you should wait until you are older?" Muffin Whooves suggested. "As if! This world always needs saving!" Rainboom declared, before spending into the obstacle course with her best friends watching as her audience. "Well, so far, so good..." Lil'Cheese nervously chuckled as they watched. But as soon as that sentence was finished, Rainboom tripped on a small stone and was sent rolling towards a tower of haystacks! The filly's best friends gasped in horror before a sudden strong gust of wind swooped pass them, and got Rainboom to safety. It was none other than Falcon Dive, who was still not recovered from his scars. "Falcon Dive, thank you for saving me! I really admire your heroic doings, but not the fact that you are still hurt!" Rainboom told her hero. "Hurt?! I don't care about how hurt or injured I get, because I am selfless, and fight pain! I fight every struggle and setback and help others no matter what! And that means sacrificing my own good for their good! Care the least about my safety, the most about every creature else's..." "We always hear you say all that!" Lil'Cheese complained, having gotten annoyed of hearing the same sentences over and over again from the one same creature. "Sorry, I just got too used to saying it! But the main point is, one part about selflessness is willing to hurt yourself, as that shows you care less about yourself, plus you got to save other creatures at the risk of your safety at times. And sacrificing your own life to save other creatures' lives, is no doubt, the most selfless thing!" Falcon Dive explained. "Selflessness is really unique, being a virtue that puts whoever that possess it at risk!" Sparity sarcastically commented. "It is pretty much about sacrificing! But there are some smaller, more harmless sacrifices like sacrificing your time and..." Falcon Dive began smoothly, before his tone suddenly turned into an unarm, panicked tone, "Time with loved ones when some creature is in need of help!" The griffon then dashed off once again, due to seeing some creature that could use his saving. "That's totally Falcon Dive, alright!" Big Sugar commented. "Being very selfless!" Sweet Caramel Apple added. "I just hope that Falcon Dive doesn't get hurt even more..." Screwball whimpered. That evening, during dinner time in the Castle of Friendship, things did not go any better compared to the previous day. "Falcon Dive! Look at you! You're in terrible condition! Haven't you seen your reflection in a mirror or pool of water or something?!" Sunshine Rays asked. Falcon Dive was in a condition worse than just injured, he was all messes up, covered in dirt, leaves and twigs, and even more injuries. "That's not all, your scarf is ripped!" Evergreen pointed out. "Madam Rarity might faint to see a horribly ripped scarf like that!" Krona commented. "You probably should get a replacement or just take it off with no replacement," Buffer suggested. "What?! No way! This scarf is passed down to me from my Dad! I can't just replace it!" Falcon Dive protested. "But you did ruin it really badly..." Volcano pointed out. "While I was busy saving other creatures, as for usual!" Falcon Dive stated. "Falcon Dive, I know that being selfless is the virtue that you value the most, but you must not think that caring about your conditions means being the opposite of selfless!" Nature Bloom told her griffon Best Friend. "I already told you all, every creature! That hurting myself is part of being selfless!" Falcon Dive argued, "I can't just stand by and watch other creatures get hurt! I have to help them!" "But how can you help them if you cannot even help yourself?" Evergreen asked. "You must be in good conditions to help yourself before you help others!" Luster contributed. "Help yourself before you help others?! That sounds kind of selfish to me, putting yourself before others..." Falcon Dive protested. "Listen, it is not being selfish, it's true! You need to be able to help yourself! Have the abilities to do things to serve yourself! If you can help yourself, then you can help others! Because being able to help yourself is the basic! Proving that you have the ability you need for doing more, which is helping others!" Volcano explained. "Can help myself or not, I always help others!" Falcon Dive still resumed ignoring his best friends' words. "Where is your listening spirit?" Buffer asked, trying to get Falcon Dive to snap out of his (Falcon Dive's) unwilling to listen behaviour. "There are times when others are wrong, so that means sometimes you should listen to yourself and trust yourself and your thoughts!" Falcon Dive argued, "Lee you cannot believe a theif who says that they steal powerful magical objects for safekeeping, that easily!" "In a scenario like that, you mostly should not listen, but there are still scenarios that require..." Sunshine Rays began, before being cut off by her griffon Best Friend. "See?! I don't care what you all think about my selfless ways! I am never going to care that much about myself! There's no way I'm going to risk becoming selfish!" Falcon Dive declared, before exiting the Dining Room and slamming the doors shut. "Isn't not willing to listen to others somewhat selfish?" Alkali asked. The next day, Falcon Dive flew up to the sky as usual, doing his lookout duty. This time, he had a bit of difficulty flying, feeling pain kicking into his body. "Why do I feel so much pain? I haven' gotten any extra injuries!" the griffon asked himself out loud, just before he heard an explosion and spotted the Cake Twins, Pound Cake and Pumpkin Cake in the middle of the Everfree Forest, surrounded by a huge pack of hungry Timberwolves! "Come on, sis! We can handle them!" Pound encouraged his exhausted sister. After firing another beam at the Timberwolves, Pumpkin collapsed on her hooves, weakly saying, "I'm...too...tired..." A large Timberwolf charged at the Twins, but just before it could reach them, Falcon Dive bravely swooped in and pushed the beast from the beast's left side, changing the direction it was taking, saving the unicorn and pegasus in the process. Unfortunately for the griffon, the pack splitter up with three quarter taking on the twins, and the remaining quarter after him. Falcon Dive attempted to fly high up into the skies once again, but was prevented from doing so by his conditions. "What?! No! I can't fly so well!" Falcon Dive cried, just as he was surrounded by Timberwolves. Without his flight, the griffon bravely dodged the beasts and ran to the ponies' rescue. But unfortunately for Falcon Dive, Pumpkin Cake had shot a beam at the Timberwolf in front of him, who quickly dodged it, resulting in the beam hitting the griffon instead. "Falcon Dive!" the Cake Twins gasped as they saw the famous hero got hurt. The two ponies ran towards the fallen creature, winding up getting surrounded by the whole pack of Timberwolves. "Leave our Best Friend alone!" the rest of the Heroic Ten's voices could be heard saying, as they appeared and faced the beasts in a battle. Luster teleported herself around frequently, as well as shooting beams at the Timberwolves around. Yellow Bright annoyed a few Timberwolves with tactics similar to the one Pinkie Pie used against Queen Chrysalis on the day Twilight's Coronation was supposed to happen on. "Try your luck, wolfies! Come and catch this pony, yellow like a duck!" Yellow Bright exclaimed, before popping all over the place. The Timberwolves tried to pounce and land on him, but constantly failed. "Miss! Miss too! Three times missed! Close, but no free points!" the Earth Pony kept on jumping around and having fun like he was playing a game. Sunshine Rays and Alkali worked with Krona and Buffer to take down several of theTimberwolves, the former two tend to swoop down to grab the beasts' attention, while the later two would use the chance to charge and knock the wolves down. "Hey Timberwolves, look at who's up in the sky!" Sunshine Rays called. "Two of the Heroic Ten, Sunshine Rays and Alkali!" declared Alkali, as she swooped down to fly over the Timberwolves' heads. Krona and Buffer charged at the distracted Timberwolves, shattering the beasts into sticks. "Krona smash!" Krona loudly shouted at the very last second the Timberwolves she and Buffer took down, existed. "That was kind of fun!" Buffer added, after the defeat of several of the wolves. Evergreen, as a Nirik, ran circle around the Timberwolves, trapping them in an enclosure of fire that only she could touch without harm. Volcano used his fire breath to scare most of the remaining Timberwolves away. "That's right, leave!" the dragon called to the frightened Timberwolves. Unlike every creature else, Nature Bloom had tamed one of the Timberwolves throughout the entire battle, currently telling the latter as if it was a dog, "You are such a good boy, being able to stay calm like this throughout a situation." "Nature Bloom!" Luster called, catching the changeling's attention. "Oh, right." Nature Bloom responded, before turning back to the Timberwolf, "Sorry, we both got to go follow our packs. See you around if our paths ever crossed again!" After the Timberwolf left, the Cake Twins approached the Heroic Ten. "Thank you so much for saving our lives, Heroic Ten. Even though we were the one reason there was all this trouble, coming here to look for an ingredient for a cake!" Pound Cake apologised. "And we're even more sorry about what happened to...one of your members..." Pumpkin Cake added. "And I think you all know who they're talking about..." Falcon Dive said as he walked towards his best friends, crawling like a vey weak, old creature. "Falcon Dive! What happened?!" Sunshine Rays asked. "Well, I was battling the Timberwolves to help the Cake Twins, but got even more injuries and now..I can't fly...and can't do anything much really." the griffon explained. "So does that mean that you can't help any creature?" Volcano asked. "What?! I will still help creatures!" Falcon Dive shouted. "What Volcano meant was, do you still have the ability to help creatures?" Alkali asked. "Well...in this condition, I don't think I can do well..." Falcon Dive said in pain. "Exactly, Falcon Dive! Without the ability to help yourself move around, you won't be able to help any creature else! You need to be able to help yourself, then you can help others!" Luster stated. Finally learning that what his best friends had been telling him for a while was true, Falcon Dive finally gave up on his self-hurting ways to help others when he was already injured. "You are right, every creature. I finally see that now, thanks to this incident and experience, I'm really sorry that I ignored what you all say, especially when our Element of Listening had been nearby the whole time!" "It's not that bad! Listening can be quite tricky at times! Like, you can have trouble working out who to listen to among many others, or you might find it difficult to understand something some creature says, or misunderstand it," Buffer listed some examples. "We're glad that we all came just in time!" Evergreen added. "At the sacrifice of our own time," Volcano stated, "Alkali and I should be teaching our students at Improvement Academy right now!" "Oh, right! Sorry, we got to go! Lessons can't start without the teachers!" Alkali announced, before spreading out her wings to fly to her destination alongside Volcano. "Krona and Buffer got to go, too! Go to work!" Krona declared. "Sorry we can't stay any longer!" Buffer apologised. "I got things to do, too! And they are quite important." Evergreen contributed. "So do I! Sorry, even creature!" Yellow Bright added, leaving as well. "Now that every creature mentioned that they got things to do, I remembered that I got things to do, too! I should be doing those things right now! Sorry, I have to leave and get back to work!" Nature Bloom informed, before flying off, leaving only Luster and Sunshine Rays with the injured Falcon Dive. "Well, that just leaves us to take you to the Hospital, Falcon Dive," Sunshine Rays told her griffon Best Friend, "You really need it." Time flew by and it was late afternoon. Rainbow was up to another stunt to train herself to beready for action like Falcon Dive. Dodging sharp tails and chairs this time. "I don't think that's safe, Rainboom!" Bulk Junior told her. "And didn't Mum and Dad keep telling us that safety is the most important thing?" Sonic reminded. "Falcon Dive says that being selfless means willing to sacrifice, and that includes sacrificing safety to save others!" Rainboom declared. "But, no creature's in trouble!" Muffin Whooves pointed out. "Except for you, maybe." Screwball told Rainboom. "Screwball's right, Rainboom." Sweet Caramel Apple stated. "IT's not safe!" Big Sugar added. "Even though tables and chairs are nothing compared to fire and lava..." Sparity contributed. "Sparity! It still isn't very safe!" Precious Treasure informed. "Maybe we should have cakes and pies?" Lil'Cheese asked. "No pies for me!" Sonic responded. "I was saying cakes and pies for an obstacle course! They aren't as hard as tables and chairs!" Lil'Cheese clarified. "Maybe pillows and blankets are an even better choice?" Muffin Whooves suggested. "Never mind! I need to be brave and willing to risk my safety!" Rainboom declared in a brave, confident tone. At the Hospital, Luster and Sunshine Rays were still with Falcon Dive, being beside his bed. "So, if you really want to fly super fast, how are you going to do that?" Luster asked the griffon. "Fly up really high, gain as much gravitational potential energy as possible, before flying down with an undefined gradient like in a graph where x=any one number, so I can fall quickly in eagle-dive position, with lots of my gravitational potential energy converting into kinetic energy as I fall..." Falcon Dive was saying his answer out loud before being cut off by Sunshine Rays. "Um, guys? What do you think Rainboom and her friends are up to on that hill? With plenty of tables and chairs?" Luster approached the window and saw what Sunshine Rays was seeing from far away, since the floor they were on was the third floor, they could see things that were quite far away. "Let me have a closer look," Luster said, before using a spell to summon a magic circle that worked like a magnifying glass to take a look at what the kids were doing. "Rainboom's dodging tables and chairs! And some of them are unstable, threatening to fall on her at any time!" "What?! Oh no, I got to save her!" Falcon Dive declared, but his pain prevented him from doing so. "Ow..." "No Falcon Dive, you do not have the ability to help any creature right now, so we're going to save Rainboom." Luster informed, before rushing out of the Hospital with Sunshine Rays. Rainboom was successful in avoiding most of the tables and chairs, but she was not very lucky as she accidentally bumped one of the table stacks, resulting in a domino effect of the rest of the obstacle course shaking uncontrollably, about to collapse at once. Fortunately, Luster and Sunshine Rays arrived right on time, due to Luster's teleportation spell. The unicorn used the same spell to teleport Rainboom to safety, right beside the two mares. "Thanks, Luster and Sunshine Rays! For saving my twin sister." Sonic thanked. "No problem saving her," Luster replied. "But the problem is, why would you set up such a dangerous obstacle course?!" Sunshine Rays scolded, "Didn't I tell you that real best friends do not put any creature in danger?!" "I'm sorry, Sunshine Rays. But I was practising my skills so I can be selfless like Falcon Dive! Willing to sacrifice my own safety to save others!" Rainboom apologised and explained. "WHAT?! If it was a practice, you should have used cushions, pillows, blankets, and things that are more safe and soft!" Sunshine Rays informed. "But, Falcon Dive said that the most selfless thing is sacrifice!" Rainboom told the white-coated pegasus mare. "Only when there really is some creature else in trouble!" Sunshine Rays explained, "Creating a practice that puts you in danger means causing trouble for others! See things that way!" "And you really got to be more careful with your virtues understanding in this rate..." Luster added. "Speaking of virtues understanding, Falcon Dive still hasn't fixed you on selflessness and loyalty! If he doesn't, Mum is not going to be happy..." Sonic warned. "In that case, we'll take you to the Hospital to see Falcon Dive, but my teleportation spell only works outside, being blocked off by magic-absorbing shards so that no creature can suddenly teleport in and cause a shock. So we're going to have to be careful once we walk inside," Luster told the filly. "And remember, there are plenty of other creatures there, so you better be thoughtful and think of them!" Sunshine Rays added. The scene then changed to show what happened later in the Hospital, with Lustre writing a letter that Falcon Dive wanted to send to Princess Twilight Sparkle, about the latest lesson he learnt. Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle, I always thought that selflessness means helping other creatures at any situation and condition, and only helping others when I can help myself means being selfish, but I was strongly proven wrong. You really cannot help others when you cannot help yourself. In my case, I got injured really badly, and was unable to do much, not being able to move around much! Not being able to move around much disables me from helping others as well, unable to help myself, and unable to help others! In addition, selflessness may mean sacrificing your own good to help or even save others, but it should not be taken too far with practices of risking whoever wants to be selfless! Selflessness shows itself only when the time is right, and it can be from as big as saving others' lives, to as small as just being thoughtful of them and giving them what they need. Signed, one of your faithful student's best friends, Falcon Dive. After the letter was magically sent away, Rainboom approached the injured griffon, "I'm glad that you really cleared things out now, but are you able to teach loyalty? I mean, you always have been more focused on selflessness." "Don't worry, Rainboom. Now that I know that I can only help when I have the ability to do it, I figured to ask an expert of Loyalty." was the response. The next second, the door opened, revealing Rainbow Dash's husband Soarin. "Dad!" Rainboom greeted her father. "I got a letter from Falcon Dive saying that he needs help bringing back your loyal senses, so your Mum won't be upset. And come to think of it, calling me here really is a good choice, instead of trying his best to teach without the right abilities." Soarin explained. Falcon Dive nervously chuckled, "Right..." Every creature around the griffon's bed then shared a laugh.
17. Rush AwayAuthor's Note Rush Away serves as the seventeenth episode of the series. Summary: Luster Dawn attempts to keep all the promises she made, only to cause trouble in the process. Featured Song: Got to Rush 17. Rush Away "Nothing like a great once in a while time reading," Luster told herself, as she was in the Castle of Friendship's Library early in the morning, during the final hours of Sunset Shimmer's time awake. "You're the lucky creature Luster, because I've read all these books already, they're all not interesting to me now." Sunset Shimmer sarcastically commented. "Maybe I can bring some new ones in, so you can have something interesting?" Luster asked. "That's so kind of you, Luster! I just hope it's not too much trouble..." Sunset Shimmer responded. "It sure won't, even if many places are getting magical magic-absorbing shards to protect themselves!" Luster claimed, "And don't worry, I promise that I will get you something you will like in a jiffy!" But once she was out of the Library, she quickly ran into Sunshine Rays in the hallway. "Hi, Sunshine, coming through!" Luster greeted, before Sunshine Rays stopped her. "Wait, wait, wait! Luster!" Sunshine Rays called, causing Luster to stop. "Is there something wrong, Sunshine?" Luster asked. "Not really, just came to remind you about the thing." Sunshine Rays answered. "What thing?" Luster asked, expressing confusion. "You know, the thing that you promised Falcon Dive that you will do for him today?" Sunshine Rays explained. "I...still don't get what you're talking about," Luster replied. "Falcon Dive is still injured and in the Hospital, and can't take his little sister to Gloss Semblance's neighbourhood for their playdate with our friends' younger siblings! Kestrel is still too young to go alone! Falcon is supposed to take her there, but because of his injuries recently, he can't, and you promised him that you will take his little sister there for him!" Sunshine Rays explained. "Oh! Sorry, Sunshine, I totally forgot, I will do it right away!" Luster saluted. "Wait! There's another thing that you better not forget." Sunshine Rays stopped Luster again. "What?" the unicorn asked. "Don't you remember? Kestrel needs to be there at about 11 in the morning. Late morning, not too early, not too late!" Sunshine Rays added in the details "Alright, I'll teleport myself to get her, and take her to Gloss Semblance's! Easy!" Luster exclaimed. "Wait," Sunshine Rays stopped Luster once more. "What is it this time?" Luster asked in a slightly annoyed tone. "Don't forget what you promised me today," Sunshine Rays went on. "I'm sorry Sunshine, I forgot what promise I made," Luster apologised. "You promised me that you will go to the Book Store here in Ponyville to meet me in the afternoon, so we both can check on all the recent books, to make sure none of them have something as bad as saying that it is alright to do what is wrong, or any of those nonsense! Because in reality, it is never alright to do what is wrong, especially on purpose! And you know how much trouble something like that can be as time flies by!" Sunshine went on. "Yes I know, Sunshine, we all know, terrible consequences, threatening the entire globe, regardless of innocent or not..." Luster responded. "But my main point is, you better keep your promises! Because they are promises!" Sunshine Rays pointed out, before walking away, "See you later Luster, I'm going back to my room to finish my writing!" Not long after Sunshine Rays was out of sight, Luster was approached by another one of her best friends, Yellow Bright. "Hey, Luster!" the yellow-coated Earth Pony greeted, surprising Luster. "Yellow Bright! You startled me!" Luster complained. "Sorry, just wanted to remind you of the promise you made," Yellow Bright apologised. "Promise?" Luster asked. "Don't you remember? You promised me that you will put on a magic show at Sugar Cube Corner! For Princess Flurry Heart's once in a blue moon visit there?! I would be there helping Madam Pinkie Pie, her husband, Mr.Cheese Sandwich, their son Lil'Cheese set up the party, and I assured them that you will lighten things up, because you yourself said so when I told you about the party days ago!" Yellow Bright explained. "Sorry Yellow Bright, I really forgot these promises...but now that you reminded me, I will fulfil them and perform that show!" Luster saluted. "Then be at Sugar Cube Corner at 10.45 a.m later! The performance should be around 11 am." Yellow Bright told Luster the final details before walking away. "Wait...I made promises that I forgot...and promises that collide with each other?!" Luster whimpered to herself, as she expressed anxiousness. After the series' theme song intro played, Luster was panicking and asking herself, "What do I do?! I have to perform that magic show for a princess! But I also promised one of my best friends something that means a lot to them! Both promises are important to keep!" "What is Luster doing here talking to no creature?!" Krona could be heard asking, catching Luster's attention. "Krona! Thank goodness you're here! I got a promise problem!" Luster let out a huge sigh of relief and figged her yak Best Friend. "Slow down Luster, Krona doesn't even know what a promise problem is!" Krona responded. "That is a problem with promises," Luster explained, "You see, I promised to take Falcon Dive's younger sister Kestrel to Gloss Semblance's neighbourhood for a playdate, but I also promised Yellow Bright, and most likely, the workers of Sugar Cube Corner that I will put on a magic show here on a timing that collides with the timing I needed to get Kestrel to Gloss! How do I get out of this mess?!" "First of all, why did Luster make promises that she couldn't keep?!" Krona asked. "I...I...forgot them..." Luster sadly admitted. "Luster should have written a list so she would never forget them!" Krona pointed out. "Thanks for the suggestion, Krona, but it's too late, I don't remember any other promises I made because now I'm too overwhelmed by several of them!" Luster explained, "I don't remember when I made those promises! And I don't want to let Ayn creature down by breaking them!" "Well, Luster should just tell every creature the truth that she forgot about the promises, and learnt her lesson, and will write a list of promises down so she will never forget!" Krona figured. "But what about the promises that I made? The very promises that I have to fulfil today! The activities I promised to do have timings that collide with each other! And I can't be at two places at once!" Luster panicked. "Krona knows that Luster doesn't want to break any promises, nor make any promises that she could not keep, but Krona afraid that Luster has no choice but to apologise to the creatures that she made promises that she could not fulfill with," Krona honestly suggested. "I know that the magic show I promised to perform for Princess Flurry Heart's rare visit is most likely the most important..." Luster began, before being cut off by Krona. "Then that's the promise Luster should keep and fulfil!" "But...what I promised Falcon Dive means a lot, too! It's not every day that his sister and the rest of our best friends' younger siblings have playdates!" Luster pointed out. "But it's still not as important as..." Krona started, before being cut off by Luster. "Sorry, I can't choose between them! I'm going to teleport myself all around the place to do as I promised! Keeping all the promises so I won't upset any creature!" Luster announced. "Luster! That will take too much magic!" Krona cried. "Anything better than breaking my promises and upsetting some creature!" Luster claimed, before teleporting herself out of the Castle. "Oh dear..." was all Krona could mutter after the unicorn disappeared. Once she was outside, Luster quickly ran into the Best Friend of her mother Starlight Glimmer, Trixie, the Guidance Counsellor of the School of Friendship. "Hello, Luster Dawn!" Trixie greeted in her magician tone. "Hello, Guidance Counsellor Trixie," Luster responded. "Came right on time to do as you promised me!" Trixie went on, causing Luster to gasp. "Wait, I promised you something, too?!" "Oh, Luster! Don't be such a silly performer acting like you don't know what you promised the Great and Powerful Trixie!" Trixie patted Luster's head. "Actually, Guidance Counsellor Trixie, I really..." Luster began, before getting cut off again. "Doesn't matter now, because we are going to make some powerful potions for my upcoming act! And practice makes perfect!" "But...isn't your next act a few days away?!" Luster asked. "It is, so you promised me that you will spend two hours in the morning helping me make potions!" Trixie revealed what the promise Luster made was, "Two hours in the morning, 8.45 to 10.45 a.m., to be exact." Luster gasped to hear what the promise that she made and forgotten was: Another promise that collides with the ones she already made! "It's almost time! Chop, chop! Come on, Luster, let's get the magic making started!" Trixie declared, getting behind Luster to push her off to work in the former's magician wagon. Time flew and soon, it was 10.45, the time potion making should end. "Well done, Luster! Trixie couldn't have finished the job without you, and now, how should we arrange these potions? By colour? By strength? By how useful? By how rare they are?" Trixie began, before noticing that Luster had disappeared while she was not looking. "Luster?" Luster had teleported herself to Sugar Cube Corner, where the Cake Twins, Pie Family (Pinkie Pie, Cheese Sandwich and Lil'Cheese) and Yellow Bright were. "Luster, you made it just in time!" Yellow Bright greeted his unicorn Best Friend upon noticing her. "Glad I made it!" Luster panted. "You really need to clean yourself up before Princess Flurry Heart notices," Yellow Bright advised. He was right, as Luster had a messy mane and a horrible appearance. Fortunately, she knew a spell that instantly cleaned herself up, making her look all neat and presentable. Meanwhile at the Hospital, Falcon Dive, still lying on his hospital bed, was getting worried about his sister. At that moment, he was thanking one of the unicorn hospital workers, as she sent the letter to Luster with her magic. "Thanks for sending that letter! You have no idea how much that means to me," Falcon Dive thanked. "No problem Falcon Dive, workers at the hospital have to make sure that nothing else goes wrong for the patients, especially when being injured or sick is already bad enough," the worker replied. Luster was in the middle of the magic show just when the scroll arrived, distracting her before she quickly teleported herself backstage while resuming the act, using the spell that allowed herself and any creature on her side of the wall to see through the opaque wall, but not the creatures on the other side to see her. Dear Luster, I hope that you don't have too much trouble taking my little sister Kestrel to Gloss Semblance's neighbourhood for their playdate around now, since I can't as I'm still in the Hospital. Also, please don't forget to take her back to GriffonStone before sunset, otherwise her parents can get worried. Signed Falcon Dive Luster gasped once she finished reading, causing her magic show to spill a bit out of control as the pastries she was levitating collide with each other, making a bit off a mess, and resulting in some of its cream to fly to Pinkie Pie's face. "Mmm, delicious!" Pinkie Pie responded after licking her face clean. Backstage, Luster was struggling to keep her show in line as she thought about the other promise she made. "I can't keep Kestrel waiting! But the show has to go on for the rest of the fifteen minutes! And I only went through three minutes! And Kestrel cannot wait for the twelve remaining minutes! Neither can Gloss and the others!" An idea then struck Luster's head, "I will just cast a come to life spell on the pastries, so they will perform themselves like magic! While I get Kestrel to Gloss' neighbourhood for their playdate! Then, I will come back, undo the spell, and continue! Plus, no creature except me knows how the show is supposed to go! Everything is going to be fine!" With that, Luster teleported herself to the back of the audience and casted the come to life spell that her mentor Twilight used during Winter Wrap Up ages ago. After casting the spell, Luster teleported off, leaving the pastries to act wild and out-of-control, scaring away the audience, with the exception of Pinkie Pie. "Pastry madness! What can be tastier and crazier than that?!" Pinkie Pie asked. In the meantime, Gloss was greeting his best friends as they arrived in his neighbourhood. "Thanks for making it, every creature! Except for Kestrel, I thought she would be the first creature here..." Gloss announced to the others, " especially with Luster being the creature who will bring her here." Just then, Luster appeared alongside the pre-teen griffon, announcing, "We're here!" "Thanks for bringing her here, Luster!" Nature Bloom's younger brother Terrain thanked. "Wow, you look pretty messed-up!" Alkali's younger brother Acid, commented. "Did something bad happen?" Sunshine Rays' younger brother Clear Sky, asked. "Not something so serious that you all have to know..." Luster nervously replied. "Then come on! It's time to make some chocolates! Like what we planned for this playdate!" Gloss cheerfully claimed, before turning to Luster, "Remember? You promised that you were going to help us out!" Luster froze to hear what he said, responding, "For how long?" "For as long as it takes to make a successful batch! Unless of course, the period of time our playdate lasts ends," Gloss Semblance answered. Luster nervously answered, "Right..." In Ponyville, Alkali, taking Falcon Dive's place as his replacement that weekend, was in the skies looking out for the town. She quickly noticed the wild pastries chaos and muttered, "Uh oh." The indigo hippogriff quickly burst into the castle to look for Volcano, who was in his room working on a blueprint. "Volcano! We got wild pastries on the loose! And I bet that they are enchanted!" Alkali informed. "Enchanted? Only magic can undo the spell, and that means unicorn, alicorn or potion magic can undo it!" Volcano responded. "But, I don't see Luster any where!" Alkali reported. "Then get her parents! They're great unicorns who know many spells, too! Especially her mother, Head-mare Starlight Glimmer! Although, Head-mare Starlight did have certain mess ups before, back when she was still Princess Twilight Sparkle's student! The School of Friendship's lectures say so! And..." Volcano started saying some unimportant details before he was snapped out of it by Alkali. "Volcano! Those details are not what we need right now!" "Oh, right..." Volcano sheepishly nodded, before following his hippogriff Best Friend out of his room. At Sugar Cube Corner, Pinkie Pie was bouncing around, chasing the cupcakes in a playful manner, as she exclaimed, "Come on, every creature! Chasing wild cupcakes and cakes and pastries is fun! You get to hunt for your food like a lion! Or a tiger! Or, experience how those predators catch food! Because you are the predator of these pastries!" "As if that solves the problem," Rainbow Dash and Soarin's daughter Rainbow sarcastically commented. "You got to admit the it is kind of fun," admitted Applejack and Caramel's daughter, Sweet Caramel Apple. "But not the good type of fun!" Octavia and Bulk Biceps' son Bulk Junior pointed out. "Looks like you are taking in Sunshine Rays' morality lectures," Muffin Whooves, the daughter of Derpy and Doctor Whooves, commented. "Come on, every creature! We got to help them, the right way!" Lil'Cheese pointed out. "Can't Princess Flurry Heart do something?" Fluttershy and Discord's daughter Screwball asked. "Maybe she can if the Royal Guards didn't evacuate her..." Rarity and Spike's dragon daughter Sprity sarcastically responded. "They're just trying to protect the princess!" Precious Treasure, the unicorn son of Rarity and Spike explained. "They always do that!" Sonic, the son of Rainbow Dash and Soarin added. "Don't worry, every creature! Help has arrived!" Starlight Glimmer announced, bursting into the scene. Using her magic, Starlight undid the spell her daughter casted, turning the pastries back into regular ones, calming every creature down, with the exception of Pinkie Pie. "Awww...I was having lots of fun!" "You're lucky that Sunshine Rays isn't here to hear you say that!" Alkali informed, "Because you know her, fun that isn't something good is not good!" "Anyway, how did this mess happen?" Starlight asked. "Well, Luster was putting on a magic show when she got a letter, then she must have teleported out, then after a bit of time, the show went a little wrong with the pastries colliding a little, before they went wild right after a bee hit them, and the beam looked like it came from behind the audience..." Yellow Bright explained. "I think I know what's going on," Starlight responded. "What?!" Alkali, Volcano and Yellow Bright all asked in unison. "Can you excuse us, every creature? I need a private talk with my three former students," Starlight told every creature else in the area. In Gloss Semblance's kitchen, Luster was very stressed as she tried to keep things cool. "Luster, are you sure you are alright?" Yellow Bright's younger sister Purple Blend asked. "You do seem unsteady," Krona's younger brother Krone added. "Like you went through a lot," Buffer's younger sister Cushion contributed. "She was pretty exhausted when she arrived at Griffonstone to pick me up," Kestrel pointed out. "Because I had a heavy morning! Full of things to do!" Luster answered, "But now I get to calm down, making chocolates...after a quick break to the bathroom!" Luster slipped away after making the excuse, teleporting herself to the back of Sugar Cube Corner, where she was almost noticed by her mother and best friends, before she teleported herself into the nearest tree to hide in its leaves. "So Luster has gone off somewhere else?!" Volcano asked. "I'm afraid so for some reason, but I can't help long enough, as I got some work to do today, and Sunburst can't do everything on his own," Starlight sighed. "Don't worry, we'll find out what is going on with her!" Alkali saluted. "Good luck then," Starlight responded, before teleporting herself away. "I hope that she doesn't make anymore mess-pus! Especially when it broke the promise she made!" Yellow Bright commented, "I mean, she promised to put on a fifteen minutes show, but ran off on the first one fifth of it!" "That doesn't sound very good of her!" Volcano replied, causing Luster to feel guilty as she ducked into the leaves of the tree. "I messed up the promise?! Oh no, that's one promise ruined, I better make sure I keep the others!" Luster worriedly cried to herself, before teleporting herself back to Gloss Semblance's kitchen. "There you are," Evergreen's younger brother Jack Pine responded. "Why did you teleport? The bathroom isn't even ten metres away!" Gloss Semblance asked. "Sorry...just got used to it!" Luster responded in a nervous tone. "And what took you so long?" Purple Blend asked. "I had a bad stomach ache!" Luster cooked up a story. "You don't sound nor look like you did!" Cushion figured. "Anyway, let's just get going!" Kestrel announced. "Right..." Luster responded in a normal tone, before changing to a dramatic tone, "Let's get going!" as she rushed through the kitchen, pushing all ten pre-teens into business as fast as she could. Everything went extremely fast, the cooking, the mixing, the pouring, the heating in the oven, all done in a flash by Luster using her magic. Unfortunately, majority was not pleased with the quickly completed work. "Luster! We aren't making chocolates out of wanting them to be completed! We wanted to make chocolates for fun! Learn to make them!" Gloss Semblance explained. "Whoops, every creature...I just went through a lot this morning..." Luster replied in a sheepish manner. "It is noon right now," Clear Sky pointed out, pointing at the clock on the wall, which showed the time: 12.50 p.m. "Noon?!" Luster shrieked, as she knew that she promised Sunshine Rays something to be done at noon. "Are you alright?" Terrain asked the panicked unicorn. "Sure I am! Let's just carry on making chocolates! Your way!" Luster tried to play it cool. "That is, if we had enough ingredients, you used a lot of it during your rush," Volcano's younger sister Lava pointed out. "Don't worry, I promise that I will get all the ingredients in a jiffy!" Luster saluted, just before she froze as she remembered what she promised Sunset earlier. "And don't worry, I promise that I will get you something you will like in a jiffy!" "Here's the list!" Gloss Semblance said, giving Luster a small piece of paper. "Thanks!" Luster quickly grabbed the paper with her magic and teleported away, leaving the ten pre-teens to cough in the presence of her magic sparkles. Luster teleported herself into Ponyville Book Store, where Sunshine Rays was. "There you are Luster, just in time!" the pegasus greeted. Luster force smiled to hide the signs of her true emotions at that moment, replying, "Totally on time! Why would I b late to read books?!" "it's check?" Sunshine ays corrected. "That's right! Check on books! And find something interesting!" Luster tried to play it cool. "I know I asked for help, but I think it is better if we split up..." Sunshine Rays began, before being cut off by a somewhat insane Luster. "So we can go through more! Divide the work! So both sides have lesser to do and save more time! Totally something we should do!" "Right..." Sunshine Rays agreed, before asking, "So, who should go where?" "I'll take left, you take right! Because you love doing the right thing!" Luster figured. "Alright...but remember, tell me about the things you find on your side at the end of the check! Because I have more experience in..." Sunshine Rays began, before being cut off once again by Luster. "Knowing if something is really alright or not!" Once she was out of Sunshine Rays' sight, Luster teleported herself back to Gloss Semblance's town neighbourhood, to do some shopping as she sung about how stressed she was, while she teleported from place to place. "I'm really stressed from these errands, that I've got to run! Trying my very best to get everything done! Promised here, promised there, promised everywhere! Now the only thing I would want, is for this situation to vanish into thin air!" Luster then teleported herself out of the the market, leaving her things there, as she went back into the Book Store in Ponyville, to check on the books. "Got to rush! Take a look! In every book!" Luster then teleported herself back to the market after looking at a few books. "Got to rush! Check everything on the list! Without a miss!" Luster then rushed to the cashier, before making an illusion of herself right next to her basket, as the real her teleported back into the Book Store to check on the books. "Time is flying, as I keep on trying, to keep the promises that I made, and not another mistake!" Luster teleported back into the queue, quickly giving the cashier a gem to pay for the ingredients and dashing off when it was her turn, as she sang the last lines of her song. "Got to rush! Keep up the progress! Try to get out of the mess! Got to rush! Got to rush! Got to rush..." Soon, Luster got back into the Castle of Friendship's Library with three books from the Book Store. "Miss Sunset Shimmer! Sorry I took so long..I just have got to read what's in these books before choosing them for you!" Luster called, before realising that Sunset was asleep, snoring loudly. "So should have not done this, when I made a lot of other promises..." Luster whimpered, just before Nature Bloom ran into her. "Luster! There you are! Ready to do some gardening?" the changeling asked. "Gardening?!" Luster asked. "Of course! You promised me that you will help me with the gardening around the Castle! This late afternoon! And it is late afternoon this moment," Nature Bloom reminded. "Alright..." Luster tried to play things cool, like she had been all day. "So far so good..." Sunshine Rays said to herself, checking on another book as she placed it on the stack beside her, before telling herself, "I better go see how Luster is doing, even if she has nothing to report so far..." The moment Sunshine Rays reached the column, Luster teleported in, exhausted. "Luster?! Did you just teleport here?!" Sunshine Rays asked in a tone that demanded for answers. "Well, yeah...teleported here from the bathroom...I went for a bathroom break!" Luster cooked up a story. "You look urgent, are you sure you went for a bathroom break?" Sunshine Rays asked. "Well, this happens sometimes..." Luster answered. "I hope that you remember what you promised Evergreen that you will do after helping me check on books," Sunshine Rays went on, causing Luster to feel even more uncomfortable, "I passed by her on the way here, and she told me that you will be doing a water ballet with her, or something like that...late afternoon." "So...I should be helping her...now?!" Luster asked. "Sure, besides, I think I should take over your stack, since you got things to do," Sunshine Rays responded, before noticing Luster rush off out of the Book Store. "Thanks, Sunshine!" Luster called. In Gloss Semblance's kitchen, the preteens were startled by Luster teleporting herself all over the place. "Hey, watch it!" Lava cried. "You can really startle some creature!" Jack Pine added. "Sorry!" Luster cried, as she raced through the place to get things done. "You're mixing too fast!" Acid shouted. "Isn't faster better?!" Luster asked in a crazy manner. "Not when you're making chocolates..." Terrain stated. "Yeah, the book says that the chocolate should be mixed gently," Gloss Semblance began. "And not roughly!" Cushion contributed. "Then mix it yourselves!" Luster used her magic to place the bowl of chocolate right in front of Gloss Semblance, while she rushed off. "Setting the temperature too..." Krone began, before Luster insanely knocked him aside to set the temperature up. "The highest temperature it can go so it will heat up very quickly!" "What?! Luster, that is not the way!" Purple Blend shrieked. "There! Back to what it should be!" Kestrel exclaimed, after she flew to the oven to quickly turn the temperature down. "Luster, what were you thinking?!" Clear Sky asked. "You should have known better that you're going to burn the chocolates by setting the temperatures up so high!" Gloss Semblance continued. "Sorry...I just wanted to get our work finished faster...and not slower..." Luster answered in a nervous tone. "Faster isn't doing any good in this rate," Kestrel plainly stated. At the pool of water in Ponvyville's nearby natural park, Evergreen was doing a calm spiral ballet move as her magic levitated some water, making it into the shape of a rope. Luster then teleported back there, quickly using her magic to clean herself up before her Kirin Best Friend open her (Evergreen's) eyes to see her (Luster) being messed up. "So Luster, how do you feel? All calm and cool from the ballet?" Evergreen asked. "Sure! Evergreen...so what's next?!" Luster asked while nervous laughing. "You don't seem very calm nor cool," Evergreen commented, "Perhaps you need more moves and ballet." "What?! Evergreen! You're dreaming!" Luster claimed. "Luster, I can really identify that you're not calm, and not cool, you're just trying to play things cool. You need to do some water ballet like I do," Evergreen placed her front left hoof on Luster's chest. Meanwhile, Yellow Bright was still walking throughout Ponyville, looking for Luster, just before he noticed a signal made by Volcano's fire breath. At the Bookstore, Volcano had learnt some very useful information from Sunshine Rays. "Yellow Bright! You made it faster than I expected!" Volcano commented upon seeing the yellow coated Earth Pony arrive. "Sure! But, why would you say faster than you expected?! What did you expect?" Yellow Bright asked. "That doesn't matter much right now," Sunshine Rays plainly stated. "Sunshine told me that Luster had to take Kestrel to Gloss Semblance's neighbourhood for their playdate!" Volcano began, before Alkali cut him off. "You mean the playdate that our siblings have?!" "Of course, Alkali!" Sunshine Rays answered. "Anyway, with Falcon Dive injured, Luster promised to take Kestrel there for him, and the time she is supposed to get Kestrel there, collides with the time Luster's magic show at Sugar Cube Corner this late morning!" Volcano explained. "So you're saying..." Yellow Bright gasped. "Luster must have left the show to get Kestrel there!" Sunshine Rays claimed. "But why didn't Luster come back after the show?!" Alkali asked. "And teleported all over the place?" Sunshine Rays continued. "Wait, teleport all over the place?!" Volcano, Alkali and Yellow Bright asked in unison. "Yeah, I caught her most likely using a teleportation spell at the Book Store a while before she left!" Sunshine Rays explained, "Luster had promised Evergreen to do some water ballet or whatever they call it!" "So you think Luster went off in a run to do...ballet?" Yellow Bright asked. "Most likely," Sunshine Rays figured. "Should I fly up to see if I can spot Luster?" Alkali asked. "Go for it!" Sunshine Rays instructed. Once she was high in the skies, Alkali tried to find Luster like Falcon Dive could whenever he was where she (Alkali) was. "Alright, Luster where are you?" Alkali asked, gliding all over the place. "Need some help?" Volcano asked, just as he and Sunshine Rays flew up to join Alkali. "Sure! The more the better!" Alkali responded. "And this would divide the time!" Sunshine Rays declared, before flyin off in one direction. "Splitting up, the common tactic to find something!" Volcano explained "While Ill just...stay down here and see if I can find them on ground!" Yellow Bright called from below. "You meant 'on the ground'! As in, find them on the ground!" Volcano corrected. "That is not quite important Volcano, it is just a sentence mistake!" Alkali told her dragon Best Friend. "Just a sentence mistake?! I thought you know me better, as my teaching assistant, that I care about these little sentences, all the time!" Volcano argued, before Sunshine Rays broke the argument up. "Guys! Can we just focus on finding Luster?! Before she causes more trouble?!" the pegasus asked. "Oh, right..." both Alkali and Volcano sheepishly replied. In the mean time, Nature Bloom was still gardening outside of the Castle of Friendship, just before Luster teleported from behind, and cleaned herself (Luster) up before she (Nature Bloom) could notice. "Luster, can you please give me the pH sensor? We got to check if the pH is alright for the plant, because you know, organisms need the pH to be..." "Just right! I know!" an exhausted Luster cried, before using her magic to levitate the pH sensor in the gardening crate over, inserting the plugger into the soil. "Oh no, too acidic! We're going to need some lime! You know what I'm talking about, don't you?" Nature Bloom asked. "Sure! Lime coming up!" Luster levitated a bottle of lime and poured the solution into the soil, alkalising the soil too much. "Luster! Stop! It's too alkaline right now! We need vinegar to neutralise it!" Nature Bloom cried. "Sure, vinegar on its way!" Luster exclaimed, levitating the bottle of vinegar from the crate and pouring it onto the soil, making it far too acidic this time. "Luster, please stop!" Nature Bloom cried, "Perhaps you should take a break, I will handle the gardening from here." "Sure...take a break...you do the gardening...I will just take a break..." Luster teleported herself away again, just like she did all day. After Luster disappeared, Alkali approached Natre Bloom, "Nature! Have you seen Luster?!" "I just told her to take a break and let me do all the gardening after she messed up so badly a while ago," Nature Bloom answered. "Wait, why would Luster be here doing gardening when she promised Evergreen that she will do water ballet with her?" Alkali asked. "Wait, she did?" Nature Bloom asked. "I got to tell the others about this," Alkali went on, before spreading her wings, "So long, Nature! Thanks for your help!" Meanwhile, Volcano spotted Buffer rushing somewhere, as he glided through the skies. "Buffer in a rush? Quite unusual, and something to take seriously, or...not extremely seriously, obviously," Volcano told himself, before flying down to approach his buffalo Best Friend, "Buffer!" "Volcano! You'll never believe what Falcon Dive told me!" Buffer responded. "Wait, what did he tell you?!" Volcano asked. "That Luster has promised to take Kestrel to Gloss Semblance's..." Buffer began, before being cut off by Volcano. "I already know that, Buffer! So does Alkali, Yellow Bright, Sunshine Rays, our younger siblings, alongside Krona's, brother, Nature Bloom's other, Evergreen's brother... or should I say..." Volcano was then cut off by Buffer, who had to stop the former from going too far with unnecessary additional information. "Volcano, sorry to interrupt, but those information are clearly not the important kind that we need right now!" "Sorry, I am just very used to saying all those!" Volcano apologised. "Now, what I'm saying is, Falcon Dive said that Luster promised to take his little sister Kestrel to Gloss Semblance's playdate and back to Griffonstone before the sunsets! Otherwise, Falcon Dive and Kestrel's parents would worry!" Buffer explained. "Thanks for the information, Buffer! I believe we all know where to look for Luster in this case," Volcano replied. "She made all those promises?!" Evergreen asked Yellow Bright in shock. "Probably all day!" Yellow Bright nodded. "No wonder she wasn't so cool and calm when I saw her earlier, even after the water ballet, I should have kept an eye on her..." Evergreen started. "Don't worry, I'm sure we'll solve the problem! Somehow..." Yellow Bright assured, before noticing Volcano's signal again. "Volcano's signal!" Evergreen and Yellow Bright exclaimed in unison. In the Castle of Friendship, Krona was cribbing the hallway when she noticed the same signal her best friends saw, through the transparent windows in the hallways. "Oh dear..." Krona mumbled to herself. Alkali, Buffer, Evergreen, Nature Bloom, Sunshine Rays, Volcano and Yellow Bright were gathered near the Ponyville Hospital, in a grassy field near the building. "Every creature, I think we found out what Luster is going through today," Volcano began. "Luster has decided to keep all the promises she made," Krona honestly informed every creature, "Despite Krona telling Luster that when promises collide, some should be fulfilled, while the others should be sacrificed, but Luster surely did not listen!" "Then why didn't yo ell any of us?!" Sunshine Rays angrily asked. "Because none of Krona's friends were nearby! And Sunshine was too busy writing her morality book as usual!" Krona plainly responded, causing Sunshine Rays to give out a nervous chuckle. "Right..." "Anyway, Luster promised to do water ballet with me this late afternoon," Evergreen stated. "And she promised me to help me with the gardening this late afternoon!" Nature Bloom went on. "And promised that she would put on a fifteen minutes magic show at Sugar Cube Corner for Princess Flurry Heart's rare visits!" Yellow Bright contributed. "In the late morning, colliding its timing with the time she was supposed to send Kestrel to Gloss Semblance's neighbourhood for their playdate today?" Sunshine Rays plainly continued. "And she also promised to take Kestrel back to Griffonstone before the sunset!" Buffer ended. "Then the last places we should look for Luster is Griffonstone and Gloss Semblance's neighbourhood!" Volcano declared. "But, we have to take the train!" Nature Bloom pointed out. "Not if you're friends with some other unicorns!" Volcano figured. "But, Head-mare Starlight and Vice Head-stallion Sunburst are unavailable right now," Evergreen stated. "Or you can say, very busy!" Yellow Bright commented. "Those sentences have pretty similar meanings!" Sunshine Rays plainly commented about the recent sentences her best friends said. "I wasn't talking about them..." Volcano went on. The scene changed to show Trixie in front of her magician wagon, having a conversation with the eight creatures. "Why of course Trixie shall take you to your destination, after all, she is also a Travelling Magician, and travelling means she goes from place to place, and therefore she is a mistress at travelling and getting to places! And she has magic..." as Trixie went on and on, she was interrupted by an impatient Sunshine Rays. "Can we please just get going?! We don't have all day!" "Of course we can! With Trixie's latest magic tricks, that she has up on her sleeves..." Trixie carried on saying like a magician, annoying he eight creatures. "I may be patient, but I can identify that something like this is not acceptable..." Evergreen whispered to her best friends. "But Guidance Counsellor Trixie can and will still take us there, right?!" Yellow Bright asked out loud. "Trixie already says that she will take you creatures to your destination...with magic! Now, what grand entrance shall we make?! Smoke Bombs? Fireworks? Teleportation?" Trixie asked. "Teleportation! We need teleportation, really urgently!" Alkali chose. "Please?" Nature Bloom asked in her usual polite manner. "Alright! Teleportation it is!" Trixie declared, "Now, where do you creatures want to go again?" "Gloss Semblance's neighbourhood!" the eight creatures called in unison. "Here's the map and X marks the spot!" Buffer explained, giving Trixie a map of Equestrian. "Don't you worry, creatures, because the Great and Powerful Trixie can handle any trick! With magic, with illusions..." Trixie began, annoying the creatures once again. "Here we all go again," Volcano groaned. "No offence really, but Krona can't believe that Volcano thought of getting unicorn to take us there," Krona whispered to her best friends. "Miss Sunset Shimmer works at night, the Heads of the School are busy, and that leaves Guidance Counsellor Trixie available!" Volcano pointed out. "But she's taking forever!" Alkali complained. "Or maybe not..." Sunshine Rays smirked, before putting a plan into action as she said out loud, "I don't know what you creatures think, but what I think is Guidance Counsellor Trixie is better at speaking than doing something!" "What?! The Great and Powerful Trixie is always good at doing something than just speak! She knows and does magic!" Trixie confronted Sunshine Rays. "Oh really? Then why don't you just teleport us to our destination right away instead of just going on and on about magic tricks, actions, all those...everything except for getting us where we need to be like you said you would?" Sunshine Rays asked the blue coated unicorn. "If that's what it takes to convince you, to Gloss Semblance's neighbourhood it is!" Trixie announced. "Finally...the chocolates we're hoping for...after all this time today..." Gloss Semblance told his best friends, as they all turned their attention to the pony Gloss was glaring at that moment. "Sorry every creature...I'm just tired and went through a lot today..." Luster apologised, before familiar voices could be heard. "Luster!" "Krona? Buffer? Sunshine? Volcano? Nature? Alkali? Evergreen? Yellow Bright?! What are you all doing here?!" a shocked and surprised Luster asked. "We believe the better question is what are you, Luster, doing here?!" Volcano corrected. "Well...I promised Gloss that I'd help him and all of your siblings make the chocolates bring their playdate today...until the work is done?" Luster nervously replied as her voice became higher in pitch as she got closer to finishing her reply. "And teleported all over the place to keep that promise, and all the other promises that you made!" Sunshine Rays scolded. "Wait, what?!" Krona's younger brother Krone asked in shock. "Promises?!" Lava asked. "Luster promised that she will perform a fifteen minutes magic show performance at Sugar Cube Corner for Princess Flurry Heart's rare visit this late morning, but she ran off after the first three minutes, causing chaos!" Yellow Bright started. "The magic show happens at the timing that Luster promised to get Kestrel here from Griffonstone!" Krona continued. "No wonder I waited so long!" Kesel complained. "And, Luster promised me that she'd be checking books in the Ponyville Bookstore with me this afternoon," Sunshine Rays went on. "That's when she promised us that she will get all the ingredients we need in a jiffy!" Gloss Semblance exclaimed. "What?! You made even more promises when you already got a lot of them overwhelming you on the exact same day?!" Buffer could not help but ask Luster in a shrieking tone. "And don't forget the promises she made for the late afternoon!" Volcano pointed out. "Gardening with Nature Bloom, and water ballet with Evergreen in different places, at the same time!" Alkali named the said promises. "And promised to take me hime before the sunsets!" Kestrel contributed, causing Luster to gasp as the sun was starting o set at that moment. "Don't worry about the rest of us," Cushion assured. "Our families have arranged that one member will pick us up and take us home!" Acid stated. "And those family members, are old enough for the job!" Purple Blend added. "but I got to take Kestrel home like I promised! Plus, this promise doesn't collide with any promise else so I totally got this covered..." Luster figured, but she spoke too soon. She used too much teleportation that day, her horn was tired out from doing so. "I think your horn and magic needs a break," Nature Bloom told her unicorn Best Friend. "She has a point, you used teleportation all day!" Evergreen stated. "It's kind of like working all day to do its work! And yup, I'm talking about your horn, Luster !" Yellow Bright commented. "Stop trying to teleport Luster, your horn giving out those sparks of failure is because it needs to rest!" Sunshine Rays informed. "But, I must fulfil my promise and get Kestrel to Griffonstone!" Luster complained. "Luster, remember what Krona said this morning about promises?" Krona asked. "Just apologise to creatures when you can't fulfil them..." Luster sighed. "And since you can't fulfil them..." Sunshine Rays began, before Luster completed the sentence. "Don't try to fulfil them, as not having the ability to do so means that you will have no way to do so!" "Something pretty similar to what Falcon Dive leant recently about helping!" Evergreen commented. "Right...only this time...it's something as serious as promises..." Luster stated. "Don't worry, we know how we can send Kestrel back to Griffonstone in time," Alkali assured. "Really? But how?" Luster asked. "I have it under control! With some help from Guidance Counsellor Trixie, of course!" Sunshine Rays explained, "It was the Guidance Counsellor who teleported us here after all!" "Thanks, Sunshine, and every creature..." Luster smiled. "And we believe that some creature has learnt something valuable to report to some creature..." Buffer said. Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle, I know that keeping promises and fulfilling them is something important, like what the School of Friendship taught us, but I recently just learnt that if you made a promise that you do not have the ability to fulfil, you must apologise instead of try to keep the promise and get into trouble. I also learnt to be more careful whenever I make promises, and write them down somewhere so I will never forget them, and never make a huge risk of making so many promises that collide with each other. Signed, your faithful student, Luster Dawn Once every creature returned to the Castle of Friendship, Luster started one last conversation before dinner. "I'm glad that all that trouble is finally over..." "Us too, it was quite a day..." Volcano replied. "And Krona, I respect your decision to not bother me so much whenever I am writing, but next time, you should still tell me what's going on," Sunshine Rays told her yak Best Friend. "Sure thing, Sunshine! That's what best friends do!" Krona responded. "And another thing best friends do...is lighten each other up!" Yellow Bright exclaimed, "Who's up for a race to the Dining Room?!" "A careful one?!" Sunshine Rays asked. "Alright, a careful race there? That means no going too fast... any creature up for it?" Yellow Bright asked. "You're on!" the rest of the seven playfully replied, stating to dash off to their destination.
18. Mature MadnessAuthor's Note Mature Madness serves as the eighteenth episode of the series. Summary: Some of the Lil'Heroic Ten's mature older relatives come to Ponyville to visit them, ruining all the fun. Featured Song: Say No To Featured Characters: Twiggy Boulder, the daughter of Maud Pie and Mudbrair, and the maternal older cousin of Lil'Cheese. Destiny, the first-born child of Fluttershy and Discord, Screwball's older sister. She is adapted from Velveagic Sentry's video on Youtube Shuttle Dash, Soarin and Rainbow Dash's first born child who is older than the twins, being born on a different year. 18. Mature Madness "Finally, clear skies, wind, clouds, environment, I'm finally back!" Falcon Dive exclaimed, as he flew loop-de-loops in the air outside of Ponyville Hospital as the sun was setting. "Be careful, Falcon Dive, you just recovered!" Sunshine Rays called. "Recovered from your recent injuries, that is!" Yellow Bright added. "You know, when you went into that building on fire, saved countless creatures..." Alkali began a list. "But the main point is, you must try your best to not get hurt!" Sunshine Rays pointed out. "She's right, you know! Every injury costs treatment, and more things for doctors and nurses to do!" Volcano explained. "Alright, I will take my practices easy, but I have to ensure that I'm ready for whenever some creature needs me!" Falcon Dive told his best friends. "Did Falcon mean, need the Heroic Ten?!" Krona asked. "Oh, right..." Falcon Dive somewhat sheepishly replied as he flew down towards his friends. "Anyway, ever since that horrible incident, I believe that it is time we write some safety rules!" Sunshine Rays announced. "What?! Sunshine, you're not even the leader Luster is!" Falcon Dive reminded. "Actually, I have to agree with Sunshine," Luster responded, "Safety is very important, as they say 'safety is the top priority'. And there is nothing that is more important than it. So...rules to keep us safe is something we need." "Told you I know what I'm doing!" Sunshine Rays claimed. "Since when did you say so?" Yellow Bright asked. "Never mind that, let's just get thinking of some rules," Evergreen figured. "And ensure that all those rules are followed! Not a single one broken! Unless there's an acceptable exception, that is." Sunshine Rays declared. After the series theme song intro was played, the Lil'Heroic Ten were shown outside the Castle of Friendship the next morning, with Lil'Cheese knocking on the Castle's doors. "Knock, knock!" the son of Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich cried. "Who's there?" Muffin Whooves asked. "Do you think that they forgot that they had arranged some virtue lectures for us today?" Rainbow asked. "That can't be it, Volcano had everything recorded in his schedule," Sparity stated. The Castle doors then opened, revealing a tired Evergreen, who greeted the kids, "Good morning, kids..." "Evergreen! Why are you so tired?!" Precious Treasure asked. "Did you have a nightmare? They make creatures very sleepy and tired sometimes," Screwball asked before explaining. "No nightmares, but..." Evergreen yawned, "A team talk about safety rules..." "I thought Sunshine Rays always come up with the rules by herself!" Bulk Junior could not help but say. "She has to ensure every creature knows the rules...you can't follow the rules if you don't know what they are..." Evergreen answered. "That makes logical sense," Sonic commented. "And you know Sunshine, she can take extreme measures to ensure he rules are followed...like that time when she caught Volcano and Alkali breaking a rule in the Relaxing Room..." Evergreen stated. In a flashback... "Nothing like relaxing in the Relaxing Room while reading a nice, science fiction novel..." Volcano said to himself, as he read a book while sitting in a comfortable chair made of the same material as a sofa. "Hey Volcano!" Alkali suddenly called as she entered, "Come look at this! I'm lying down, but keeping a bouncy ball on my head!" "What?! Alkali, Sunshine made a rule saying no playing balls in here! Especially bouncy balls! And we all agreed that it is a good rule, because the Relaxing Room is for relaxing, not playing games!" Volcano reminded. "I'm sure everything will be fine if I'm careful, especially when I'm not hitting the ball too hard like this!" Alkali replied, but she demonstrated the opposite of what she said, as she hit the ball too hard and sent it bouncing all over the place. "Look what you've done!" Volcano scolded. "Sorry!" Alkali cried. The ball's bouncing eventually created lots of noise, that it caught a passing by Sunshine Rays' attention. "We've got to stop!" Volcano announced. "On a count to five!" Alkali declared. "One, two, three, four, five!" both creatures cornered the bouncy ball to a wall, just a second before Sunshine Rays entered. "Volcano, Alkali, you two aren't playing with a ball here, are you?" Sunshine Rays asked. "No..." the two creatures turned around and lied, but they freed the ball which bounced Sunshine Rays' way, hitting her face. "Sorry..." Volcano and Alkali apologised in unison. The next thing they knew, they had to clean the Relaxing Room as punishment for breaking one of the rules. "Wow, I didn't know the two of the Heroic Ten break rules!" Sparity exclaimed. "Are you sure it's two?" Rainboom asked. "Yeah, because Alkali was the creature who started it," Sonic continued. "But Volcano lied alongside her!" Bulk Junior pointed out. "Which is not very good for the while team..." Sweet Caramel Apple stated. "Yeah, the Heroic Ten are heroes, and heroes must be good characters for others to look up to and idolise," Evergreen explained. "Spoken like Sunshine Rays!" Big Sugar commented. "That's because that is what Sunshine Rays used to remind us, she's really an expert when it comes to morality..." Evergreen stated. "And also the expert at protecting her stuff with scary traps..." Screwball whimpered. "You're telling me, she booby-trapped her room to protect her books and performance items from any creature who would want to sabotage or stop her performances respectively..." Evergreen stated. In a flashback, Snips and Snails were sneaking around in the castle hallway to get to Sunshine Rays' room. "Are you sure about this, Snips?" Snails asked his Best Friend since childhood. "Of course I'm sure! The best way to make sure Sunshine Rays' performance isn't scary, is to sabotage it!" Snips replied. "But we already made her so mad when we ate too many wild fruits and upset the animals that live there! She told us that she will catch us to take us to see her..." Snails gulped before shivering, "Moonshade Fright performance..." "But, without her costume and keyboard, there's no way she can be scary enough to scare us!" Snips claimed, as he used his unicorn magic to open the door, only to get startled by a picture inspired by a scene from the scariest part of a horror play. The frightened male unicorns screamed in unison as Snips jumped onto Snails. After calming down, the two resumed their attempt to sabotage Sunshine Rays' items. But once they got into the room, the door automatically slammed itself shut, startling them again. "Snails, is it just me, or did the door closed...all by itself?!" Snips asked. "It's not just you, Snips. Neither of s closed it, so it closed all by itself!" Snails whimpered. "Just open it a little...so no creature will notice..." Snips instructed. Snails tried to do as told with his magic, but when it did not work, he walked to the door knob and tried to turn it with his front right hoof, to no avail. "We're locked in?!" Snips asked in horror. "Where's the switch to turn the lights on?!" panicked Snails. "We are just going to use our magic to light up our way!" Snips reminded. "Right!" Snails responded, as they both used their horns to light things up, but the switch to the room was still no where to be seen, and worse, they triggered one of Sunshine Rays' other booby-traps, resulting in a pile of trash to fall right on top of them, covering them up. "Wow, didn't see that coming." Snails said out loud. "We're almost to her costume and performance things! Don't give up now!" Snips barked, as the two of hem continued, they triggered more traps involving nets designed to look and feel like spider webs, sudden very loud piano notes, a scream of fright being heard, organ music, sharp nails shot in all kinds of directions, closer than ever to hitting the boys. All the commotion was quickly heard by Sunshine Rays, who walked towards her door to open it, letting a frightened Snips and Snails out. "I knew it! You two never wanted to see my scary performance to scare you into never doing such thing as eat that many wild fruits , so you tried to break into my room and sabotage what I need for my performance!" Sunshine Rays scolded, "But I figured that there is no need, now that you already got a real scare..." The two unicorns dashed out of the castle as fast as they could, screamingly in unison, "We won't break into your room, nor the castle anymore! We promise!" "Wow, Sunshine Rays is really the mistress of scaring for some creature moral!" Sweet Caramel Apple could not help but say. "She just scare them into doing what is right, or never doing what is wrong ever again!" Rainboom reminded. "Anyway, she decided that she would be telling you all the safety rules the team had came up with so far..." Evergreen informed the kids. "Will she be very strict with them?" Screwball asked. "That's...an absurd question. Sunshine Rays is always strict, she never accepts anything that is not good!" Bulk Junior reminded. "And she takes things to extreme measures!" Sonic added. "And the only game she is a number one fan of is the strict 'Follow the Rules' game!" Lil'Cheese concluded. "The one game with the main purpose of following the rules!" Muffin Whooves stated. "Break any one of the rules, and you're out!" Sparity stated the main thing about the game. "The player who doesn't break any of the rules until the time is up wins for the basic level," Precious Treasure explained. "And the player who can follow all the rules until all other players are out ,wins for the hard level," Big Sugar resumed. "That is totally what Sunshine Rays likes, following the rules!" Bulk Junior finished. That evening, Lil'Cheese returned to Sugar Cube Corner. Skipping his way in like usual as he announced, "I'm back!" "Lil'Cheese! Guess what, sweetie?!" Pinkie Pie excitedly dashed to the front of her son, "Tomorrow, is a once in a blue moon event!" "Huh?" Lil'Cheese asked. Pinkie Pie immediately fell into dramatic depression to see that her son forgot the occasion, as she put on a dramatically sad face as tears flowed out of both of her eyes, "You forgot?" "Really, I don't remember after all those virtue lectures I went though today..." Li'Cheese admitted. "Your cousin Twiggy Boulder is going to have a playdate with you and your friends! And the twins' older brother, Shuttle Dash, and Screwball's big sister Destiny! They are going to be teenagers next year, so they are so mature, they take care of their grandparents! Making them so bus that the only time they can come to play is when some creature else in their families can take care of their grandparents, and Twiggy Boulder is going to visit...at the price of your Mum taking care of your grandparents! Her parents!" Pinkie Pie explained. "But that means you will miss the playdate!" Lil'Cheese pointed out. "I'm not actually going to take part in it, neither are Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, nor their husbands Soarin and Discord!" Pinkie Pie explained. "Then, you mean that..." Lil'Cheese began, before being cut off by his mother. "Your cousin, and the going-to-be-teenagers are going to take care of you and your friends throughout your playdate tomorrow! Because we grown-ps all agreed that they can handle you kids!" "But we don't need that much taking care of!" Lil'Cheese protested. "Uh, uh, uh! Don't you remember what happened the day when your Dad and I had a huge misunderstanding with Volcano and Alkali?" Pinkie Pie asked after arguing. In a flashback... Pinkie Pie was busy making a cake in Sugar Cube Corner, mixing cake batter in a bowl like she was a whisking machine as Lil'Cheese approached her. "Hey, Mum. Volcano and Alkali are wondering if you will allow me to be their...test subject...for a little science experiment..." "Sure, Lil'Cheesy! Those two can be trusted!" Pinkie Pie answered, not quite aware of what she was told due to how busy and focused in work she was. Some time later, Cheese Sandwich entered the kitchen and asked his wife, "Hey, Pinkie, have you seen our one and only Lil'Cheese?" "Sure, I saw him." Pinkie Pie answered, while still being more focused on her work than everything else. "Then, do you know where he is right now?" Cheese Sandwich asked, looking around as he turn his head as far as it can go. "He's being the test subject for Volcano and Alkali's science experiment," Pinkie Pie replied. "Oh, I'm sure he will be a perfect..." Cheese Sandwich started, before realising what they were saying, and panicking, "Science experiment?! Test subject?!" "It's test subject for a science experiment." Pinkie Pie corrected, before her panicked husband jumped right into her, ending up right in front of her, face-to-face. "Pinkie, this is no party pony's joke, but Lil'Cheese, being a test subject for a science experiment?! They're risking his life to test if something is safe or not!" Cheese Sandwich panicked and shook Pinkie with his front hooves as he shouted out the last part of his sentence. "WHAT?! We got to rescue him, Cheesy!" Pinkie exclaimed, dashing off like Rainbow Dash. The party pony couple burst into the Castle of Friendship, demanding, "We want our son, Lil'Cheese to be completely fine in one piece, with nothing wrong!" Volcano, Alkali, and Lil'Cheese all expressed shocked faces to see Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich coming in all of a sudden in a very unusual way that they had never seen before, before Lil'Cheese exclaimed, "Mum, Dad!" "Lil'Cheese!" the party pony couple exclaimed in unison, as they hugged their son tightly. "You had us worried sick!" Cheese Sandwich said out loud. "Why would you be?" Lil'Cheese asked. "Yeah, the science experiment is very harmless!" Volcano added. "It's just an experiment to see if showing kids like Lil'Cheese our fun ways of teaching the advanced math and science effective or not!" Alkali explained. "What she meant is, we are carrying out an experiment to see whether Lil'Cheese taking in our lectures improves his intelligence!" Volcano clarified, "As the experiment is to test and see if kids get smarter under such influences!" "We do want kids to be able to help and do things that those older than them can! Like open fruit stands or a small food selling business! Or just help out and be helpful! Something like that!" Alkali added. "So...there's no dangerous experiment?" Cheese Sandwich asked. "Why do you think we would have something like that?!" Volcano asked. "Well...that's a good question! But...I'm afraid it doesn't have any good answers..." Pinkie Pie retreated. "Oh...right..." Lil'Cheese nervously chuckled as the events of that day returned to his mind. "Anyway, your cousin and your best friends' older siblings are surely going o take good care of you, I mean, they barely accept having a break, as they always ensure who they have to take care of is always right by their sides! So they are going to play with, and take care of you! Both playmates and babysitters!" Pinkie Pie concluded. "Still don't like the babysitter part," Lil'Cheese grumbled. "Oh com on, Lil'Cheese, they're older than you, they have more...mature...I mean, they are more mature, and can be trusted!" Pinkie Pie informed. "But I'm even older than when Luster was sent here by Princess Twilight! I'm older! And so are my best friends!" Lil'Cheese protested. "Sorry Lil'Cheese. The plan was planned a long time ago, and it better go as planned." Pinkie Pie dramatically replied. The next day, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie took the kids to Ponyville Train Station, where they would be meeting some of their cousins. "Lil'Cheese." Twiggy Boulder greeted, upon coming out of the train cart and seeing her cousin. Like her parents, Maud Pie and Mudbrair, Twiggy Boulder barely expressed emotions, as she usually speak in very plain, monotone. "Hey, cousin! I miss you so much! And if you must know, these are all my best friends, and newest best friends! Muffin Whooves, and Bulk Junior! They are children of friends of our parents!" Lil'Cheese introduced. "Nice to see all of you," Twiggy Boulder greeted, although she still sounded like her, lain, emotionless self, barely sounding excited nor grateful. "Make way, every creature! Shuttle Dash coming through!" the oldest child of Rainbow Dash and Soarin flew out of the train like his mother would. "Hey, Shuttle. You're double as awesome as the last time I saw you!" Rainbow Dash chuckled, as she hi-hooved her son. "Destiny, long time no see!" Fluttershy greeted her older child. "Long time no see, Mum. I just can't wait to see Dad before going back to taking care of Grandma and Grandpa." Destiny replied. "Destiny, big sister, it's really a long time since we last touched." Screwball approached her older sister. "Aw, you girls are just so adorable!" Fluttershy cooed. "While we, children of the Commanders of the Wonderbolts are better than cute! We're awesome and epic!" Shuttle Dash exclaimed. "That's something Falcon Dive would say! Did you have lectures from him, too?" Rainboom asked her oldest sibling. "Of course not! But I heard so much about him! And still, stay loyal to family and friends like Mum would!" Shuttle Dash replied. "That's something I would like to know and see from you, Shuttle. I just can't thank you enough for looking after my Mum and Dad for me," Rainbow Dash thanked her son. "That's what I'd do for you, Mum!" Shuttle Dash responded. "Alright! Since Twiggy Boulder is here, that means that it's...time for Pinkie Pie to get on board this train, and ride all the way to the Rock Farm...to see her parents, and leave Ponyville and the kids..." Pinkie Pie dramatically declared. "Don't worry. The kids are in good hooves." Twiggy Boulder assured in her usual, plain monotone. "Whatever!" Sparity responded, a second before the train was off. "Msake sure that your younger siblings are in good Wnderbolt shape, Shuttle!" Rainbow Dash instructed her son. "Don't worry, Mum! I will!" Shuttle Dash assured, as he watched his mother take off into the skies. "It's time I went to Cloudsdale to see my parents," Fluttershy told Destiny, "So, while I'm up there, you have to look after things down here, can you handle it?" "Sure Mum, I take care of grandma and grandpa for ages now, I'm sure handling 10 kids with 2 other going-to-be teens is something fine! Plus, it's just taking care of 3 kids plus 1 each!" Destiny assured. "Then, I am trusting you to keep everything under control. And that means nothing really bad happening!" Fluttershy reminded. "Don't worry Mum, I know what keep things under control mean!" Destiny called. "So do we." Twiggy Boulder added in her usual plain tone. "It's so simple, I don't think that any creature will not know what such a phrase means!" Shuttle Dash claimed. "So...now that we're all here, what's should we do?" Precious Treasure asked. "I know! Maybe we can have an apple harvesting contest at the farm! That way, we would be helping my Mum and Dad, and having fun at the sam time!" Sweet Caramel Apple suggested as she raised her hoof. "That will be killing two birds with one stone! Which means accomplish two goals with one action, or...get two beneficial outcomes from just one action..." Big Sugar added. "That sounds just right!" Lil'Cheese commented. "That sounds too exciting." Twiggy Boulder protested in her usual plain tone. "What?! Why?!" Sonic asked. "At the Rock Farm, we usually don't do exciting activities, we just gather, harvest, and break rocks." Twiggy Boulder explained, "So far, we only have exciting activities once a year during Hearth's Warming. Otherwise, no exciting activities." "Oh come on, cousin! I thought you and the Pies accept the way my immediate family is! Fun, party-loving, funny..." Lil'Cheese began, before Twiggy Boulder cut him off. "I know cousin, it's just...I don't do excitement." Twiggy Boulder plainly informed. "That's not a big deal, you can just watch us!" Muffin Whooves suggested. "Fine by me, but I never cheer." Twiggy Boulder told the kids. "Thanks for deciding to help, sugar cube," Applejack thanked her daughter, "And your best friends too! I mean, we can always need a lot of help here on the farm, harvesting, feeding, watering, cutting the crops, cleaning...but most importantly is, a lot of hooves, claws, wings and more creatures should get the job done in fast!" "I know that there's still a lot to do here, but if you kids are having an apple harvesting competition, that will have the apple harvesting sorted out, and the rest of the Apples will have lesser to do!" Applejack's husband Caramel added. "Glad that we can help!" Sweet Caramel Apple replied. "So, who's got a timer?" Screwball asked. "We can just use the clock! Now it's 10, let's see who can harvest the most when it reaches 10:15!" suggested Big Sugar. "That sounds alright and fun!" Sonic commented. "Then let's get harvesting!" Lil'Cheese cheered. "I'm just watching." Twiggy Boulder said in her usual plain tone. "The time and competition starts...now!" Applejack announced right at the moment she could see the second hand on the clock striking 12, and covering the minute hand. As the kids automatically get into the contest, Twiggy Boulder plainly said out loud, "I don't see anything fun about it." "Then why did you sit out?" Caramel asked the dull pony. "Because that's why my family do..." Twiggy Boulder answered. During the game, Big Sugar tripped on a stone and fell, an incident that quickly got noticed by every creature else, leading to the end of the competition before the actual timing. "Time out! Some creature needs checking!" Applejack called. "Are you alright, cousin?" Sweet Caramel Apple asked Big Sugar, reaching her hoof out towards his. "Thanks for your care, every creature, but it's just a little trip..." Big Sugar assured. "Bruise!" Sparity suddenly called. "Bruise?!" the others asked in unison and confusion. "You know a bruise? My Mum told me and my brother that bruises are like cuts, they cut through the skin of whoever has them, and can take time to heal like regular injuries, but those with bruises must be careful and do everything they can t prevent the area around the bruise from getting cut, otherwise things can't worse!" Sparity explained. Destiny gasped upon hearing Sparity's completed sentences about bruises, and automatically reacted, "We can't let you kids get hurt!" "Well, we know that you don't want us hurt, but..." Rainboom began, only to be interrupted as the two older ponies quickly pushed every creature out of the field. "There you go, Big Sugar! One tough and soft cast to prevent your bruise from getting worse!" Destiny told the colt. "Thanks Destiny, but here at the Farm, a regular bandage is enough, no need for very thick ones!" Big Sugar told the soon-to-be teenager. "Come on Big Sugar, we going-to-be-teens have been taking care of much older ponies for a long time now! think about what our parents and their friends, your parents, are going to think of us if they see you get hurt under our care?!" Shuttle Dash asked. "But...my uncle and aunt, who are Sweet Caramel Apple's parents were there to witness that the incident that got me a bruise was completely an accident with no creature with the exception of myself to blame..." Big Sugar pointed out. "True, but hurt is still hurt!" Shuttle Dash protested as he flew down and landed right in front of Big Sugar, "And we don't want any creature hurt! So, we are going to go through some safety rules that we use on our grandparents!" "More like, use to take care of our grandparents..." Destiny corrected. Meanwhile, outside the Barn, Twiggy Boulder got the rest of the kids to play a game of stone stacking, with the only loser being whoever causes the tower to collapse. "This isn't very fun!" Rainboom complained, as she gently stacked a stone on top of her and her twin brother's stack, only for it to collapse. "Whoops, tower collapsed. And we both know what this means..." Sonic stated in a dull tone. "Yeah I know. I lost." Rainboom sighed. "Twiggy, are you sure about this? I mean, stacking stones is a Pie Family Tradition Game, as one of the few games we play usually, but don't it get a little...tiring?" Lil'Cheese asked. "That's the secret to putting the family to sleep." Twiggy Boulder answered. "Wait, what?! It's a put players to sleep game?!" Bulk Junior asked. "No wonder we're all starting to yawn..." Muffin Whooves added. "Why should we sleep? IT's still late morning!" Screwball asked and pointed out. "And every creature knows when nap time is..." Precious Treasure began, before all of the nine kids said in unison, "The end of the day, at night when the moon is up!" "Alright kids, come on and get inside! We have some important things to talk about!" Shuttle Dash instructed. "There goes our brother...like the captain of the Wonderbolts...or...in this case, the captain of the kids!" Rainboom sarcastically remarked for her twin to hear. "He's just being responsible as the eldest..." Sonic reminded. "And ys I am, being as responsible as I can as the first born of the Commanders of the Wonderbolts!" Shuttle Dash told his younger siblings right in front of their faces, surprising them before they all went in. "So Big Sugar, my cousin, how's your bruise?" Sweet Caramel Apple asked. "Well...it does feel kind of...stuffy..." Big Sugar nervously answered. "re you sure that's what you describe it?" Twiggy Boulder asked in her usual tone, plain and emotionless. "Well...it doesn't feel like much air is going into it..." Big Sugar responded. "That's because we don't want much air to go through it! There'a a lot of other gases than just the oxygen we breathe in! And most of those other gases are nothing good! And not juts air, bacteria, virus! And those horrible micro-organisms will like your bruise for their bad reasons! So that's every reason toot want so much air near your bruise!" Destiny explained. "Wow, you really do know a lot more than I do, sis!" Screwball could not help but say to her older sister. The sisters' talk was interrupted by Shuttle Dash suddenly plowing a coach's whistle to gain every creature's attention. "Back to the main point every creature, since we don't want any more injuries, I suggest that we are going to need and make some safety rules!" Shuttle Dash declared after pacing horizontally in front of the kids as he spoke, and before he finished his declaration. "That is what Sunshine Rays did!" Bulk Junior could not help but comment, "I mean, something like what Sunshine Rays did recently, make up a whole new set of safety rules!" "Really? If she did make up safe rules, we better know them all." Shuttle Dash figured. "Any why?" Sparity asked. "Because Sunshine Rays is the most moral creature we know, and she's always concerned for right and wrong, best and worst. She knows what is best and goes for what is best, which is why she never accepts anything that is not good, and crews lots of rules that are for the better!" Shuttle Dash explained. "Are you sure that she didn't teach you, too?" Sweet Caramel Apple asked. "I'm jus following rules that my parents taught me," Shuttle Dash said in a polite, mature tone before going back to business, "Anyway, let' start with the rules I know that Mum and Dad teach." "Um, Sonic? Please say you remember all the rules..." Rainboom whispered to her twin brother. "Sorry, with so much that we've been through, I don't think I can identify the difference between Mum and Dad's rules, and Sunshine Rays' rules..." Sonic whispered back. "Rule number one, ensure that you don't go too close to other creatures, especially don't go too close to many creatures, because doing so can risk getting a lot of creatures infected with a disease that can start off with coming from just one creature, but spread so quickly because of all the contact making!" Shuttle Dash declared. "Wow, he has a point." Precious Treasure commented, while looking at his best friends. "Just focus on the speech!" Sonic advised. "Rule number two, always keep all senses open, as you must be alert for changes in the surroundings like a bird coming your way, loud annoying noises, horrible smells..." Shuttle Dash went on and on, before noticing that his audience were not being the best audience there ever could be, looking uninterested and getting bored so soon. "Hello! I'm talking about safety rules, here!" Shuttle Dash called out loud. "Sorry, they can be bait...not so interesting..." Lil'Cheese apologised, making the twins gasp. "Fine! If it's interestingness you want, then interestingness is what. You. Get!" Shuttle Dash declared. "Sure thing." Twiggy Boulder plainly contributed. Soon, afternoon passed by and the kids were far from excited and satisfied. A matter-of-fact, they were upset that some of their older relatives came. "Uh! I can't believe that our older brother can be like that!" Rainboom groaned. "Yeah...those rules are so strict, I don't thin we can do anything!" Sonic replied. "Anything except for walk unless it's an emergency..." Sparity mumbled. "At least he acknowledged that there are times when there's a need of change in rules..." Muffin Whooves pointed out. "But they're taking away all of the fun!" Lil'Cheese complained, "I mean, no balloons because they give out a loud, scary pop sound when they burst?! Do balloons always burst in the first place?!" "Well, according to Volcano, most of them do..." Sparity recalled. "He's a science expert, of course he'd say something like that!" Precious Treasure told his sister. Suddenly, Destiny came over to the kids, "Kids, it's lunchtime! Swee Caramel Apple's parents, and Big Sugar's parents, basically their family, has lunch ready for every creature!" "Thanks for telling us, Destiny. Missing lunch is really something we wouldn't want." Screwball thanked her sister like Fluttershy would. "Alright, maybe I kind of...take what I said about never wanting to miss lunch back." Screwball whispered to her best friends, as they saw Shuttle Dash placing thermometers around the food. "What are you doing?!" Sweet Caramel Apple asked the oldest pegasus around. "Making sure that your lunch is just the right temperature, so none of you get stomach aches from eating not-warm food, nor burn your tongues from eating boiling hot diet!" Shuttle Dash replied. "What?! Are you sure you're not being negative?" Muffin Whooves asked. "I'm doing what I should be doing! Checking to keep every creature safe!" Shuttle Dash declared. "That's so something Sunshine Rays would say." Bulk Junior commented, knowing the white pegasus mare very well. "And if that's what some creature moral would say and do, you have to go with it. Strict rules to keep every creature safe!" Shuttle Dash declared. "But drains are made to handle the heat!" Sparity complained, only to earn a glare from Shuttle Dsh, causing her to back down and sit on a chair without a second sentence. Time flew by and soon lunch was over, and the kids were even more miserable than before. "Lunch was nothing like usual..." big Sugar sadly stated. "I can't believe that our older siblings are doing all this!" Lil'Cheese declared. "It's some of our older relatives?" Sweet Caramel Apple corrected. "Yeah, Twiggy Boulder is your cousin, Destiny is Screwball's older sister, and Shuttle is..." Sonic began explaining, only to be cut off before he could finish by an annoyed Lil'Cheese. "I know who is who's relative! But one thing for sure of, I don't like how they are doing things, one bit!" "You'll like it once you are like us." Twiggy Boulder suddenly came out of nowhere, startling the kids. "Twiggy Boulder, try not to give any creature a heart attack by showing up so unexpectedly!" Destiny reminded the Earth Pony. "Sorry every creature, but what I meant to say is, you don't see these rules as the good rules they are because you're not like us We are mature, but you're not, that's why we view these rules as the good rules they truly are." Twiggy Boulder explained. "That does make sense..." Srwball commented. "But they drive so mad!" Sparity complained. "And they're taking a lot of our freedom!" Lil'Cheese complained. "But at least they're not as bad as no to everything!" Muffin Whooves pointed out. "True, but they still have a lot to say no to!" Shuttle Dash announced, landing right in front of the ten kids. "Like what?" Big Sugar asked, before the next thing the kids knew, some of their older relatives began explaining through song. Shuttle Dash sang, "There are many things in this big, wide world. Many things to do... But just because you have the ability to do them, doesn't mean you should! Destiny sang, "There's more than a few, and some, things that are really not so good!" Twiggy Boulder sang in her dull tone to the point that one could barely even tell that she was singing, "So you must stick with the rules..." All three older creatures sang, "And make sure those around you do so, too!" "You got to say no! Say no to cheating, say no to greedy, picky eating, say no to hurting others, physically, mentally, and emotionally!" "But you..." Precious Treasure tried to say something, but was quickly prevented from doing so by the three older creatures' song. "So get used to the facts, that you have to say no to lots of this and that! Say yes to good and no to bad, that's how to keep things in check!" Shuttle Dash sang, "If some stranger tells you that your parents sent them to fetch you..." Twiggy Boulder sang in her usual way, so monotone that it was impossible to tell that she was singing, "You should have known that it is a trick, as what they say cannot be true." Destiny sang, "You should have known that parents or guardians will never let some creature whom you don't know..." Shuttle Dash sang, "To take responsibility of looking after you, so you have to tell them, no!" "We know those basics!" Sparity protested in a spoken tone. Destiny sang, "Say no to mud, as it makes indoors dirty..." Twiggy Boulder sang in her usual plain tone, "Say no to not bathing as the number one thing once you're home!" Shuttle Dash sang as he faced Lil'Cheese, "Say no to whatever you want, when the wishes don't lie where moral standards roam!" "So get used to the facts, that you have to say no to lots of this and that! Say yes to good and no to bad, that's how to keep things in check!" "Keep things in check! Say yes to good and no to bad! And keep things in check!" "Oh wow..." Bulk Junior said out loud, as he reacted to the older creatures' performance. "Now do you get why there are so many rules?" Shuttle Dash asked the ten kids. "Yes, they are for...keeping things in check!" Sparity answered in a somewhat nervous tone. "And to ensure we don't do anything wrong nor bad!" Precious Treasure aded. "Spoken like Sunshine Rays or some creature who learnt morality from her!" Rainboom sarcastically remarked. "We kept mentioning that all day, Rainboom." Sonic whispered into his twin sister's ear. "Anyway, back to the main point, we have to ensure things stay in check, and we're going to have rules for everything!" Shuttle Dash announced. "And I'm afraid that they are going to be very strict..." Destiny aded. The kids gasp to hear Destiny say something like what she just said. "But Destiny, you always..." Screwball began, as her sister landed in front of her. "Have been so kind? I know, but there are still some things that I have to ensure you don't do, and therefore, I have to say no to..." Destiny explained. The clock struck three, and the Lil'Heroic Ten were obviously, certainly not any better than before. "This is really no playdate! No parties because they can take away some creature else's peace and quiet, no loud games because of the same reason..." Lil'Cheese complained. "No races because you might get some creature hurt!" Rinboom went on. "No taking non-flyers for a flight because there's a chance of dropping them and getting them badly injured!" Sonic continued. "No kicking and strength practices?!" Sweet Caramel Apple dramatically shouted. "No apple harvesting?" Big Sugar asked. "No reading a book without approval from some creature moral?" Bulk Junior added. "These rules are far too strict! We don't have any freedom on our playdate! And it's so rare!" Lil'Cheese announced. "Then what are we going to do?" Screwball asked like her mother would. "Here's what are we going to do..." Lil'Cheese responded, as a grin grew on his face. "Oh dear..." Bulk Junior whimpered. Shuttle Dash was in the skies, watching over the ten kids from above, and spotted them splitting into the numbers that made ten a triangular number, one plus two plus three plus four. "What?!" the pegasus asked himself, before dashing off to Lil'Cheese, asking the younger Earth Pony, "What are you doing?" "Splitting up with the others so you can't keep bossing all of us around!" Lil'Cheese answered, leaving Shuttle Dash in shock. "WHAT?!" the pegasus asked as he looked at the other creatures, no longer in groups, but in ones! Overwhelmed, Shuttle Dash completely forgot about Lil'Cheese as he dashed off to the others, calling out, "What's the big idea here?! I just made some very strict rules and here you are, breaking them! Better yet, where are the two Pegasi who are taught by their parents, the Commanders of the Wonderbolts?!" Sonic and Rainboom had hidden from their older brother since Shuttle was distracted by Lil'Cheese. The other kids with the exception of Bulk Junior, raced around Shuttle, infusing the pegasus. "Stop this! Playtime is over!" Shuttle Dash roared, but a mischievous Lil'Cheese then appeared in front of him, smirking with a party cannon, "Playtime is just beginning." With that, the party cannon shot confetti out of its mouth, covering Shuttle Dash with streamers, wrapper, and party stuff. Once he got them all off of him, he quickly realised that all ten kids were gone. "I can't believe we got away from him!" Rainboom exclaimed. "But I can't believe we ddi all that, I mea...it wasn't really nice..." Screwball stated. "Come on, we didn't. hurt him too much!" Lil'Cheese assured. "Hey! Where's Bulk?" Muffin Whooves asked, noticing her best friend's disappearance. "I'll fly up and take a look!" Rainboom suggested. "No! Your big brother will see you!" Lil'Cheese informed, pulling Rainboom down by her back hooves. "Then what are we going to do?" Sparity asked. "Go on an adventure to find him! And avoid our relatives..." Lil'Cheese declared, before being interrupted by the other eight kids saying in unison, "Some of our older relatives!" "Whatever! Just remember to doge them!" Lil'Cheese reminded. In her room, Sunshine Rays was busy making some decisions in her book of rules that she was working on for publishing. "Maybe this rule goes before this one, since it's more important, but then again, this one is very important, and I am working on a most to least important section of rules here..." the white pegasus mare said to herself, before she got a knock on the door. "Coming!" Sunshine Rays flew over and opened the door, finding Bulk Junior on the other side. "Bulk! What are you doing here? Now is far from lecture time with me!" Sunshine Rays asked. "It's a long story! And we can really use your help! And other members of the Heroic Ten!" Bulk Junior replied. In the mean time, Volcano was working on a presentation about why students must never try their luck with Multiple Choice Questions, and had Alkali to serve as his only audience. "There are 4 options and only 1 of them is correct! The other 3 out of 4 are wrong! So you got 1 out of 4 chances to get the answer right by guess, and 3 out of 4 chances of getting it wrong! And we all know that 3 out of 4 is more than 1 out of 4 by thrice the number! So you have 3 times more chances of getting it wrong than right! And so...guessing is a..." Before Volcano could finish his whole speech, Sunshine Rays knocked on the doors so loudly that the noise interfered the presentation. "I know that means your performance is interrupted, Volcano, but I still will give you a ten out of ten! I mean, som creature knocking on the door at the last part? That's so beyond your control!" Alkali told her dragon best friend. "It doesn't matter what you give me! Let's just see who's knocking..." Volcano replied as he marched towards the door, finding Sunshine Rays and Bulk Junior. "Volcano, Alkali! Emergency! We got some kids to find!" Sunshine Rays informed. Falcon Dive was flying through the air with Evergreen and Yellow Bright looking out for him from the ground. "Everything is so good so far..." Evergreen stated. "Something good for all of us, even tough it can be getting even more uninteresting with each...passing second..." Yellow Bright yawned and was about to fall asleep, but was snapped out of it by Volcano. "Sorry sleepyhead, no time for naps right now!" the dragon declared, appearing right by the Earth Pony's side. "Smash like tTHIS!" Krona demonstrated how to smash logs like yaks would to Luster Dawn and Buffer, who were trying to learn how yaks do so. "Alright..." Luster gulped, "At least if I ever lost My Magic, I'll still have a skill to..." "Luster? We got company!" Buffer informed. "We got nine kids on the loose, and they are all unfortunately, some kids that we teach virtues to!" Sunshine Rays told the unicorn. "And three going-to-be teens looking for them!" Nature Bloom added. "Don't worry, we'll find them!" Luster assured. Meanwhile, the rest of the Lil'Heroic Ten were still looking for Bulk Junior, with no luck. "I don't get it! Where would Bulk go without saying nor telling any creature?" Muffin Whooves asked. "And we still have to hide in these bushes and branches to avoid getting caught by one of the 'you-know-who's " Rainboom added, as she and her twin brother ducked in a bush. "All this finding's making my hooves squeal to get a stretch!" Sweet Caramel Apple could not hep but say. "Your hooves don't squeal," Screwball informed the Earth Pony. "That was personification, so what I meant was, my hooves really needs to be stretched!" Sweet Caramel Apple clarified, as she accidentally kicked a nearby stone with her back hooves into the direction of a beehive, breaking the hive and releasing a swarm of obviously angry bees! "RUN!" Lil'Cheese soured, as he and his best friends screamed. Like a superhero, Falcon Dive swooped in and saved the twins, while Sunshine Rays rescued Precious Treasure and Sparity. "Come on, Volcano!" Alkali cheered, as she and her dragon best friend part ways. "You'll see me when the smoke clears, Alkali!" Volcano called, before he flew off to blow more t the bees, holding them off. "Come on, Lil'Heroic Ten! It's your heroes, the real Heroic Ten! Ready to help and do their heroic deeds!" Yellow Bright called around. "You'll be safe here, we can handle those bees, but please, don't bother them ever again!" Nature Bloom instructed the kids that the others had found and gathered behind Krona and Buffer. "More deliveries!" Alkali announced, landing right beside with Sweet Caramel Apple, Big Sugar and Screwball on her back. "Great! So how many of the kids are let to be saved?" Nature Bloom asked. "Make that even lesser! I found Muffin!" Sunshine Rays answered, "And not to mention that Bulk was with us the whole time!" "And I got Lil'Cheese! So we have ten out of ten!" Falcon Dive declared. "And Evergreen calmed the bees down!" Krona informed, as what she was saying was true, Evergreen was playing her harp's soothing music that could calm almost any creature down. "And there! The beehive is fixed!" Luster announced after levitating a fixed-with-magic beehive up to its branch, to put it back where it belonged. "So, why did all of you creatures devise such a horrible plan to get away from some of your older relatives?! And the rules they set up?!" Sunshine Rays asked the kids. "Because they are so...mature and..." Lil'Cheese nervously gulped. "Mature?! Those rules are set up for kids! And not just kids, every creature! To keep them safe!" Volcano explained. "Are you sure that all of them are like that, Volcano?" Alkali asked. "Well, now that you mentioned it..." volcano stammered. "Maybe we should take a look at what's on the list..." Luster declared. Soon, Sunshine Rays had a complete look at Shuttle, Destiny and Twiggy Boulder's set of rules. "God news and bad news." Sunshine Rays declared, "Good news is, these rules do prevent whoever follows them from doing bad or wrong deeds, but the bad news is, there are somethings that are really way too strict!" "But I thought you liked things being strict! Saying the more rules you obey, the better!" Shuttle Dash opined. "True that I love to see creatures being obedient and following rules, but there's a line, there are some rules that are for the better, and some that aren't! Like you can't have 'don't eat anything at all' as a rule! It's against needs!" Sunshine Rays explained, "And when you get some creature to go against their needs all because you want to test their resistance, it's nothing good, because that is something you don't even need to do!" "We're just glad that you're here, Sunshine." Bulk Junior admitted, "The real morality expert." "And I can't believe we went too far with those measures!" Destiny added. "Come on, Destiny, we Kow that you just want to keep every creature healthy, safe and alright!" Nature Bloom assured. "Me too." Twiggy Boulder plainly stated. "So you're saying that somethings can be allowed?" Shuttle Dash asked Sunshine Rays. "There's a limit between too strict and alright, but I'm sure I can handle it, and help you understand it, and become a better caregiver!" Sunshine Rays replied, "But first, I believe that nine creatures have something to report to Princess Twilight Sparkle, followed by writing a lesson ten times!" Lil'Cheese and the others sadly responded to what Sunshine Rays had to say, just before Luster assured them, "It's alright, I will write the letter for you! So, what would you like to tell the princess?" "Luster, that escape plan is my idea, so I should tell you the whole thing to write to her!" Lil'Cheese admitted. "But we went with you! So we got some things to say, too!" Rainboom claimed. "Actually, those strict rules that drove you Gus mad came from me, so I should be the creature who reports the lesson." Shuttle Dash announced, landing right beside Luster. Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle, Today, I believe that the children of the Council of Friendship, or more likely, their going-to-be-teenagers older relatives, Twiggy Boulder, Destiny, and Shuttle Dash, all have learnt some valuable lessons. They learnt that rules do keep things in check, but not all rules are like that, some of them can be too strict, and therefore, not good! There is a line between rules that are too strict, and not necessary, and alright, and rules are meant to set just the right limits, not completely ban something to prevent too much of it, such as playing music and having races! Mature or immature, every creature still have a lot of values and lessons to learn about everything! This is what the kids warned to report to you. Signed, your faithful student, Luster Dawn After Luster sent the letter with her magic, she and her best friends watched the rest of the Lil'Heroic Ten's playdate, which was much better than before, due to the new set of rules there was. Soon, the day was over, and Fluttershy's husband Discord arrived through his magic portals, calling, "Playdate over! IT's time Uncle Discord brought big kids...I mean, going-to-be-teens home!" "This is goodbye." Twiggy Boulder told her cousin. "Oh, Twiggy! Please come back so soon!" Lil'Cheese cried as he hugged his cousin. "Don't worry, I will. And I can't wait for our next playdate." Twiggy Boulder responded. Lil'Cheese and the others were shocked to hear what Twiggy Boulder just said, as Lil'Cheese himself responded, "But...you said the you don't take part in fun!" "Only some kinds of fun, not all." Twiggy Boulder explained, "Anyway, I'm sure our next playdate, is going to rock way more than this one." "Oh, Twiggy!" Lil'Cheese hugged his cousin again, before letting her leave. "See our and grandma and grandpa, someday, Shuttle!" Rainboom waved her older brother goodbye. "We'll miss you!" Sonic added, waving goodbye to Shuttle like Rainboom was doing. "I'll miss you, too! And don't worry, next playdate is going to way cooler!" Shuttle promised, before taking off. "And my dear Destiny, how's the playdate?" Discord asked his older child. "Well Dad, it was a little...chaotic before the Heroic Ten came, but, now...things are all just fine! And next playdate should be way better!" Destiny replied. "In that case..." Discord made his sunglasses disappear, "Things are fine by me, and your family, Destiny." "Wow, I never saw Discord say that with my own eyes!" Falcon Dive commented. "Believe it or not, Heroic Ten, until we meet again, and thanks for the interesting day!" Discord responded, before walking through the portal with Destiny, a second before the portal disappeared. "He knew what happened?" a confused Krona asked. "That's Discord for you..." Volcano remarked.
19. Wars of ScareAuthor's Note Wars of Scare serves as the nineteenth episode of the series. Summary: While Nature Bloom and Falcon Dive stay at the Castle of Friendship to give out treats during Nightmare Night, the rest of the Heroic Ten had to find a way to stop a fight between two trios of teenaged ponies. Featured Characters: Charla, a teenaged pegasus mare who was skilled at lightning and weather control despite her age. Her name derives from the word, charlatan. Tricks, a teenaged female earth pony Ivory, a teenaged female unicorn Tyke, a teenaged male Earth Pony. Chartreux, a teenaged male pegasus named after his father's favourite breed of cat. Illumine, a teenaged male unicorn. 19. Wars of Scare Outside the Castle of Friendship, bats flew and wolves howled, setting things up for the spookiest night of the year: Nightmare Night. Inside the castle, Evergeen and Yellow Bright were comparing their costumes. "Evergreen! What do you think of my headless horse costume?" "Very classic. It's basically stuffing yourself in a pony body costume bigger than you, so you can hide your head in the neck part of the costume, plus see where you are going without any creature seeing your eyes." Evergreen answered. "There's actually more to it than that..." Yellow Bright stated, holding up the head of the horse, which was separated from its body. "Your costume has a head?" Evergreen asked. "Actually, the body is separated from the head, so it would make every creature who don't understand the magic behind the looks, think that the head fell off! And is moving on its own without the body!" Yellow Bright explained. "That is a wickedly amazing idea! And yes, the only reason I said that sentence, which is a sentence I normally will not say, is because, I am a witch this Nightmare Night." Evergreen said in a cunning tone. "A witch?! That's nothing compared to a Dracula!" Falcon Dive claimed, flying down towards his non-flyer friends. "I thought you were going to be a vampire tonight," Yellow Bright told the griffon. "Vampire, Dracula, whatever!" Falcon Dive sarcastically replied. Organ music suddenly started playing, as Sunshine Rays' alter-ego made her appearance down the castle's staircase. "I'm Moonshade Fright, and I am here to spread chills tonight," the pegasus said in a somewhat villainous tone. "Sunshine. You dressed up as your alter-ego many times outside of Nightmare Night! Are you sure you don't want to try something else? Like, the ghost of the future?!" Falcon Dive asked. "What's wrong with being Moonshade Fright? In case some creature does something wrong, I will never have to change my costume," Moonshade Fright pointed out. "Every creature, you need to do something! Alkali has gone mad!" Nature Bloom, dressed as a black cat, panicked. "Actually, I never gone mad. I was just practising an act as Alkaline, my self-created alter-ego inspired by that fanfic about Acid becoming Acidic. I figured that if Acid's and my places were switched, I would become Alkaline, my corrupted alter-ego," Alkali explained. "So, should we call you...Alkaline for the whole of tonight?" Evergreen asked. "Well, I'm alright with eater way!" Alkali cheerfully answered, a second before Volcano came out of the room, dressed as a mad scientist. "Hey every creature, what do you think of my costume this year?" the dragon asked. "Totally mad!" Falcon Dive made a pun. "That's a pun because you know what I'm dressed as, am I right?" Volcano asked. "Indeed it's a pun." Falcon Dive quickly answered. "Make way for an ogre!" Krona roared, as she smashed like a yak, making her entrance. "Wow! That is what you call an entrance on Nightmare Night!" Yellow Bright commented. "Thanks. This is actually Krona's sixth time of dressing as an ogre on Nightmare Night." Krona admitted. "She dressed as an ogre on her fist Nightmare Night, when she was three, then an ogre again on..." Buffer began listing, before Krona cut him off. "Buffer doesn't need to tell every creature all that." "Sorry...I thought that they would ask!" Buffer replied. "Anyway, your costume looks epic, Buffer! Even though it's a pumpkin! Something that should be easy to make." Alkali commented. "And, since you're a scary ogre tonight, how about we scare immoral creatures together? If they were unwilling to stop their immoral acts after we tried talking with them, that is." Moonshade Fright asked Krona. "Krona and Sunshine...Krona meant, Moonshade Fright...scare together? Krona not sure..." Krona stumbled, a second before Luster arrived at the scene. "Hey every creature, what do you think of my costume this Nightmare Night?" Luster asked, seeing her best friends' shocked expressions. "Luster...I can..." Evergreen started, before being cut off by Yellow Bright. "Barely recognise you!" "That's because I'm dressed as my mentor when she was still a unicorn, a long time ago." Luster figured. "About that...are you sure it's alright to dress as her?" Nature Bloom asked. "I asked her for permission the last time I saw her before tonight, and she agreed that it is alright for me to dress as her when she was about my biological age." Luster explained, "She figured it will be like...'like mentor, like student', something she holds dear." "Trick or treat!" chanted creatures outside of the Castle of Friendship. "Oh great, one of us has to stay behind to give out candy?!" Falcon Dive sarcastically asked. "So, who should it be?" Krona asked. "Well, I most likely wouldn't be too scary, so maybe I should...stay..." Nature Bloom whimpered. "Looks like you can use some company..." Luster figured, seeing her changeling Best Friend whimper. "Fine! As some creature selfless, I abandon my desires to go trick-or-treating tonight to keep Nature Bloom company here, giving out candy to those kids!" Falcon Dive declared. "Thanks, Falcon Dive." Moonshade Fright thanked. "Now what are we waiting for, every creature? This year's Nightmare Night awaits!" Yellow Bright announced. "Wow, Nightmare Night is really hot outside the School of Friendship! I mean, look at every creature who participates in it!" Luster could not help but say her thoughts out loud as she strolled throughout Ponyville. "It's not getting so warm..." Krona responded. "What Luster meant is Nightmare Night is popular!" Volcano clarified. "Intersting costumes, Heroic Ten!" Rarity commented, as she bumped into the heroes. "Thanks, Madam Rarity...what are you dressed as this year?" Alkali thanked before asking, noticing that Rarity was currently in he usual clothes and not anything else. "It's a surprise!" Rarity answered in a singing tone. "Surprises, Falcon Dive will love to see something like those!" Moonshade Fright commented. Back at the Castle of Friendship, Falcon Dive was doing loop-de-loops as he waited for quick visitors alongside Nature Bloom. "I'm bored...got anything we can do while waiting?" the griffon asked the changeling. "Well, we can play boardgames, as long as they don't get us too distracted..." Nature Bloom figured. "Anything better than wait for ages for the next creature to come and..." Falcon Dive began, before his incomplete sentence was interrupted by creatures outside calling, "Trick or treat!" "Finally!" Falcon Dive cried in happiness, as he raced to open the Castle entrance. To the griffon's shock, a monster was on the other side of the gate, and one look at it made him scream and faint, "MONSTER! AAAH!" "Sorry, that was just my first self-made costume." the Earth Pony dressed up as the monster took off his mask and revealed his true face appearance. "Right...I knew that..." Falcon Dive nervously chuckled. Meanwhile, Luster was getting briefings from her best friends about Nightmare Night as they strolled throughout the streets like earlier. "Now Luster, I know that Nightmare Night is known for the trick and treating, but there is way more to it than just that!" Volcano explained. "Yeah! It's a social tradition!" Alkali added. "And the dressing up!" Krona added. "All for fun and getting together with friends!" Buffer resumed. "Just like most of the other festivals and celebrations in Equestria..." Evergreen went on, before being interrupted by the sound of screams. "Only, Nightmare Night is way scarier than all the other festivals and celebrations there are!" Yellow Bright commented. "Scary is my thing whenever I scare some creature into doing the right thing, so I'm not surprised to hear or see others scared or terrified!" Moonshade Fright declared. "Lucky you..." Volcano responded. "Whooooo's ready for some ghostly white Nightmare Night booze?" Pinkie Pie asked, dressed as a witch selling some Nightmare Night themed pastries and meals outside of Sugar Cube Corner. "As if I was scared!" Buffer responded to hearing what Pinkie said. "I think those pastries and limited meals are quite fit for the night!" Evergreen commented. "And since they are limited..." Yellow Bright remarked. "We should get them before we have to wait for next year..." Luster decided. "Great! So, who's got the bits?" Krona asked excitedly. No creature responded to the yak's question, causing them to realise something unpleasant. "We did not bring any, did we?" Volcano sarcastically asked. "It was Krona's idea to get snacks, so Krona should go back and get our bits!" Krona figured. "But what would the rest of us do while you make your trip back and forth?" Luster asked. "Sit here and block other creatures' way? Obviously not!" Alkali declared. Before one of the other Heroic Ten members could respond, lightning struck and thunder flashed right above the eight creatures, startling them. "Gotha!" a teenager pegasus mare dressed as a raven laughed. "For the first time ever since I was Moonshade Fright, I was scared!" Moonshade Fright could not help but say out loud. "That was too easy practice!" the teenaged mare burst out laughing, "Wait till those losers hear that I scared not one, but eight adults!" "We're young adults!" Yellow Bright corrected. "Most of us are chronologically young adults, that is..." Luster corrected. "Anyway, we are not just any young adults, we are the newest heroes and protectors of Equestria, who saved every creature from the latest threat!" Volcano stated. "Who cares? Scaring you is what I had to do to get better!" the teenaged pegasus flew off, leaving the heroes as fast as she could. "Is she out of her mind?!" Alkali asked. "And what do you think she meant by 'scaring us is what she had to do to get better?' " Evergreen asked. "I don't know, but one thing I can infer, is that is nothing good!" Moonshade Fright declared. "Our Nightmare Night snacks are going to have to wait!" Luster announced. The teenaged pegasus flew back to where she came from, unaware that she was being spied on and followed by the eight creatures whom she scared earlier. "Looking around from all directions, seems like she is suspecting company..." Moonshade Fright figured. "And we are that company!" Evergreen added. "Because she scared us earlier?" Volcano asked. "Shh! Keep quiet or she'll hear us!" Alkali reminded, causing all of them to stay low in the bushes where they were hiding. "This way," Luster instructed, after ensuring that the pegasus whom the heroes were chasing, could not see them from where they were. "Hey Charla, how's your scaring practice?" a teenaged female Earth Pony dressed in spy gear, asked the teenaged pegasus who scared the Heroic Ten earlier. "Great, Tricks! I scared eight times more than one!" Charla answered. "That's what we need here!" Tricks grinned. "Is it just me, or is this really happening?" Luster whispered to her best friends. "I don't think that it's just you..." Evergreen answered. "Those teenagers surely don't seem to have any good intentions tonight..." Moonshade Fright claimed. "But it's Nightmare Night!" Krona reminded. "And?" Buffer asked. "Whenever it is Nightmare Night, scaring others is the number one thing they do!" Krona remarked. "But who do you think they want to scare so badly?" Yellow Bright asked. "It better not be any elderly, otherwise they might risk becoming murderers as they would risk literally causing a heart attack!" Moonshade Fright stated. "You're...lucky that Nature Bloom isn't around to hear what you just said!" Evergreen informed Moonshade Fright. Back at the Castle of Friendship, Nature Bloom was preparing a fresh batch of treats for the creatures who visit the Castle's door just for trick and treating. "I know that Nightmare Night may be all about the fun of scaring, but it has the fun of giving as we give out these treats!" the changeling said her thoughts out loud, as she took another batch of cookies out of the oven. "I wonder what the others are going through, hopefully nothing too adventurous that will make me upset for missing out!" Falcon Dive replied to what Nature Bloom said, as he flew over to get the new batch of treats. "Those boys are so going to scream and run home to their mommies when they see what we can do!" Tricks laughed, causing her friend Charla to laugh alongside. "Boys?" Buffer asked, while staying low alongside his best friends in the bushes. "Hey girls, so how are things going on your side?" a teenaged female unicorn dressed up as Nightmare Moon approached the two female ponies. "Even better so far!" Charla answered. "They're going terrifyingly well, Irony!" Tricks replied while making a pun. "I'm doing just as good too, and I can't wait to see those faces when they happen!" Irony grinned. "What do you think that they're up to?" Yellow Bright could not help but ask his best friends out loud while still whispering to prevent them from being spotted. "I don't know..." Evergreen answered. "But I still don't think it's something good!" Moonshade Fright added. "Just keep up the process, maybe we'll learn what we need to know!" Volcano suggested. "What process?" Alkali asked while whispering. "The process of observing them." Volcano plainly answered. "Not bad kids!" a familiar voice could be heard saying, catching every creature's attention towards its owner. "Madam Rainbow Dash! She's judging for the Nightmare Night scary decoration haunted houses this year?" Luster asked. "You meant one of the judges. There are a few of them..." Buffer corrected. "Falcon Dive would love to judge as well, but too bad, he and Nature are back at the Castle, and we surely don't have the time to decorate it, so we are obviously not participating in the decoration competition!" Evergreen stated. "Something for him to complain about!" Moonshade Fright remarked. The conversation halted as the eight creatures focused their attention on Rainbow Dash and the teenaged female ponies. "Wow! Your haunted house is so totally awesome and terrifyingly surprising!" Rainbow Dash complemented, "And I thought that the guys' house was the scariest!" "We thought so, too, but they will never think that boys are always better than girls once they see the final results!" Chala confidently claimed. "I don't know about that, because I've heard that they aren't finish with their house." Rainbow Dash informed. "Neither are we," Tricks declared. "Then get it finished before midnight, when the contest is over and the judges make the final decision." Rainbow Dash informed, before flying off, "This pony's still got lots of other houses to judge!" After Rainbow Dash was out of sight, Ivory approached her best friends, "Well, those boys sure won't be winning once they...AAAAAH!" Her scream startled the other two teenagers, causing them to turn around to face what she was looking at: A huge inflatable mummy that towered over them! As the girls screamed, laughing could be heard before the mummy shrank down and revealed its owner, a teenaged male Earth Pony dressed as a skeleton. "Tyke, we should have known!" Tricks growled. "You girls so should have had a mirror to see your faces in back there! I can't believe that you kept having such a 'girl power' motto!" Tyke laughed. "I believe it!" Alkali responded to hearing the conversation, earning a shush from the others. "Oh yeah, the Council of Friendship who rules Equestria are all girls! And they saved the kingdom a million times!" Ivory reminded. "Don't forget that Royal Advisor Spike is not a girl, and he saved the Crystal Empire twice!" Tyke remarked. "Some creatures really learnt their history!" Volcano commented. "As if saving the Crystal Empire twice was more than all of Equestria!" Charla argued. "She has a good point!" Yellow Bright could not help but comment, causing Luster to pull every creature down. "Let's just don't say anything until we don't have to spy anymore." "Back to the main point, just because it is girls who saved the kingdom all those times, doesn't always mean that girls are best at everything!" Tyke confronted, "Wait till you scream like girls to see how scary me and the guys' house is!" "You'll never be as good as ours!" Tricks growled. "Then how do you expect yours to be scarier, when you are already scared of one of the newest things in mine?" Tyke asked. "ENOUGH!" Krona yelled, stepping out of the bushes. "AAAH! An ogre!" the teenaged ponies screamed. "Not really an ogre," Buffer corrected. "That's just Krona dressed as one for this Nightmare Night." Evergreen explained. "And I assume that you teens know who we are," Moonshade Fright plainly said. "The Heroic Ten! Newest heroes and protector of Equestria and Beyond!" Yellow Bright answered to Moonshade Fright's latest line. "That line was for them to answer?" Moonshade Fright informed her Earth Pony Best Friend. "Sorry, can't help it!" Yellow Bright sheepishly replied. "Anyway, we heard what you were saying, something about making your houses scarier..." Luster approached the teenagers. "To scare the girls!" Tyke harshly stated at the same time the girls claimed, "To scare the boys!" "Oh boy..." Alkali groaned. "Rivalry between the opposite genders...I'm not surprised, it's pretty common for all ages if you must know." Volcano commented. "My boys and I are going to make a way better haunted house than these girly girls are!" Tyke claimed. "As if!" Tricks retaliated, "You haven't even seen half of it!" "Why are you so focused on being better than the other? The contest is just a friendly game if you ask me!" Luster asked. "Because the contest is a friendly game! Made into a contest to raise the spirits!" Krona explained. "And since it's a friendly game, shouldn't we care less about who wins or loses?" Evergreen asked. "I don't think so!" all the four teenagers in the area protested. "Wow, being famous heroes sure don't have any impact sometimes!" Yellow Bright could not help but say after seeing how strong the teenagers' protests were. "It happens to my mentor and her friends, too!" Luster informed. "Anyway, you teens shouldn't be so competitive! You're acting like little kids in this rate!" Moonshade Fright informed. "Says the one creature who uses scaring to make others do what is right! And find it amusing!" Ivory protested. "Only because there' no other effective way to get them to never do bad things again!" Moonshade Fright barked. "Then, there's no other effective way to show these girls that girls are not always the best by scaring them!" Tyke figured, before using a smoke bomb to disappear, releasing a swarm of bats that flew into the mares' faces. "Wait and see, Tyke!" Charla angrily shouted. "We're going to scare your heart out of your body!" Tricks declared in anger. "What?! Are you sure?!" Buffer asked. "Well, it's Nightmare Night...the event of scaring others while dressing up and trick-or-treating, so...scaring each other is a real deal..." Volcano explained. "Something Nature Bloom probably will never like..." Evergreen commented. "I'll look for where that Tyke has gone, let him know that he's gone a little too far with that bomb!" Moonshade Fright declared, before flying up into the night sky. "I'll fly up there too, I substituted for Falcon Dive's lookup job when he was injured!" Alkali announced, "I probably will get a hang of it by now!" "Go for it!" Luster instructed. "Finding that one pony in a crowd that can have a few creatures dressed as the same thing he is dressed as?! Should have known that this is not going to be easy!" Moonshade Fright complained. "Maybe we should find where his haunted house is! If you can't find who you're looking for, finding where they most likely will be is good enough!" Luster called. "We already know where it is!" Charla grinned. "Then can you take us to it? We hav got to have.a talk with them!" Evergreen asked. "If you help us beat them..." Ivory stated. "WHAT?! No way!" Krona protested. "She's right, we are not here to be on either team's side, we're here to set things right!" Volcano explained. "Then you're not going to see that haunted house!" Tricks scoffed as she turned her back away from the heroes. "Still go to that house, Charla, we got to know what the boys are up to..." Ivory whispered to her friends' ears. "No good, too difficult to find!" Alkali called. "Say, where's Ivory going? And by the way she's walking, I think she's up to something..." Moonshade Fright asked Alkali. "I'll continue looking for the boys," Alkali figured. "While I'll ask Luster whether I should follow you-know-who or not," Moonshade Fright responded. "Do you have to say it like that?" Alkali asked, gaining a glare from Moonshade Fright as a result. "Or...whatever..." Alkali sheepishly smiled. "So, did you find them?" Luster asked Sunshine Rays, as the pegasus flew down. Sunshine Rays went close to Luster, in order to whisper something into the unicorn's ear. Luster then whispered back into Moonshade Fright' s ear, and the two nodded to each other, a second before the pegasus took off. "What are the rest of the Heroic Ten going to do?" Krona asked. "Get back to their original Nightmare Night plans?" Yellow Bright asked like Pinkie Pie would. "Sorry, but I'm afraid this Nightmare Night, we're going to have to change plans..." Luster apologised. "Well, at least we're still together!" Evergreen pointed out. "We are," Luster confirmed, "Together to make sure that this competition does not go out of control!" Meanwhile, Moonshade Fright had followed Ivory to a small shed that was decorated with many evil-looking pumpkins, skeletons, zombie faces, cobwebs and sharp, pointy twigs. "I can't believe every creature is always scared of my performances!" Moonshade Fright could not help but say when she saw how terrifying the haunted house made out of the decorated shed was. "Good news, boys. This inflatable mummy balloon scared those annoying girls out of their dreams!" Tyke told his friends, as he approached them. "All of them are boys...and they do not seem to like those girls,...so they must be the boys the girls were talking about!" Moonshade Fright whispered to herself, as she hid on the rooftops. "Oh Tyke, you're just making me wish that I was there to see their faces!" the teenaged pegasus dressed as a goblin responded. "Chartreux, that doesn't matter! Just wait till we make them see how scary our haunted house is!" the teenaged unicorn dressed as a mummy, told his friend, revealing the later's name to the spying Moonshade Fright. "Illumine, have you done enough practicing while reserving enough for the show?" Tyke asked., revealing the teenaged unicorn's name. "Totally! And I can't wait to do the finishing touches!" Illumine answered. Moonshade Fright remained quiet as she watched from the roof tops, and found Charla sneaking into the shed, causing the former to ask herself, "What is she up to?" "Those girls are so going to regret claiming that they will beat us!" Chartreux claimed, a second before Charla's loud screams of fright could be heard, as she herself came running out of the shed. The teenaged boys could not help but laugh at the terrified female pegasus, as Tyke mocked, "Told you girly girls that you don't underestimate the power of boys!" "Power? The is so children's stuff!" Moonshade Fright told herself as she watched the events unfold. "Ha! As if you boys thought I was the only creature now to have a scare..." Charla smirked, as she revealed that she had stolen several of the boys' decorations with her sack, including some eyeballs, teeth, bones and cobwebs. "Give those back!" the three teenaged boys angrily commanded in unison after gasping. "No way!" Charla responded, flying off into the sky. Monshade Fright managed to hide from the teenaged ponies' sight by ducking down. She then chased then from far behind to avoid getting spotted. In the mean time, Volcano and Buffer were looking at the other haunted houses like tourists, stopping by to observe every one. "Look Buffer, this one really makes use of science, using lights and shadows!" Volcano called. "You always love that trick!" Buffer could not help but say. "Couldn't help it, especially when you're an inventor and scientist, and.a science teacher..." Volcano answered. "Anyway, no crazy competition so far, I mean, no creature seems to be very determined to outdo some creature else here, unlike those teens..." Buffer informed. "That's good news, and we can even take a longer look and see the science behind their work!" Volcano exclaimed. "Volcano! We're not here to be fans of anything!" Buffer reminded, "We are here to check on things!" "Oh, right. Sorry, I just can't help myself..." Volcano apologised. "Come back here, you pest!" Chartreux's voice could be heard shouting, catching Volcano and Buffer's attention. The teenaged boys wee sill chasing Charla throughout the streets, and they ran right pass the two heroes seconds before Moonshade Fright caught up to her best friends. "Volcano, Buffer, I saw Charla sneak into the boys' haunted house...I mean shed...I mean, their shed decorated to be made into a Haunted House for Nightmare Night!" the pegasus informed. "A shed? Made into a haunted house?! That won't be much work within one little space!" Volcano commented. "But the main point is, she stole things that don't belong to her! And stealing is something obviously not right!" Moonshade Fright reminded. "And it never is!" Buffer added. "Actually, there are certain exceptions when heroes have to steal keys from villains to free innocent prisoners whom the villains imprisoned, but in this case...it's not right to steal some creature else's decor!" Moonshade Fright stated, before the three of them raced off. Back at the boys' shed, Ivory checked the surroundings before proceeding to her part of her team's plan. In a nearby trash bin, Evergreen was spying on the teenaged unicorn and witnessed the latter going into the shed and coming back out with a sack that was empty before the entering. "That sack was empty before going in, and most likely full after coming out, can this mean..." the Kirin gasped after she told herself her thoughts out loud. After Ivory was gone, Evergreen used her Kirin magic to open the shed's door and took a peek inside, finding the shed completely empty. "Uh oh..." Luster was still at the teenaged girls' haunted house, trying to reason with Tricks, "Come on, it's just a game, nothing much!" "Those boys just always go too far!" Tricks argued. "Only because you think that much!" Luster figured, "Plus, Nightmare Night is a social festival! Not meant to be a contest!" "Come back here and return those decor!" the teenaged boys' voices could be heard shouting. "Luster, they stole the decor!" Volcano shouted as he flew towards the unicorn while chasing behind the teenagers. "And this kind of stealing is wrong!" Buffer added. "And you know I don't like it when the wrong thing is being done on purpose!" Moonshade Fright ended. "What?! Teens, this is getting out of hoof! Stealing is cheating in a contest! Return the stolen stuff to its rightful owners right away!" Luster scolded the teenaged girls. "Don't worry, we are going to give the stuff right back! We didn't actually want these any way..." Charla smirked. "Then why else would you..." Volcano began, before figuring it out as he thought, "Uh oh, I think I know why the stuff is stolen!" "What?" Buffer asked. Charla led the boys right into the girls' haunted house, while the heroes remained outside to watch things from a far and presume that the boys got a huge fright from seeing what was inside he girls' haunted house, coming running out of the small shelter within seconds, screaming at the top of their lungs, and sounding somewhat like girls as they screamed. "My guess that Charla stole the decor from the boys' haunted house is to lure them to where she wanted them, and that guess is correct." Volcano explained. "Why didn't I think of that?" Buffer asked himself. "You boys are hilarious!" Tricks laughed, "Who's the scary-rats now?!" "And here's your stuff back. Thanks but no thanks!" Charla sarcastically added as she dropped the box of stolen decor onto the boys with the intentions to do so. "hey! That's stealing, frightening, and hurting all on purpose! And all together they cross the line!" Moonshade Fright scolded. "Ha! Way a go girls, now you got yourselves scolded by the queen of scares!" Tyke sarcastically complemented. "I am not the queen of scares!" Moonshade Fright roared, "I just use scaring to scare those unwilling to stop their wrongdoings into stopping their wrongdoings!" "Calm down now, Moonshade." Luster approached, before turning to the teenagers, "Now teens, what she meant is your taking your competition too far by doing all this! You have to stop!" "She's right you know, there are many history stories saying that a competition led to war and deaths and destruction and total chaos that wouldn't even happen if it weren't for the competition in the first place! Like the 3 millenniums ago before the foundation of Equestria story about..." Volcano began, before being interrupted by Buffer. "Volcano, we don't need all that extra information." "Whatever." Volcano plainly replied. "So you have got to stop the competition and sop scaring and playing tricks on each other like this and everything you did all night!" Moonshade Fright told the teenagers. "No way!" both boys and girls protested in unison and parted ways. "Luster! Moonshade!" Alkali called as she landed right beside the two mares. "What is it, Alkali?" Luster asked. "Evergreen told me that she witnessed Ivory stealing everything in the boys' haunted house, leaving it empty!" Alkali informed out loud, to the point that the teenaged boys could hear. "What?! You girls are worse than girls, you're robbers!" Illumine angrily lashed out at his rivals. "Actually, the correct word is 'thieves', because thieves steal things without their victims' knowledge, while robbers threaten their victims into giving them things. Some other words that usually got confused with thieves are pick-pocketers, burglars..." Volcano explained, before he was cut off from his explanation. "Volcano! Those are unnecessary extra information!" Alkali informed. "Whoever." Volcano plainly replied once again. "Stealing crosses the line! You all must stop your competition at once!" Moonshade Fright announced. "You can't get us to do that! You aren't even one of the judges!" Chartreux argued. "I can just tell the judges everything that you teens did, taking the competition too far! I'm sure they will understand!" Moonshade Fright confronted. "As if, queen of scare!" Illumine responded, before dropping a smoke bomb that left the grown-up pegasus coughing. "Moonshade! Are you alright?!" Luster asked, running up to her Best Friend. "My health is, but not the whole of me..." Moonshade Fright answered. "Then, what parts of you are wrong?" Buffer asked. "I need to get something back at the Castle. " Moonshade Fright informed, preparing to take off. "What is it?" Alkali asked. "A little something to scare them into stopping!" moon shade Fright answered. "What?! Are you sure using scare works this time?" Luster asked. "What do you mean 'this time'? Scaring is always the effective tactic that works!" Moonshade Fright claimed. "But those teens were scared by each other, and they didn't give up." Buffer reminded. "And they are still not giving up..." Volcano added. "So I'm going to have to be extremely scary! Scary enough to get them to change their ways!" Moonshade Fright announced. "But are you sure fighting scare with scare works?" Luster asked. "She has a point you know, just like 2 wrongs do not make a right, and fighting fire with fire...doesn't always go well." Volcano explained. "But we tried reasoning with them, got 0 effects! It's time to bring up the fright and do something that will bring effects!" Moonshade Fright declared. "What do you think, Luster?" Buffer asked. "Well...since no creature else have effective ideas...maybe we should try..." Luster decided. The clock soon struck eleven, the hour before midnight. In the Castle of Friendship, Nature Bloom whimpered at the thought of the clock striking 12. "I'm glad that I'm staying here in the Castle, and not outside, but what kind of exciting scary tricks are out there?" the changeling asked. "When will these trick and treaters get their bags full, anyways?! It's been hours and we're still giving out cookies!" Falcon Dive complained. "I'll just go get some more cookies to give out..." Nature Bloom figured. In the night skies, Luster rode on Alkali's back as they searched for the last of the teenaged ponies that they were confronting that night. "Can you find her?" Alkali asked. "Trying my best....this scanning spell is actually tricky..." Luster answered while struggling to keep her horn lit up as she scanned the surroundings. "Come on, Luster! You've learnt a hundred of different scan spells! You can do it!" Alkali cheered. "Found Ivory! By those houses!" Luster reported. "Then that's our next stop tonight!" Alkali announced, automatically diving down to the streets to give chase to Ivory. "I'm warning you creatures, what I'm doing is none of your business!" Ivory called in an annoyed tone. "You are unwilling to stop what you were doing! And we won't stop until you do!" Luster declared, teleporting herself to the exit spot that was right in front of Ivory, before teleporting them both to where Moonshade Fright had a performance for them. "Got the last of them!" Luster exclaimed, as she brought Ivory to the back of the Castle of Friendship. "Good thing Luster back, teens are hard to keep under control!" Krona claimed. "I even had to try every thing Madam Pinkie Pie and her hiusband Cheese Sandwich ever taught me as their helper!" Yellow Bright added. "And now that all the guests are here, the performance can start." Evergreen calmly said. "I am Moonshade Fright," the pegasus said as she made a dramatic entrance walking through artificial fog made by Volcano's latest invention. "And I am here to show you the consequences of scaring each other constantly, all for a competition!" she went on. "We're lucky that Nature Bloom isn't here..." Evergreen commented. "Number one bad thing: You are scaring each other out of wanting to! There's actually no need to scare each other for competition! A competition isn't even one of the most important things in the world!" Moonshade Fright explained, "Bad thing number two: Scaring can actually cause heart attacks, literally! Although it's rare, the chances are not 0! " Time flew and soon, it was 11.20, when Moonshade Fright finished her performance, "So you better change your ways! And not scare each other for fun, nor competition!" "So you're saying that scaring is something bad?" Ivory asked in a somewhat scared manner. "Exactly!" Moonshade Fright answered. "Then, why do you always use scare to make creatures do the right thing?!" Illumine asked, putting Moonshade in negative light as the six teenagers started to express dislike for her. "I kept telling you, I had no other choice! Reasoning with them doesn't work, so I had to use scare!" Moonshade Fright replied. "I don't think so, if some creature moral like you do it, there's no reason we shouldn't!" Tricks declared, and the six teenagers raced away. "Well that worked..." Volcano sarcastically commented. "Uh, you know it didn't work, right Volcano?" Alkali asked in a concerned tone. "Of course I know it didn't work! I was being sarcastic when I said 'well, that worked'." Volcano explained. "I don't understand, scaring always worked on those who are unwilling to change, why didn't it work this time?" Moonshade Fright asked as she paced around. "Maybe it's because you were fighting fire with fire," Evergreen figured. "Um, Evergreen, I don't see any uses of fire around." Yellow Bright responded. "Fighting fire with fire doesn't literally mean using fire against fire." Krona pointed out. "Krona's right. It's not the literally meaning when we say it, so fighting fire with fire means fighting an opponent with what they use against you." Luster explained. "Since the six teens have been using scaring all nigh, scaring them will be using the same strategy, or in this case, the same action, against them." Buffer figured. "I can't believe I made them think that it's alright to scare others just because I use scaring!" Moonshade Fright cried. "Sunshine...I mean, Moonshade...or whatever..." Luster shook her head before resuming, "We all know that you scare others for a good reason, to sop them from doing more wrongdoings, so your scaring is actually not as bad as scaring others for fun." "We all know that!" Alkali chimed in. "But this time, scaring is not the answer, as its fighting fire with fire," Luster explained. "And there's a wise saying that fighting fire with fire is not always the best idea." Evergreen contributed. "Which in this case, it's pretty true." Volcano commented. "Moonshade tried scaring the six teens into stopping, but that motivated them to be even scarier!" Krona declared. "So scaring them into stopping is out of the question and off the list!" Yellow Bright announced. "But what else can I do?" Moonshade Fright asked. "We tell the judges, because at the end of the day, whoever wins the competition will be decided by them!" Luster figured. "In case you hadn't noticed, it's night!" Yellow Bright reminded. "At the end of the day is how they usually say it, Yellow Bright." Evergreen informed. "I knew that!" Yellow Bright quickly responded. "If Yellow Bright knew that, why would he say 'in case you hadn't noticed, it's night'?" Krona asked and quoted what her earth pony Best Friend said. "Guys, we don't have time! We got six competition-addicted teens to stop!" Luster snapped every creature out of the distraction conversation, leading them back to town. Meanwhile, the six teens' might against each other had worsened; both teams were scaring each other, and stealing each other's things, resulting in chaos. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but this is total chaos going on here." Buffer commented as he watched the teenagers fight. "Without Discord to complete the dessert." Volcano added, "And what I said was an idiom, so the meaning is different from the literal meaning." "We know that idioms are like that." Buffer quickly replied. "This competition really got them carried away!" Evergreen stated. "Not for long!" Moonshade Fright announced, as she led Rainbow Dash to the scene to witness the events. "You...are...not...kidding..." Rainbow Dash uttered, unable to believe what she was seeing. "I cannot believe it at all!" Rarity, dressed as a vampire, said out loud. "So that's what you're dressed as that is meant to be a surprise?!" Volcano sarcastically asked upon seeing Rarity in her costume. "They got carried away, wanting their haunted houses to be scarier than the others!" Alkali claimed. "Which turned into scaring each other!" Krona contributed. "And even worse, stealing from each other!" Yellow Bright added. "And in this case, stealing is very wrong..." Moonshade Fright stated. "That gets them disqualified!" Rainbow Dash claimed. "Absolutely!" Rarity added. "Sorry, teenagers Charla, Tricks, Ivory, Chartreux, Tyke, and Illumine! But you've gone too far, and did many wrongdoings!" Rainbow Dash shouted. "And because of all that, both of your team are disqualified from this year's competition!" Rarity declared. "WHAT?!" all six teenaged ponies asked in unison. "Sorry, but you've gone too far, and therefore, you're disqualified." Rainbow Dash plainly informed. "And scaring each other for the fun of it?! That is absolutely horrid!" Rarity remarked. "And you got no creatures to blame except for yourselves!" Rainbow Dash went on. "Because you yourselves did all the actions that led to this happening!" Rarity continued. "And every creature is equally to blame." Moonshade Fright finished, approaching the scene herself, with her Best Friends behind her. "Moonshade right! You got the judges to disqualify us?!" Tyke angrily asked. "We all did." Luster corrected, as she and the rest of her best friends leapt closer to Moonshade Fright behind the latter. "Because fighting fire with fire doesn't solve the problem. So I can't...I mean, we can't use scaring to get you to stop, because your desire to scare each other is what caused the competition to get you carried away, so we got the judges to see your wrongdoings themselves, in order to get you to stop." Moonshade Fright explained, "Because getting you to stop fighting and scaring each other is what has to be accomplished." "And make you realise that fighting fire with fire usually doesn't end well!" Evergreen contributed. "Look at how much damage it caused!" Krona went on. "You went on in a continuous fight!" Buffer added. "And stole and scare and could have gotten some creature hurt if it goes to an even higher level!" Luster added. "Maybe you all should go to the School of Friendship to settle down?" Volcano suggested. "What?! NO! We love our school!" the six teenagers protested. "Then all six of you should get along with each other, and stop being rivals." Luster declared as she stood perpendicular to the middle of the two opposing teams. "And look at it this way, once ou put aside your differences, you'll have new friends!" Alkali cheerfully told the teenagers. "And lesser enemies!" Yellow Bright concluded. "Well, when you put it that way...we might want to stop being rivals..." Illumine spoke up. "And we might like a team of six friends, so we can experience something like the friendship between the Council of Friendship..." Ivory stated. "And we might like to get to be part of a big group of friends like you, Heroic Ten!" Tricks went on. "We wouldn't say big, we mostly will say large." Volcano corrected. "Anyways, if you want to try getting along, we'd like to help you with that." Luster added. The scene changed to show the six teenagers getting along with the Heroic Ten members nearby, as Luster narrated her letter for Princess Twilight Sparkle. Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle, This Nightmare Night, my best friends and I came across six teenaged ponies who would like to tell you what they have learnt on this year's Nightmare Night. Fighting fire with fire does not usually end with good results, which is quite true as their constant scaring and stealing and trying to beat each other efforts just kept n worsening things and taking their competition war level up higher and higher until we got the judges to see how carried away they got, and disqualify them to stop their competition. My Best Friend Sunshine Rays, as her alter-ego Moonshade Fright, learnt the same lesson that fighting with fire usually does not solve the problem when she tried to scare the six teenaged ponies into stopping, since scaring is what the six teenagers were doing that is wrong, scaring them cannot be the solution. Although there might be a few cases where fighting fire with fire works, we cannot let that make us think that it is the solution to our problems. Signed, your faithful student, Luster Dawn Soon, the eight creatures returned to the Castle of Friendship, while commenting on what they knew from their recent escapade. "It was great to see that those two trios made peace with each other!" Moonshade Fright commented. "And share a little trivia about themselves..." Alkali went on. "And who knew that Chartreux was named after his dad's favourite breed of cats?!" Krona added. "And we did another heroic deed, as we did what was right!" Luster ended, as she opened the castle doors with her magic. "You're back!" Nature Bloom greeted. "Yes we are." Evergreen replied. "And we can really take a nap." Yellow Bright yawned. "So, hw was Nightmare Night for you guys? Nothing too exciting nor out-of-the-ordinary for a common Nightmare Night every year?" Falcon Dive asked, causing the eight creatures to gulp. "Well, it can be very different from last years..." Buffer answered. "But maybe we can get Head-mare Starlight and Vice Head-stallion Sunburst to be in charge of giving out goodies next year! So you and Nature Bloom can join us, and we'll have all ten out of ten of us having fun!" Volcano suggested. "That will be epic, but I'm still wondering what I've missed..." Falcon Dive replied. "Should we tell him?" Luster asked the others. "Well, if we didn't, there's still some other creatures who could, so..." Krona plainly said before the scene changed to show the outside of the castle of Friendship a little while later... "WHAT?! I MISSED AN ESCAPADE DEALING WITH FIGHTING TEENAGERS?! AND ALL THE ACTION, ROUNDING UP, LOOKING OUT FROM THE SKIES, AND SNEAKING AROUND?! HOW CAN..." Falcon Dive complained loudly.
20. Return of the MolesAuthor's Note Return of the Moles serves as the twentieth episode of the series. Summary: When Spike got trapped in a deep underground cavern, Princess Twilight Sparkle instructed the Heroic Ten to find a colony of moles to help rescue him. Featured Characters: Echo, a big brown bat who uses echolocation and relies on hearing more than sight like big brown bats in real life. Falcon Dive was separated from him for many years until they reunited shortly after the Heroic Ten's graduation in How the Magic of Friendship Grows, Part Two. King of the Moles, the current ruler of the moles' underground kingdom, and descendant of Princess Celestia's old friend, a previous leader of the moles. At first, he was portrayed to be stern and strict and very unwilling to go adobe ground, due to the mistake his colony made during Celstia's reign which led them to their hiding. But after hearing what Sunshine Rays and Luster Dawn said, he changed and became warmer to others, and willing to help others above the ground. 20. Return of the Moles In the throne room at Canterlot Castle, Princess Twilight Sparkle was pacing around, waiting for something. "Oh, where are they?!" the alicorn asked out loud, just before the door opened. "Your highness, your guests are here, and they've been checked, and none of them are imposters." Gallus informed. "Thank goodness they are! Hurry, let them in." Princess Twilight Sparkle instructed. "Of course, your Majesty." Gallus replied, allowing the Heroic Ten to enter. "Your Majesty." the ten creature bowed before Twilight. "Luster, you and your best friends are doing the right thing to be so respectful towards royalty like me, but right now, I'm afraid there is no time for bowing." Twilight informed. "Wait, there isn't?!" Luster asked in a shocked time. "Next time, she I summon you all for an emergency, we can skip the usual, formal greetings." Princess Twilight Sparkle told the Heroic Ten. "Then why didn't you say so when you sent that letter?" Evergreen asked out of curiosity. "I...was too overwhelmed by my motions to think of that." Princess Twilight Sparkle sheepishly admitted. "That's alright, that could happen to any creature!" Alkali remarked. "It's better late than never, and the correct word is 'can', as in 'that can happen to any creature', because it still can happen." Volcano corrected. "Back to the main point, the reason I summoned you all is..." Princess Twilight Sparkle began, before announcing after a short halt, "My Royal Advisor and Friendship Ambassador Spike, is missing!" All ten creatures gasped in unison to hear the news, before the series' theme song intro played. "Royal Advisor Spike missing?!" Krona asked. "How can that be?!" Buffer added. "I don't know, but one thing I do know, is there is no way to get contact from him, as I can send him letters, but he can't send any to me." Princess Twilight Sparkle explained. "Why won't he be able to contact you?" Yellow Bright asked. "He might have lost his quit and have no way to write," Princess Twilight Sparkle figured, "And something else I do know, is Spike is supposed to come back to Canterlot from Klugetown last night, but he didn't." "Then why didn't you send your guards out to find him?" Sunshine Rays asked. "I did send my guards out, but they found no clues of here Spike could be." Princess Twilight Sparkle explained, resulting in another gasp being heard as the Heroic Ten gasped in unison. "How can there be...no clues at all?" Nature Bloom asked. "Are they sure that there are 0 clues?!" Falcon Dive asked. "They found nothing that can lead to Spike, nor a theory to what could have happened." Princess Twilight Sparkle responded. "Maybe the guards aren't good enough!" Krona could not help but say, making the other Heroic Ten members express shock. "Don't say that, Krona!" Buffer told her at once. "We are horribly sorry to every creature that statement Krona just said can insult..." Nature Bloom apologised. "That's alright, I mean, at least you were honest and let us know what you were thinking. And by the way, that is not the most insulting as saying that some creature is bad!" Princess Twilight pointed out. "Next time Krona, just say that the guards, or whoever you are talking about, needs to be even better!" Nature Bloom informed. "Got it, and sorry about the insult!" Krona sheepishly apologised. "Back to the main point, Royal Advisor Spike went missing, and there aren't any clues to where he could have gone?!" Volcano asked. "That's what we've been saying for a while." Princess Twilight nodded. "Should we hire a detective?" Luster suggested. "Rarity is out of the question because she's currently too busy, and might get too worried about Spike. I got a lot of duties to do today, so I'm off the list, too. And even if I did hire detectives, Spike might know nothing about them to know that they aren't imposters. So that leaves all ten of you to be suitable candidates for the mission." Princess Twilight Sparkle explained. "But, what can Spike know about us to know that we aren't imposters?!" Sunshine Rays asked out loud. "You can tell him what you all gave him as birthday presents for his last birthday, although you gave it to him late, a few days after the day you graduated?" Princess Twilight Sparkle reminded. "Right..." Luster chuckled in embarrassment as she remembered the late presents-giving. "I remember I gave him a Power Ponies comic set, because he is a fan of Power Ponies, according to his wife Rarity." Falcon Dive declared. "I gave him a notebook to write things down so he won't forget them." Sunshine Rays added. "I gave him a very soft, smooth blanket because I figured that a busy creature like him can use good sleep, so...why not give him a blanket that is very comfortable?" Nature Bloom contributed. "I gave him a stop watch to time things, because I thought it would be helpful." Evergreen contributed. "I gave him a Treasure Chest I made from a fallen tree, a skill I learnt at one of the School of Friendship field trips. Back to the main point, I made him a Treasure Chest because I know that he loves to eat gems, and since gems are valuable treasures, a Treasure Chest will be the perfect container to contain them!" Alkali recalled. "Krona remember that she gave Royal Advisor Spike a dumb-bell to practice being strong!" Krona declared. "I gave Like some earmuffs to protect his ears from loud noises, or to keep them warm in cold temperatures." Buffer explained. "I gave Spike a supply of scrolls, quits and ink bottles because I know that since he's the Royal Advisor and Friendship Ambassador, he will need to write a lot of letters!" Volcano stated. "I gave Spike a crystal that I learnt to make at my old school during a science experiment, because crystals shine, and I thought they can get him to look on the bright side!" Yellow Bright claimed. "I gave him a set of notes that tell him what makes him a hero before he became your Royal Advisor those years when he lived in Ponyville with you." Luster informed, "Like, the time when he stood up for King Thorax at the risk of his own reputation in the Crystal Empire, or the time he..." "I know that he's a great dragon friend, Luster." Twilight interrupted, "And we cannot give up on making sure that he is alright. If you ten find him, you can tell him what you gave him fr his last birthday, and he most likely will be convinced that you are the real you." "Because no creature except him and us know what we gave him for his last birthday!" Yellow Bright said. Princess Twilight Sparkle cleared her throat, causing Yellow Bright to correct his latest sentence, "And Princess Twilight Sparkle, the Ruler of Equestria who succeeded Princess Celestia, and was around to hear what the Heroic Ten said that they gave Royal Advisor Spike on his previous birthday..." Princess Twilight Sparkle giggled, "No need to put things that way, Yellow Bright. But let's not get off-topic once again, you need to find Spike, and make sure he's alright! And bring him back to Canterlot!" "I believe I have an old friend who can help, your Majesty." Falcon Dive claimed. "That is wonderful Falcon Dive, if whoever that friend is isn't busy at the moment." Princess Twilight Sparkle replied. "But that friend has got to be willing to help!" Sunshine Rays remarked. "Don't worry, I'm talking about Echo." Falcon Dive replied. "You mean Echo the big brown bat?" Evergreen asked. "Yup, my childhood friend and classmate, who...got separated from me when his family moved. He reunited with me after we graduated that day, by approaching me not long after our moment of fame was over." Falcon Dive nodded. "He sure was happy to see you again after all those years of separation!" Alkali commented. "And we never lost touch again!" Falcon Dive added. "And I remember you said that Echo uses echolocation, like common bats." Volcano recalled. "He totally does! And by the way, whenever you ask him if he had seen something, you should ask him if he had heard something, because he relies on listening more than seeing!" Falcon Dive informed. "And since he uses listening..." Buffer began. "In this case, echolocation, he does not need things to be in the line of sight to find them! So even if Spike is hidden among opaque objects, Echo can still locate him!" Luster finished. "Unless there's vacuums, because vacuums prevent sound from going through! Sound needs a medium to travel, as the sound energy is transferred from the one end to another by the particles of the medium colliding with each other!" Volcano explained. "Are the chances of having vacuums in the place, really that much?" Yellow Bright asked. "Anyway, I think Echo will be more than helpful enough to help you find Spike. So please, get Echo, and all the help you can get! And contact me about what yo find out!" Princess Twilight Sparkle instructed. "We're on it, your Majesty!" Luster saluted. The scene changed to show the Heroic Ten and Echo arriving in Klugetown. "We're here every creature, Klugetown, where Royal Advisor Spike was last seen and known to be in." Luster declared. "Can you locate him, Echo?" Alkali asked. "I will try my best, but I don't think it's easy with all the extra noise!" Echo answered. "I see...I mean, I hear...what you mean..." Nature Bloom responded. "No kidding, it's as noisy as a marketplace!" Sunshine Rays commented. "That's because this is a marketplace! Klugetown is both a town for creatures to live in, and a huge town for shopping!" Volcano explained. "Do you think we should ask the creatures here if they saw Royal Advisor Spike recently?" Yellow Bright asked. "Are you kidding, Princess Twilight Sparkle said that there are no clues at all to finding where the royal advisor had gone to! Asking is so off the list!" Falcon Dive responded to Yellow Bright's question. "But it never hurts to ask!" Krona pointed out. "I have to agree with Krona, plus, not asking might cost us a clue." Buffer added. "Alright, before we really go into the search for the royal advisor ourselves, we're going to ask around for help, as in, ask the creatures we run into whether they saw the Royal Advisor these 2 days or not. We'll split up, and regroup here at the Train Station by 1 afternoon." Luster instructed. "Excuse me, have you seen Royal Advisor Spike these 2 days?" Evergreen asked an Earth Pony, while levitating a photo of Spike for him to see. The Earth Pony shook his head, which meant that his answer was 'no, he had not seen Spike'. "Well, thanks for answering anyway!" Evergreen quickly responded, before turning towards an elderly female Klugetown resident that resembled a pig, "Excuse me, have you seen Royal Advisor Spike these 2 days?" "Royal Advisor Spike?! Why would he be here in Klugetown if he lives in Canterlot, far away?!" the Klugetown resident asked. "Anyway, thanks for your answer." Evergreen quickly took off, before noticing Echo above her, asking the Klugetown residents who live in the upper floors of th ebuildings. "Excuse me, but did you see Royal Advisor Spike these 2 days?" Echo asked, while flapping his wings and holding the photo of Spike with his right foot. The Klungetown resident shook his head, leading to Echo's response, "Thanks, anyway!" "Echo knows what they do without seeing?!" Evergreen asked herself, softly. "Of course I know what they do, without even seeing it!" Echo flew down and landed right in front of Evergreen. "Echo, you heard me?!" the Kirin asked. "Of course I did, bats can hear sounds a lot softer than what most common animals and creatures can!" Echo replied. "But what about knowing what others are doing when you're not even seeing?" Evergreen asked "Bats use echolocation to identify where things and living creatures are, so even when the living creature is running, the bat will know where the former's going, and what the former's doing!" Echo explained, "So bats can also detect movements!" "That's really interesting!" Evergreen commented, before asking, "But, can you detect what time the clock is showing?!" "Unless there's a vacuum sealing up the clock's face, yes, I can." Echo answered. "Echo, Evergreen, you two better continue asking, because so far, no creature gave me a helpful answer." Falcon Dive told them, as he flew down. "Wait, you got zero clues so far, too?" Evergreen asked. Falcon Dive nodded, "Every creature I asked gave an answer of 'no', or 'why would he be out here?', not what were looking for." Falcon Dive explained. "Don't like to say this but, if we don't get anywhere close to finding Spike, we're going to let Princess Twilight Sparkle down." Evergreen sadly said. "WHAT?! No, we cannot let the princess down! She trusted us! We have got to find Royal Advisor Spike! We must!" Falcon Dive declared. Soon, the Heroic Ten and Echo regrouped at the Train Station, at the exact time 1 o'clock in the afternoon. "So, did any creature find something useful?" Luster asked. "Krona didn't find anything!" Krona reported. "Well, I did find out that some creatures last saw Spike on his way to the Train Station here..." Buffer stated. "And, is that all?" Sunshine Rays asked. "No, there's more, some creature else said that he saw Spike flying away from the Train Station, around 15 minutes before the train arrived." Buffer added. "Why would the royal advisor fly away from the Train Station, when he was going to take the train home, anyways?" Krona asked. "Are you sure that's him?" Yellow Bright asked. "Well, some creature said that Royal Advisor Spike himself decided to fly up to see if he can spot the train, because he is getting tired of waiting and not knowing when the train is going to arrive'. So that's why the royal advisor flew away from the Train Station." Buffer explained. "Anything else?" Volcano asked. "They say that the royal advisor was seen flying away, but not coming back to the Train Station." Buffer answered. "That is strange." Luster said. "And I doubt that Royal Advisor Spike will want to fly all the way from Klungetown to Canterlot under the hot sun!" Sunshine Rays added. "Who'd be crazy enough to do something like that?!" Falcon Dive asked. "Anyway, if Spike flew away from the Train Station and did not come back, maybe something happened to him after he flew away!" Evergreen figured out. "And that something...unfortunately, isn't something very good..." Yellow Bright added. "Alright, we know that Spike flew away from the Train Station to see if he can spot the train coming, and did not come back, but which way did he go?" Luster asked. "The opposite direction of the train from Klungetown to Canterlot is heading." Buffer answered. "Then that's the direction we should go in!" Luster declared. "I can't believe the Royal Guards said that they did not find a single clue! I mean, we found some very effective clues!" Alkali remarked. "The clues we found are useful, Alkali. But maybe they aren't useful enough..." Volcano figured. "What do Volcano mean, clues aren't useful enough?! They're getting Krona and friends somewhere!" Krona asked. "We only know that Spike flew away in this direction and disappeared! He might have changed his direction or even landed somewhere..." Volcano explained. "And this area is huge!" Nature Bloom commented. "Finding the royal advisor will be finding a needle in a haystack!" Falcon Dive commented. "And that is indeed, an idiom." Volcano responded, "Finding a needle in a haystack means extremely difficult to find." "Stand back, every creature. Let me try to hear if I can find Spike or not." Echo announced, before producing some sound waves. "Interesting, Echo's using echolocation! I never got to see an expert echolocation user using the said process until now!" Volcano exclaimed. "Volcao, you better keep quiet so Echo can focus!" Falcon Dive hushed. "Oh, right. Sorry...just can't help myself..." Volcano apologised. "I hear something." Echo said, before sending out some sound waves into the ground, "I hear...the royal advisor breathing! And not just any breathing, he's breathing in a way that I can tell that he's scared! Scared that he will never get out!" "Out? From where?!" Alkali asked. "The underground caverns, he's trapped somewhere down there!" Echo answered. "But, how did the royal advisor get down there in the first place?" Krona asked. "Don't know, but he's somewhere deep. Very deep underground! And he's injured!" Echo informed. "Take us to the sight that is perpendicular to where he is, Echo! If you can." Luster pleaded. "Sure thing. I always wanted to help out like you ten!" Echo replied, before flapping his wings to lift himself off the ground and fly towards the location. "Royal Advisor Spike is...down there?" Nature Bloom asked, as the creatures gathered around a hole in the ground. "Indeed, about 500 meters down, as accurate as I can get." Echo nodded. "What are we waiting for?! Let's go rescue him!" Falcon Dive asked, preparing to swoop in. "Falcon, wait!" Echo quickly called, stopping the griffon. "The tunnel down can get narrower and narrower, you can get stuck like the royal advisor is right now!" Echo warned. "And it is already bad enough to have one creature trapped down there!" Buffer added. "Two creatures getting trapped?! I don't even think that you want to think about that!" Volcano contributed. "But the holes look wide enough for me to fit through!" Falcon Dive commented. "Looks can be deceiving!" Sunshine Rays warned. "Sunshine's right, you know. There are many times when looks can be deceiving, like for example, what may appear to look like a larger piece of land, can actually not be larger?" Evergreen stated an example. "So what appears to be a hole you can fit through, might not be a hole that you can fit through for real!" Yellow Bright concluded. "Maybe if we made the hole bigger, we can all fit though!" Luster figured. "Don't look at me! I may have eaten gems before, and cleared up a boulder with my jaws, but there is no way I'm crazy enough to taste dried soil!" Volcano protested. "Don't worry about that Volcano, I'm not even going to ask you to use your jaws like the time you cleared that boulder! Besides, you took a long time to clear that boulder, there is no telling how long you will take to clear 500 meters times an area, amount of soil!" Luster assured. "You might take weeks to clear that much!" Alkali exclaimed. "That is way too long." Evergreen commented. "Princess Twilight isn't going to be alright waiting for weeks!" Krona commented. "And I don't even think Royal Advisor Spike can survive that long without for and water! Sorry if I was too negative, thinking about something like that!" Buffer apologised. "That's alright Buffer, even I know that there is no way positively thinking that he can survive without living thing needs for weeks will work! Reality is still reality! What you think is still what you think!" Yellow Bright assured. "What if we all try digging down 500 meters?" Nature Bloom asked. "And because there is 11 of us, we can get the work done in 1 out of 11 times the time compared to when just 1 of us works!" Luster added. "Let me calculate..." Volcano began, "Let's say 1 of us takes 110 hours to dig down 500 meters. If all 11 of us do it, we will get it done in 10 hours, which is 1 out of 11 times the number!" "Let's see how long it takes for al 11 of us to dig down 1 meter. We can use that time to assume how long it will take for us to dig down 500 meters!" Luster suggested. The scene changed to show what happened once the 11 creatures reached 1 meter down. "We took...25 minutes to dig down to 1 meter!" Luser gasped. "So, we can use 25 minutes per meter to see how long it takes for us to reach 500 meters!" Alkali figured. "25 times 500...12500 minutes! That's...12500 over 60 hours...208 and 1 over 30 hours. That's 8 and 2 over 3 days." Volcano calculated. "But that is still too long." Evergreen commented. "And Krona does not think that any creature can survive without food and water for that long!" Krona exclaimed. "And what is even worse is, there is no way we can work that long without sleeping and eating! We have got to rest and eat and take breaks so we won't suffer from the effects of having a lack of them! And if we did take some breaks, we're going to take even longer to reach 500! And that can mean double the time! Or even triple, or quadruple!" Volcano informed. "Well, we don't have days to get Royal Advisor Spike out! We got to do it today!" Luster declared. "But you heard Volcano, at the rate we're going, we'll never make it!" Sunshine Rays told the unicorn. "Maybe Princess Twilight Sparkle can think of something, or know some creature who can help us!" Luster said, taking out a scroll and a quill. Back in Canterlot, the royal guards opened the doors for an exhausted Princess Twilight Sparkle, who trotted to the dining table after morning's work. "I can't believe that Still got afternoon to take care of, even when I've been doing lots of work since ages!" the alicorn said to herself, just a second before Luster Dawn's letter arrived. "A letter from Luster!" Princess Twilight Sparkle said, before using her magic to unfold the letter and silently read what it said. Back with the creatures... "The princess is busy! Are you sure she has time to read and write a reply?" Sunshine Rays asked Luster. A second after the sentence was finished, the reply letter magically came to Luster, who asked, "You were saying?" "Just forget and get over that..." Sunshine Rays plainly answered. Luster used her magic to unfold the letter and read out, "Dear Luster, you and your best friends have done well in locating Spike is, even though you can't get to him at the moment." "She's got a point, knowing where the royal advisor is but not being able to get to him, is better than not knowing where the royal advisor is, and not being able to get to him!" Yellow Bright commented, before Luster continued. "I am glad that you informed me about the situation rather than try to dig your way to him yourselves, knowing that you will not make it in time." "Of course we will not make it in time! There is no way any creature can dig down 500 meters in less than half day!" Volcano stated before Luster was given time to carry on reading. "I believe that I know some creatures who can help him, only if they can be found." "If they can be found? What does that mean?" Nature Bloom could not help but ask. "Most likely it means that we have to find them?" Sunshine Rays answered. "These creatures are called the moles," Luster read, before being interrupted again. "Moles?! Heard that those little mammals are blind!" Krona could not help but exclaim. "Krona!" Nature Bloom hushed. "Sorry, just honestly saying Krona's thoughts out loud!" Krona apologised while whispering. "They have the special ability of digging up huge volumes of dirt in a single second." Luster read. "Wow! And I thought sea ponies are the most amazing creatures there are as the best swimmers Equestria knows that they can talk to and have!" Alkali commented. "Can we just let Luster read the rest of the letter, uninterrupted?" Buffer asked. "Whoops! Sorry, just can't help but say our thoughts out loud!" Alkali apologised. "They are the best at digging and making underground tunnels, and that makes them the best creatures for the job. Long ago, during Celestia's reign, and centuries before the return of Nightmare Moon, the moles were helpful allies of Equestria, helping to build tunnels throughout the kingdom, and their leader was great friends with Princess Celestia. But, the moles disappeared after the attack of Conquer, an evil sorcerer who wanted to conquer every place he knows! Princess Celestia had never seen the moles ever again since then, and gave up the search. I found this information this morning when I was cleaning up the restricted section of the Canterlot Library, and you will never believe how well-hidden it is! Back to the main point, the moles are known to reside in Moles' Mountain before their disappearance. That must be where you should start your search." Luster read. "Moles' Mountain?" Evergreen asked. "How do we find that place?" Sunshine Rays added. "And what's that at the other side of the scroll?" Yellow Bright asked, causing Luster to flip he letter and look at what was on the back. "It's a map to Moles' Mountain!" she cried. "It looks very...old." Volcano commented after taking a look. "Must be because the moles disappeared centuries ago!" Nature Bloom reminded. "In that case, will visiting their centuries-abandoned home be a good idea?" Sunshine Rays asked, "I mean, what clues can we find there?!" "I believe that the site is still a good place to start the search despite the fact it was abandoned for hundreds of years, because that's the only site known to have last traces of the moles! I mean, if the moles left that place, they must have packed up their things and left! So that must be the last place they were before they disappeared!" Volcano explained. "The dragon's right, every creature." Echo told the others, "We start our searches at the place with the last traces." The scene changed to show what the eleven creatures see when they arrived at Moles' Mountain; nothing except a natural, trees and plants growing all over the place habitat for birds, reptiles and small mammals. "This isn't so bad, full of plans and animals, everything better than the ghost town Mount Aris was when Princess Twilight Sparkle and the Council of Friendship first visited there when they journeyed beyond Equestrian to save it from the Storm King!" Nature Bloom commented, "No offence to those who take Mount Aris very seriously." "None taken! I'm not even offended! Though, I do take Mount Aris seriously as I lived there for longer than I have not been living there!" Alkali responded. "It's also your birthplace?" Volcano reminded. Suddenly, Evergreen tripped on something hard, catching every creature else's attention as she fell onto the ground. "Evergreen! Are you alright?!" Yellow Bright asked in a concerned tone as he rushed to help his Kirin Best Friend up. "Hey, that's one of the few times I've ever heard your tone being a concerned one instead of a joke." Sunshine Rays commented. "As if that's important." Krona plainly responded to the comment made by Sunshine. "I'm alright besides getting dirt on my knees." Evergreen assured, "But I tripped on something hard." Alkali dug up the dirt, revealing a stone in the shape of a cooking pot. "A cooking stone pot!" the hippogriff exclaimed, pulling the object out of the soil. "Don't you mean a stone cooking pot? A cooking pot made of stone, and not a cooking stone pot, a pot for cooking stone?" Volcano asked. "I doubt that all these animals will use stone cooking pots, and most likely, they will not even make stone cooking pots! Because they do not need to cook their food! They can just eat it!" Nature Bloom stated. "Then, who could have made the stone cooking pot?" Buffer asked. Luster thought for a while, before gasping, "The Moles!" "Of course! Like us creatures, the Moles lived in a village!" Falcon Dive exclaimed, "Or a town...or a...settlement?!" "Or maybe you should use the word 'colony' and avoid having to make a hard decision." Volcano figured. "This cooking pot is a sign that says the Moles used to be here, alright." Luster declared, levitating the pot. "But not a sign of which way they could have gone!" Sunshine Rays responded. "Echo, can you find any other clues left behind by the Moles around the area?" Luster asked. "I will try my best." Echo nodded, before he began using his echolocation. "I hope that the clues aren't destroyed from the many changes." Volcano told his best friends. "What do you mean by destroyed by the many changes? There's just many more animals and plants all around here! How can a change like that destroy the clues?!" Falcon Dive asked. "Other than plants and animals, there might have been climate change, bringing in some natural disasters like storms or forest fire caused by lightning." Volcano explained, "Any natural disaster might destroy a clue, especially when the clue is left centuries ago, unlike dinosaur fossils that are a lot deeper underground and secured from most natural disasters, because they were left behind millions of years ago, way longer than centuries!" Volcano explained. "So you're saying that there are a lot of chances that most of the clues are...destroyed?" Nature Bloom asked. "Something like that." Volcano nodded. "But we need those clues to find the Moles!" Evergreen cried. "So they can dig Royal Advisor Spike out!" Krona ended. "Every creature! I found a tunnel! An underground tunnel!" Echo called, causing the Heroic Ten to rush over to where he was, looking at a hole in the ground. "How come this hole didn't get covered up in several centuries' time?" Volcano asked. "Maybe not all clues get destroyed?" Buffer suggested. "The tunnel goes down very deep, and there is a long tunnel that goes horizontally at the bottom!" Echo informed. "How does Echo know that?!" Krona asked. "Echolocation. Helps me know where things are, how they move, and even map a cave." Echo explained. "It's pretty cool to use listening after all!" Falcon Dive commented. "Can't believe it took a long time for us all to believe that." Sunshine Rays plainly replied. "If this tunnel goes a long way down and a long way away from the mountain, it most likely is the tunnel that the moles took when they left!" Luster figured. "But are we sure that this really is the tunnel? I mean, what if it's a decoy? Or..." Nature Bloom asked. "Decoy! Who do you think will want to make a decoy?!" Yellow Bright asked. "Maybe we should still go down this tunnel." Nature Bloom changed her mind. "But, not every creature can fit!" Krona pointed out. "Echo, can you tell which direction the horizontal tunnel leads to?" Luster asked. "Sure I can! Echolocation, remember?" Echo asked. "Right...echolocation." Alkali responded. "We better hurry, because the day will be ending in less than one eighth of a day!" Volcano alerted. "That's 3 hours!" Evergreen figured. "Can you just tell us directly and not leave a math puzzle for us to solve to find out what you mean?" an annoyed Sunshine Rays asked Volcano. "What?! Is it so wrong to get your brains all thinking?" Volcano asked, before they moved on, following behind Echo, who was flying the rest of the way. One and a half hours passed by and the 11 creatures finally reached the end of the line in an isolated-looking land full of plants and soil. "My echolocation tells me that there is a lot of caverns and tunnels underground here. Matter-of-fact, an entire kingdom down there!" Echo reported. "That must be the moles' kingdom!" Luster gasped, before happily explaining, "We found them!" "But we need to convince them to help us fast! Because we took 90 minutes to get here!" Falcon Dive informed. "Can you tell us in hours and minutes?" Volcano asked. "Are you trying to test my Math?" Falcon Dive asked the dragon. "Better not be unable to answer such a simple question like how many hours and minutes there are in 90 minutes!" Volcano responded. "Fine! The answer is 1 hour and 30 minutes!" Falcon Dive plainly answered. "We had les then 3 hours before!" Nature Bloom recalled. "If we took 1 hour and 30 minutes to get here..." Evergreen stated. "And took the same time to get back..." Krona added. "The day will probably be over!" Buffer concluded. "The sun will set, and it will be too dark to see!" Sunshine Rays cried. "Couldn't Luster just do the basic light-the-way spell?" Yellow Bright asked. "I can, but I doubt that it will be strong enough and last long enough to get the work done!" Luster replied. "Then we got to get to the moles, fast!" Falcon Dive declared. "Good news, speaking of moles, I'm picking up some of them very close to us! Right underneath those short plants!" Echo pointed his wing to the area of soil and said plants. "Wait a second, those plants in the soil look familiar..." Krona commented. "That's because they are familiar! They are root vegetables! Plants that grow underground! Several examples are carrots, turnip, radishes, yam, potatoes..." Nature Bloom listed before Luster cut her off. "Thanks for the information, Nature Bloom. But we don't really need it right now!" "And I thought I was the only creature to keep on telling you all some very interesting information!" Volcano commented. "At the times when they are not really needed!" Falcon Dive sarcastically remarked. "Sounds like the moles are pulling the root vegetables down towards them, as their way of harvest!" Echo informed. "But we harvest vegetables by pulling them up!" Yellow Bright reminded. "Looks like the moles don't want to come up above the ground!" Evergreen commented. "Are you sure 'looks' is the right word? I mean, they are underground, we can't even look at them!" Yellow Bright responded. "I wonder what it's like underground instead of underwater." Alkali remarked, "Maybe we should go down and take a look!" "But the soil is solid! While water is liquid! They may both be states of matter, but they are very different!" Volcano warned. "Right...solids have fixed volumes and fixed shape, while liquids have fixed volumes, but no fixed shape." Alkali stated. "Because?" Volcano asked. "Solid particles are held together by very strong forces of attraction, the particles are packed close together, in a regular, orderly manner, and the particles cannot move freely, so the solid has a fixed volume and fixed shape. Liquid particles have strong forces of attrition, weaker than hose in a solid, and the particles are close but are packed in an irregular manner unlike those in a solid, plus the particles can move freely unlike those in a solid, so liquids have definite volumes but not definite shapes." Alkali explained. "Good to see that you've remembered the entire thing!" Volcano commented. "This is not the time for these additional info that is not so useful nor needed! We got to get to the moles right now!" Luster declared. "Looks like there is no other way except dig." Sunshine Rays commented. "Then digging down it is!" Falcon Dive exclaimed, and was about to drill his way down into the soil, but was stopped by Luster who used her magic to pull onto his tail. "Sorry Falcon, it's just that. We have to get to them, but without destroying their properties! Like their tunnels and caverns!" Luster informed. "Yeah, destroying others' stuff is not best!" Krona declared. "And it mostly will never be the best!" Buffer added. "Then how else are we going to get down there?" Nature Bloom asked. "I believe I can help with that." Luster replied, before teleporting all 11 creatures down into the tunnel. In the underground tunnels, a few moles were loading up the root vegetables into some wooden wagons, a second before the 11 creatures appeared right before them, surprising them, causing them to scream, "aah! Intruders! Intruders!" "Intruders?" Nature Bloom whimpered. "They mean us." Sunshine Rays plainly informed. "And the meaning of intruders is some creature who intrudes, which means enter a place without permission." Volcano defined. "That's right! No creature except us moles are allowed in here!" a guard mole told the 11 intruder, pointing a stone sword at them. "A sword made of stone?! That's..." Falcon Dive was about to comment, but was prevented by Sunshine Rays. "Not very important to us!" "Nor good!" Krona cried. "Listen, we mean no harm. We were sent to find you to get your help!" Luster cried to the guards. "And who did send you here?" another guard asked. "The Ruler of Equestria..." Luster replied half way, as she was cut off by the guard who asked. "Princess Celestia?!" "Actually, Princess Celestia retired ages ago. Her graduated star student Princess Twilight Sparkle rules Equestria now and is the creature...or should I say, alicorn, who sent us here." Luster informed. "Because her royal advisor and friendship ambassador, who are the one same creature, Spike, is trapped deep underground!" Yellow Bright added. "We located him, but cannot reach!" Echo contributed. "We need some creature who can go very deep underground!" Buffer went on. "And Princess Twilight Sparkle believes that you moles are the creatures for the job!" Evergreen told the moles. "That's why she told us to find you to get our help!" Nature Bloom ended. The guard moles looked at each other, before turning back to look at the 11 outsiders, telling them, "In that case, you have to meet the King of the Moles. And tell him about it." "Just talk to him?!" Falcon Dive asked. "Talking can actually be a lot harder in this case, when you are trying to get the results you hope to get." Volcano informed. "We already came this far!" Nature Bloom cried. "Just 1 good conversation and everything will be over, Nature!" Evergreen assured. "Come on! How hard can talking to royalty be when we already did that lots of times with Princess Twilight Sparkle, the Ruler of our homeland, Equestria?" Yellow Bright asked. The scene then showed the King of the Moles, with the expression of some creature strict and stern, loudly saying, "NO!" to the 11 creatures' request. "No?!" Sunshine Rays asked. "But, why?!" Luster asked. "The moles can never show their faces to the outside world, nor any creature out there, ever again!" the king shouted. "There is actually no need to shout like that, your majesty." Buffer responded. "Because we all can hear you loud and clear!" Echo added. "Back to the main point..." Krona started. "Why won't you want to help save Royal Advisor Spike, your majesty?" Nature Bloom asked. "Princess Twilight Sparkle believes that you and your subjects are the right creatures to help!" Evergreen added. "Out of all the creatures she knows!" Falcon Dive contributed. "I already told you creatures, that the moles will never let themselves into the outside world, nor help any creature ever again!" the king declared. "Alright, now I'm starting to get waxy!" Sunshine Rays growled. "You are nothing like wax." Yellow Bright commented. "Actually, the word 'waxy' has more meanings than one. But I do not think that I will like to define what Sunshine meant in this kind of scenario!" Volcano cried. "That's 1 of the few times you are unwilling to define words! And matter-of-fact, it's the first time I ever see you not willing to define words!" Alkali remarked. "Enough with the small talk! You creatures should be going right away." the king ordered. "Before we go, your majesty. Can we please know why you and your subjects are so unwilling to show your faces outside your underground kingdom? I mean, according to history, your subjects loved helping Princess Celestia and her kingdom!" Luster asked. "That was a long time ago, and we're no longer the same kingdom we were back then." the king replied. "What if we promised not to tell any creature else why you and your subjects stay in your kingdom and never leaves it? Not even our closest friends, families, nor most trusted allies. Not even Princess Twilight Sparkle." Luster asked. "You all better keep that promise..." the king warned, sending shivers down the visitors' spines. "We promise." Echo answered, before the king explained through a story. "Long ago, the moles lived in Moles Mountain, which is just about a kilometre away from Equestria. Princess Celestia and my ancestor, the King of the Moles of that time were great friends, giving each other tips or even just chat as friends. As a result, they allowed their subjects to work together, or mostly, help each other, until one fateful day, the King and his subjects were digging a large underground storm shelter for the ponies like Princess Celstia asked for, when they heard some creature calling for help underneath them. They dug the creature out, but the creature turned out to have very evil intentions, as he was none other than the evil sorcerer, Conquer! Conquer was defeated by Princess Celestia and her ponies, but the moles could not help but feel extremely guilty for releasing Conquer in the first place,, causing all the trouble. Unable to show his face, the King decided that he and his subjects should move far away, and hid themselves underground, so no creature will see them ever again." "So that's why the moles disappeared after the attack of Conquer!" Krona exclaimed. "I cannot believe this!" Sunshine Rays marched up, "All because of that mistake, the King of the Moles of that time, thought that he and his subjects should hide forever?!" "Sunshine?" Falcon Dive asked. "It was more than a mistake! It was a disaster!" the king argued. "Just because your intentions of helping others caused trouble just that once, doesn't mean you should never help others again!" Sunshine Rays announced. "We don't want to make that mistake ever again! It made us feel so guilty!" the king cried. "You know what? I made lots of mistakes, too. Even after I became a famous heroine of Equestria and Beyond." Sunshine Rays admitted, "Once, I was too busy being moral to remember being nice, patient, diligent and all kinds of other virtues! I winded up being rude and scary to the public, and became some creature detestable!" "That time when she was trying to stop creatures from smoking!" Buffer informed. "But I fixed everything with the help of my best friends, and made up for that mistake. Don't you see? Hiding from your mistakes and hiding your faces after making a mistake that every creature knows, do nothing, and can even make it worse than before. But showing your face to to fix the damage and make amends is even better! Plus, think of how much better you will feel once every creature sees you and your subjects helping others again? Like real heroes would?" Sunshine Rays asked. "But what if we wind up releasing a criminal again? Or make another big, terrible mistake?" the king asked. "Then try to help every creature stop that criminal! Fixing the mistake is what counts!" Sunshine Rays replied. "But the moles can do nothing about Conquer right now." the king commented. "I know. But you can save Royal Advisor Spike like real heroes! And help others again to make amends! Big or small, your help is appreciated, and when you make mistakes...you should try to fix them and not hide from public because of it!" Sunshine Rays finished. "Wow, what a speech." Yellow Bright commented. "May not use much of examples, but I still believe that a speech like that can get an A grade!" Volcano remarked. "And one more thing. If you ever felt uncomfortable from making a mistake, you can trust the Heroic Ten to be there for you! To help!" Luster announced. "Now will you please help save the Ruler of Equestria's royal advisor?" Nature Bloom politely asked. "And friendship ambassador?" Krona added. "They are the one same creature." Evergreen informed. The king was silent for a while, before making his decision, "The moles will be happy to help Equestrian, once again." The sun was about to set as Luster teleported every creature right above Spike's position. "He's down there, about 500 meters deep." Echo confirmed after using his echolocation to check. "Alright, moles! Let's get digging!" the king ordered his subjects, causing them to dig down into the ground like a machine. "I'm going down there, too!" Luster announced, before leaping into the tunnel. "So the royal advisor will know that the moles are friends." Evergreen filled in for Luster. "Wow! They are the best diggers around!" Alkali exclaimed as she watched the moles drill a tunnel deep underground. "They are moles, after all." Volcano commented. "They're like a natural digging machine at this speed!" Yellow Bright exclaimed. "Talk about speed, I may be fast, but not at digging!" Falcon Dive added. "And not at learning how to follow the rules even when some creature is in need." Sunshine Rays stated. "They've gone pretty deep. Do you think they got the royal advisor, and are on their way back up?" Buffer asked, looking down into the tunnel. The next second, the ground shook as the moles appeared with Luster and Spike, coming out of the ground from a new hole they made nearby. "They made it!" Krona exclaimed. "Thanks for going through everything you went through to save me, Heroic Ten. You all really earn your team title." Spike complimented. "But...it was the moles who dug you out! Not us!" Nature Bloom reminded. "But if it weren't for you creatures to come and find us, and reason with us, we will never have done that in the first place!" the king pointed out. "I bet Princess Twilight Sparkle will be happy to see you all helping other creatures once again." Luser informed. "Indeed she will, and to learn the valuable lesson that we learnt from you heroes." the king replied. "What lesson?" Sunshine Rays asked. "That we should try to fix and make amends when we make mistakes that the public knows, not try to hide forever after making such mistakes. And we must never let such mistakes make us think that we should never help others ever again." the king stated. "I believe I can get that to Princess Twilight Sparkle. Once I get home..." Spike responded. "Don't worry, we'll get both the royal advisor and the message to the princess." Luster assured. "On the train!" Sunshine Rays added. "What?! More waiting?!" Falcon Dive complained. "Falcon?" Evergreen glared. "Alright...if every creature insists..." Falcon Dive replied, as they all started their walk to the Train Station.
22. Double ThinkAuthor's Note Double Think serves as the twenty-second episode of the series. Most of its events happens at the same time as the events of the previous episode, Neurotic Situation. Summary: Falcon Dive, Alkali, Volcano, Buffer and Krona travel to Appleloosa, where they work together with the Council of Friendship, after learning that the town is facing a water shortage problem. Featured Characters: Sheriff Bronze Rod, an Earth Pony who succeeded Sheriff Silverstar as the sheriff of Appleloosa. Acknowledgements: Information about melanin Wikipedia Melanin 22. Double Think Morning at Sweet Apple Acres was like the morning of every other day for the Apple Family; the sun was rising from the east side, shining light on all their crops, like usual sunny days. "Ah, another day at Sweet Apple Acres working with my family, what can be better?" Applejack asked, walking out of the Barn. "Earning for your family?" Caramel asked, walking up to his wife. "Sure thing, Caramel. Working and earning for working, I know hardworking always pays off." Applejack chuckled, just before Featherweight, the newspaper delivery pony landed right beside her. "Newspaper for the Apple Family of Sweet Apple Acres," the pegasus announced. "Thanks Featherweight," Caramel replied, before dropping bits to pay for the newspaper in Featherweight's empty hoof. "Have a nice day, Apples!" Featherweight responded, before taking off. "WHAT?! There's a water shortage at Appleloosa?!" Applejack could be heard saying out loud as she read the newspaper. Caramel walked over to see the same page his wife was looking at, reading out loud, "Appleloosa reservoir has around 10 litres left by yesterday, and the water level is decreasing fast!" "My cousin Braeburn and some of my Apple Family relatives are in trouble with this happening! I got to go check on them!" Applejack declared, as she was about to pack up and leave. "Wait! Are you going alone?" Caramel asked. "Not alone, Caramel, because this is a problem that the rulers of Equestria have to face...together." Applejack answered. After the series' theme song intro played, the Council of Friendship could be seen gathering in the Throne Room. "This is very serious, every creature." Princess Twilight Sparkle declared, "Many creatures in Appeloosa will suffer from the water shortage!" "Including little animals and critters!" Fluttershy dded. "No problem, I can just go to Cloudsdale and ask for a few clouds to make rain over the reservoir." Rainbow Dash figured. "But we still have to go there and check everything out for ourselves." Princess Twilight Sparkle stated. "And I have the perfect chance to wear my inspired-by-Appleloosa-culture country outfit!" Rarity declared, changing into an outfit with a cowgirl's hat, blue bandana scarf, and country clothes. "Rairty, I know you love fashion, but please don't forget the problem we have to solve." Spike told his wife. "Oh, right." Rarity sheepishly replied. "So what are we waiting for?! Appleloosa, here we come!" Pinkie Pie announced in her usual, hyperactive tone. The Council of Friendship rode on a huge chariot designed to fit all seven of them, pulled by four hippogriff royal guards. "This ride is divine!" Rarity squealed, as she allowed her Mae and tail to move as the wind blew on them. "Thanks for giving us a ride, Twilight." Fluttershy thanked the alicorn. Princess Twilight Sparkle giggled before answering, "What are best friends for, Fluttershy?" "Ooh, can we have a bigger chariot next time? To fit Cheesy, Lil'Cheese, and all our children and..." Pinkie Pie began asking, before being interrupted by Rainbow Dash. "We're here!" the pegasus announced, as the town of Appleloosa came into their sight. "Appleloosa, Equestria's Wild West town!" Applejack declared. "Things may have changed all over Equestria after Princess Celestia and Princess Luna stepped down, but Appleloosa is still the western country town it is!" Rarity stated. "Only, the town got bigger in terms of how much space it occupies for its buildings!" Spike corrected. "And many non-ponies moved in!" Fluttershy added. "Speaking of non-ponies, look at who's on their way to town!" Applejack cried, pointing at a group of creatures down below. "A black griffon, indigo with cyan mane hippogriff, a dark orange with light orange spikes dragon, a buffalo and a yak!" Pinkie Pie answered after looking at what her 'cousin' was pointing at. "They must be Luster Dawn's best friends, we've seen them before!" Princess Twilight Sparkle exclaimed. "But that's only five of their team, where's the other five including Luster?" Spike asked. "That's one of the things we're going to find out today." Princess Twilight Sparkle declared, before turning to the guards, "Please bring us down to the town." The royal guards silently followed the princess' instructions and landed in the center of town. From a far, the five Heroic Ten members could see the chariot with the Council of Friendship riding in it. "Is that a chariot?!" Krona asked. "It is, with the Council of Friendship riding in it!" Falcon Dive exclaimed. "Princess Twilight Sparkle must have heard about the problem and decided to come!" Volcano figured. "And a good thing, too! We can really use all the help we can get!" Alkali added. "Alkali's right, you know. A water problem is a problem that's tough to solve, and we can really use help solving tough problems." Buffer informed. "Hey, Heroic Ten! Great to see you out here!" Rainbow Dash called, approaching the five creatures by flight, before she landed in front of them to ask, "What are you doing here, without the other half of the Heroic Ten?" "The other half of the team is in Manehattan." Krona answered. "Because Yellow Bright's little sister needs a little personality fixing." Buffer added. "We heard about the Appeloosa water shortage problem by learning what was in the newspaper." Volcano informed. "And Luster figured that half the team should go to Appleloosa, while the other half stays!" Alkali ended. "Guess that's something good about having ten of you; being able to separate into two teams of five whenever you have to!" Rainbow Dash chuckled. "Yes, if you don't realise that six is also an even number that you can halve whenever you need to, and it's less than ten." Falcon Dive reminded. "Uh, if you don't realise that, there are seven members in the Council of Friendship, not six." Rainbow Dash pointed out. "Seven is a prime number, in other words, seven is a number that only has one and itself as its factors. So no matter what you try, you can't divide it into any teams, because a team needs at least two members to be called a team!" Volcano pointed out. "Thanks for the explaining, Volcano, but let's not forget why we're here." Buffer apprised. "Yeah, there's a water shortage problem!" Krona reminded. "And we came here to help!" Falcon Dive declared. "So have we, I mean, the Council of Friendship." Rainbow Dash claimed. "Then what are we waiting for?! Let's find out what's wrong with the water!" Alkali announced, running off towards the town with her four hippogriff legs. "Alkali, wait up!" Krona cried, as she and the others followed the hippogriff to the buildings. Meanwhile, in town, Fluttershy found some mice suffering from the heat and lack of water in town, right under the shadow of a building and next to the building's platform itself. "Oh, you poor little things," Fluttershy cooed, picking up the mice with her front fight hoof and gently stroking them with her front left hoof. "Appleloosa is certainly hot today!" Rarity cried, while using her magic to levitate a fan to fan herself, "I sure am glad that I left my usual black dress at home." "You are lucky to make the right choice!" Volcano's voice could be heard saying, as he, Alkali, Falcon Dive, Buffer and Krona stepped into town and sight. "Because dull, dark colours like black are better absorbers of heat than shiny, light colours like white. If you wore black under the hot sun and in a hot environment or hot surrounding, you are going to be heated up in fast!" the dark orange dragon explained. "Uh, Volcano? What about creatures who are black in colour?" Falcon Dive asked after looking at himself. "That's a different story depending on melanin, as in, how much melanin you have." Volcano answered. "I don't even know what melanin is!" Falcon Dive dramatically cried. "Melanin is a group of natural pigments in most organisms, like us creatures, and according to its chemical formula, it is a covalent compound because there are no metals, only non-metals. Melanin makes parts of the organism that has them darker, such as...whatever that's black. Plus, according to research, melanin may help protect the skin from UV rays and block processes in the body that can lead to skin cancer." Volcano explained. "Did I miss a class?" Alkali asked. "Guys, can't every creature focus on the crisis in Appleloosa?" Krona asked, reminding them why they were in town. "Oh, right! The water shortage crisis." Rarity stated. "Where's Luster? Doesn't she lead your team like how Twilight leads us?" Fluttershy asked, while still holding the mice in her front right hoof. "Luster and the rest of the Heroic Ten have a problem to fix in Manehattan, so only half the team comes here to help Appleloosa." Buffer answered. "Are you sure you can help, without your leader?" Fluttershy asked. "We were together for seasons before Luster joined us, I'm sure we can manage." Volcano assured. "Good, because we need all the help we can get." Princess Twilight Sparkle said, approaching the creatures, causing the five non-ponies to bow before her and say, "Your Majesty." "No need to bow now, every creature, because this is an emergency! There's no time to waste!" the alicorn cried. "Let me guess, the water is dropping fast?" Falcon Dive asked. "More like the water level is dropping fast." Alkali corrected. "It is, come look at the reservoir. There's not much water there." Princess Twilight Sparkle informed. At the reservoir, Applejack and her cousin Braeburn were looking down at the nearly completely dried out empty hole that contained Appleloosa's water. Pinkie Pie, as a 'relative' of the Apple Family, was there too. "This is a reservoir?! It looks like a giant well that's missing a giant bucket to pull up the water!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed. "It is the Appleloosa reservoir, Pinkie. And it's running out of water." Braeburn stated. "How can this happen?" Applejack asked. "That's what I'm trying to find out, Applejack. The water's never gone this low before." Braeburn replied. "Stand back, every creature! Rain for water for the reservoir coming up!" Rainbow Dash announced, before placing a cloud right over the hole and making it release water into reservoir, causing the water level to rise. "It's rising! It's rising!" Braeburn excitedly cried. The water from the cloud had ran out, stopping the water level's rise. A second later, the water level began decreasing, to the horror of the ponies. "The water's going down!" Applejack cried. "Could it be disappearing into thin air?" Pinkie Pie asked. "You mean, evaporating into water vapour." Alkali corrected, showing up with her best friends and Princess Twilight Sparkle. "I came from Mount Aris, and as a hippogriff on land and air, sea pony in the water, I should know the water cycle and water states by heart." Alkali spoke. "The Heroic Ten, I'm so glad you're here!" Braeburn cried. "Do you think we should be called that way even though not all ten members are present?" Buffer asked his fellow creatures. "As long as we're members of the said team, we probably will still be addressed that way." Volcano figured. "You all came to solve the problem, right?" Braeburn asked. "Yes, we are." Falcon Dive replied. "Then hurry up and think of something to fill the reservoir with water! Otherwise it might be nothing but a big hole in the middle of the land by sundown!" Braeburn panicked. "Thanks for the extra pressure!" Krona sarcastically thanked. "I'll get some more clouds." Rainbow Dash announced, before flying off. "What if the town runs out of water? The apple trees might not survive, and worst of all, every creature will have to move!" Braeburn sadly cried. "Don't worry, Braeburn, we'll do everything we can to stop that from happening!" Applejack assured. The sun shone even brighter the next second, causing Spike to comment, "Whoa, the sun sure is hot today out here!" "Indeed, like every other day this time of year!" Braeburn responded. "Wait second, just like every other day?!" Alkali asked. "Yup, there isn't much clouds to block it, matter of fact, there aren't much clouds in the sky as far as our eyes can see." Braeburn added. "No clouds mean more sunlight and more heat!" Volcano stated. "And more heat means more evaporation!" Alkali added. "And lesser water in the liquid state!" Buffer continued. "So you're saying that we're losing water because of the sun?" Braeburn asked. "More like because of the heat." Falcon Dive corrected. "Sweet Celestia! We all better shield ourselves with sunscreen!" Rarity cried, taking a bottle of sunscreen out of her country outfit's pocket and applying it on herself before passing it around with her magic. "Thanks for the sunscreen, Rarity. But I don't think that's what those mice I saw earlier use. I better go back and check on them." Fluttershy said before leaving. "Alright, back to the water situation. We figured that the heat is causing the water to evaporate quickly, which is why the water level is dropping." Volcano got every creature to focus on the main problem. "If this goes on, my family will be in serious trouble!" Buffer panicked. "And so will every creature else in Appleloosa!" Falcon Dive added. "I think I know what else makes the evaporation happen so fast." Alkali announced after flying right above the hole to a certain height that allowed her to see the whole thing. "What is it?" Pinkie Pie called. "The reservoir's base area!" Alkali answered. "She's right! Evaporation only occurs at the surface, so the more exposed surface area, the faster the evaporation, like your reservoir!" Volcano exclaimed. "The area must be huge! It might take days to measure!" Krona cried. "Do you know what the area of the reservoir is, Mr.Braeburn?" Buffer asked. "How will I know? No creature bothered to do that much calculations!" Braeburn replied. "Then what explains that you Appleloosa residents know how many litres of water the reservoir can store?!" Krona asked. "And make a number line from one trillion litres to zero litres down?" Falcon Dive asked as he flew down into the hole to see a zero mark. "Because when we filled it up the very first time, we counted how many litres we used, and when we reached one billion, we started a scale that goes up by the said number." Braeburn explained. "But a scale that goes up by 1 billions will make 100 and numbers less than that as tiny as a millimetre! How did the creature who figured out that the number was less than 100, did that?!" Volcano asked. "She was a scientist and an expert at math like you are." Braeburn answered. "Did she calculate the area the reservoir takes up?" Alkali asked. "Nope, she was in a rush to check the water reservoirs all over Equestria and Beyond! She didn't have a second to spare!" Braeburn responded. "Don't worry, I know by mathematics that the area of a circle like your reservoir is 3.141592654 times radius square, and radius is the length of the displacement from the centre of the circle to the circumference, its perimeter. Radius is also the half of the diameter. So all we have to do is wrap a rope around the circle and measure the rope, then use the measurement divide by the irrational number I just mentioned, then divide by 2 to find the radius, and once we find the radius, square it, then multiply it by 3.141592654 and we'll know the area!" Volcano explained. "Wow, you sure are one smart dragon." Spike commented. "So are you Spike, I heard that you knew your math very well for some creature or some dragon your age back before Princess Celestia and Princess Luna retired." Volcano reminded. "I just finished wrapping a rope all around the hole!" Falcon Dive called, holding a rope in his claws. "Wait a second, did you outline around it?" Volcano asked. "Yes, why did you ask?" Falcon Dive questioned. "Because you are supposed to go as accurately as possible! That means trace the hole by its shape right above it! Your outline around it made a circle with a different circle with a different circumference, different diameter, different radius, different area, different everything!" Volcano complained. "It's just a little difference, no creature will notice it!" Falcon Dive claimed. "But we do notice it." Applejack pointed out. "And this involves perimeter and area! More multiplication and division!" Volcano reminded. "Don't we round off to 3 significant figures or 1 decimal place all the time?" Falcon Dive asked. "For the final answer, Falcon Dive! If you kept rounding off every time before reaching your final answer, you'll get it all wrong!" Volcano called. "I don't see the point." Falcon Dive responded. "Does any creature here has something I can write on? And something to write?" Volcano asked. "Well, I have a pencil and my sketchbook for my designs, but since you need them, I will generously let you borrow them for as long as you need." Rarity responded, levitating the said materials out of nowhere. "Thanks, Madam Rarity. I'll return them to you shortly after I show some creature here how a little difference make a huge one." Volcano turned to look at Falcon Dive for a while when mentioning 'some creature', before turning back to the sketchbook in his claws. Turning to a blank page Volcano started, "Let's say we are trying to find an angle, and the only thing we know is that sine said angle is 8 over 9." "That's easy, to find the angle, sine inverse 8 over 9." Alkali stated. "Yes, but look at the answer, it's 62.73395555 degrees. If you round it off to 1 decimal place, you get 62.7!" Volcano explained. "Yes, we already know how rounding off goes." Falcon Dive responded, "If the number is in the range of 1 to 4, round down, in the range of to 9 round up." "Of course, but now I'm going to add 180 degrees to my answer, and compare it to adding 180 degrees to my rounded off answer. For the accurate answer, I get 242.7339555, rounding off that answer, I get 242.7, if I took the earlier rounded off answer, 62.7, I get 242.7, the same number as what I got with using the accurate then finally rounding off." Volcano explained. "See? You get the same answers!" Falcon Dive pointed out. "But what if I had to subtract 100.84 from them after this?" Volcano asked, before doing his calculations, "Subtract 100.84 from the accurate 242.7339555, is 141.8939555, then rounding off to 1 decimal place will get me a 141.9. But as calculations go with the early rounded off 242.7, subtracting 100.84 from it will give me 141.86." "The digit in the hundredths places of the numbers are different!" Alkali added. "But if you rounded 141.86 to 1 decimal place, you get 141.9, the same as what you got when you did accurate until the end!" Falcon Dive argued. "True, but let's see what happens when it's multiplication and division, what finding area is all about!" Volcano announced, "Now, I'm going to multiply both answers by 5, because 5 is the furthest from a 0 compared to all the other digits, being right in between the lower and the upper. Plus, since multiplying 2 already brings the number up to a ten, it probably is going to make some big changes!" "Continue." Buffer told his dragon Best Friend. "Alright, multiplying 141.8939555 by 5 will make 709.4697777, round it off to 1 decimal place is 709.5. But if I multiplied the earlier rounded off 141.9 multiply by 5, I will get 709.5?" Volcano went on, and was shocked to see that both numbers got to the same final answer. "I told you there's not much of a difference! Like making a circle a little bigger than the reservoir!" Falcon Dive proudly responded. "Come on Volcano, we got to move on to doing something! Not watch your calculations!" Applejack called. "Wait a minute every creature, I'm sure Volcano can prove to you how rounding off before your final answer can be different from rounding off once you arrived at your final answer!" Alkali assured. "Thanks Alkali, and I figured what went wrong, I shouldn't multiply by an integer, I should go even more accurate like an exam paper's question would!" Volcano informed, "I probably wasn't thinking straight to choose whole numbers, I wasn't thinking twice." "That's alright. Now fire away!" Alkali responded. "Going back to 141.89339555 degrees, only this time, multiplied by 5.55 and the result is 787.5114533. But if I multiplied 141.9 by 5.55 I get 787.545?! Rounding both answers off to 1 decimal place still gives me the same number; 787.5!" Volcano cried. "Volcano, we don't have more time to spare!" Braeburn informed. "Dividing them both by 16?! Oh...still the same rounded off final answer!" Volcano panicked. "I better go check on my family here." Applejack walked away. "So do I, as the leader of the Appleloosa's Apple Family!" Braeburn cried, following his cousin. "Wait every creature! I just realised that I should have used an example similar to the situation right in front of our eyes!" Volcano announced, stopping every creature. "You mean the area of the reservoir?" Pinkie Pie asked. "Yes, the same topic bout circles!" Volcano replied. "I knew that!" Pinkie Pie chirped. "Alright, not drawn to scale, here's a circle said to have a circumference of 10 centimetres, and another circle said to have the circumference of 10.01 centimetres, which is different from the former circle by just 0.01 centimetres." Volcano explained. "It's just 0.01 centimetres, it's not going to make much of difference!" Falcon Dive figured. "Are you sure about that? Because if I took 10 divided by 3.141592654 and got 3.183098862 and rounded off to 3.18 then halved it making 1.59 then square it, I get 2.5281 rounding that off, I get 2.53. Then multiply 2.53 by 3.141592654...I get 7.948229414, round it off and I will have 7.95 centimetre square. But if I took 10.01 and took it down the same process, dividing it by 3.141592654, then divide by 2, and finally squaring it, I get 2.538098183, then multiply it by 3.141592654, I get 7.973670607. Round that off, my final answer will be 7.97 centimetre square, which is different from 7.95 centimetre square by 0.02, which is double the difference between the circles' circumferences! And this time, I used 3 significant figures, because it is not degrees, and as the eyes can see, more accurate as it rounded off to 2 decimal places throughout with the exception of the 3.141592654." Volcano explained. Every creature except for Volcano, Alkali, Buffer, Krona, Spike and Princess Twilight Sparkle gasped to see what a huge difference such a small change could make. "Uh, Volcano? I just realised that you address Pi as its decimal form throughout, you could have saved time and speech by addressing it as Pi." Buffer stated. "Oops, sorry. I guess I've been in accurate zone for too long." Volcano apologised. "If a small difference of 0.01 made a change for the final answer..." Rarity began, before Spike finished the sentence for her. "There's no telling what a big difference measuring that outline-out-of the circle rope will make compared to taking the measurements of the actual reservoir!" "Sorry Volcano...I never thought that such a small difference can make a huge one!" Falcon Dive apologised. "That's what many creatures think, but I'm glad the you see it now." Volcano responded, a second before the Captain of the Wonderbolts appeared pulling a cloud to the top of the reservoir. "Sorry every creature, but I had to travel for miles just to get one cloud for rain!" Rainbow Dash apologised, before kicking the cloud, only to get one droplet of water."Whoops, I already used this cloud. Sorry I wasted all that time..." "You're not the only creature who wasted every creature else's time here..." Volcano replied, feeling guilty. "There, there, Volcano, at least you finally proved that even a little difference like 0.01 can make a huge difference!" Alkali assured, patting his shoulder. "Uh, what did I just miss?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Volcano demonstrated that even small changes can make huge differences by doing some math involving Pi, halving then squaring numbers...but the main thing is he proved that even something we might barely notice can make a huge difference!" Falcon Dive explained. "But I can't believe I never thought twice before wasting all that time, I really should have thought more than once to prevent so much time from going to waste!" Volcano unhappily claimed. "And I should have thought twice before I put the clouds I used back into the sky, I mean, there's no way I can tell if I already used them or not!" Rainbow Dash added. "Maybe if you left a mark, you will know that you already used it?" Buffer suggested. "Huh?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Or leave a hole! Clouds don't naturally get huge holes in the, leave a hole to indicate that it's already used!" Krona figured. "Great idea!" Rainbow Dash commented, before punching a hole in the cloud she had with her that second. "Keep trying to find clouds for water, Rainbow Dash, Appleloosa really needs it!" Princess Twilight Sparkle ordered. "On it!" Rainbow Dash saluted, flying off with the used cloud. "Heroic Ten, please, do whatever you can to help until I have certain orders for you." Princess Twilight Sparkle pleaded. "You can count on us, your Majesty!" Falcon Dive saluted like Rainbow Dash just did. "And just one more thing!" Volcano called, "Madam Rarity, I said that I will need your pencil and sketchbook for a short while, but I just realised that I needed them for a longer period of time, in order to measure the reservoir!" "Sure thing, darling, as long as you return them to me!" Rarity replied. "The rest of the Council and I will do what we can." Princess Twilight Sparkle informed, walking off with her best friends. The scene changed to show what happened after the creatures finally got a very accurate measurement of the circle's circumference. "Alright, we got a measurement of 628.3 metres, as accurate as we can go. Divide by 3.1415..." Volcano stated, before being interrupted by his best friends. "That's Pi!" the other creatures shouted in unison. "Alright, divide 628.3 by Pi, will get 199.9941015, then divide it by 2 will get 99.99705074, then square the number, I get 9999.410158, then multiply 3.14..." Volcano went on before another interruption. "Pi!" the other creatures exclaimed in unison once again. "I meant multiply by Pi, and that's 31414.07349, round off to 3 significant figures and it's 31400 metre square!" Volcano announced. "Wow! That's a lot!" Alkali commented. "A lot of surfaced area exposed for the water to evaporate!" Krona cried. "And that's not all, with 1 cubic centimetre equal to 1 millilitre, and 1 cubic metre equal to 1 million centimetres equal to 1 million millilitre, equal to 1 thousand litres, according to calculations, 31400 metre square times 1 metre, 31400 cubic metres is equal to...31400 000 litres!" Volcano exclaimed. "That means for every 1 metre down in this reservoir, 31400 times 1 thousand litres of water is lost!" Falcon Dive figured. "Or 3.14 times 10 to the power of 7! 3.14 times 10 million!" Alkali added. "The creators of this reservoir sure didn't think twice; I mean, this large exposed surface area is going to lead to the loss of water through evaporation big time!" Volcano commented. "We got to tell Princess Twilight Sparkle in fast!" Buffer announced. "I'm the fastest out of all of us, especially when no Luster means no teleportation." Falcon Dive stepped up. "Alright, Falcon Dive, tell Princess Twilight Sparkle that the reservoir is not well-designed to store and keep water, and take the sketchbook with you, to show her the calculations as proof. Bring the pencil along as well, just in case you bump into Madam Rarity, so you can return what I borrowed." Volcano instructed, giving the griffon the sketchbook and pencil as he spoke. "On it!" Falcon Dive saluted, flying off. "So, what's the rest of us going to do?" Alkali asked. "Check on my family?" Buffer suggested. "Well...maybe you can check on your family, Buffer." Volcano figured. "MAYBE?!" Buffer repeated. "Alright, you can go check on your family, while getting them to help look around town and observe the damage the lack of water is doing." Volcano instructed. "Thanks, it means a lot to me to know that they're alright." Buffer replied, walking off. "Can Krona go with Buffer?" Krona asked. "Sorry Krona, but I think we need your help here with the reservoir." Volcano apologised. "What?!" Krona asked. "We need to build something waterproof to cover the reservoir, so even when the water evaporates, the water vapour cannot escape into the atmosphere! It will condense on the waterproof cover and go back into the reservoir and will not be lost through evaporation!" Volcano explained. "Volcano's idea is great, but is Princess Twilight Sparkle and Appleloosa alright with it?" Krona asked. "I don't know, but I think it's alright, I mean, that's a good idea!" Volcano figured. "But if Sunshine was here, she'd ask Princess Twilight and the town for permission before doing something like make changes to the town's reservoir, because that's the right thing to do!" Alkali reminded, "Plus, you don't want to get into trouble like the time I broke the rules of the Relaxing Room and we both got caught by Sunshine." Volcano's eyes widened and turned oval upon hearing Alkali's mention of their unfortunate time, and quickly responded, "Alkal, find Princess Twilight Sparkle and the sheriff of Appleloosa, and tell them our plan to build a waterproof cap over the reservoir!" Volcano instructed. "Understood!" Alkali saluted, flying off in a flash. "Now Krona, let's think of what the cap should be made of." Volcano turned to his yak Best Friend. "Uh, shouldn't Krona and Volcano think of what features does the cap need?" Krona asked. "We'll figure it out, after figuring out the features." Volcano explained, "Now, for a start, it needs to be waterproof, because non-waterproof materials like paper will absorb the water, and lose the water through evaporation! The material must not be fragile, because we don't want it breaking into millions of tiny pieces that can fall into the water and pollute it! So the material cannot be glass nor ceramic. The material must not be plastic that can break into micro-plastics and pollute the water, neither!" "That's so many things to go on the cannot be list!" Krona commented. "And that's not all, we need the material to be a poor conductor of heat, to slow down evaporation!" Volcano added, "And a finishing touch of painting it white to prevent the reservoir from getting hot through radiation so quickly!" "Now that everything about what the material must be like is figured out, what material fits the description?!" Krona asked. Above town, Falcon Dive spotted Princess Twilight Sparkle with Rarity, causing him to say to himself, "Perfect! Both creatures on my Find List, found in the same place, a metre apart!" "Not completely perfect on my Find List, the sheriff isn't with the princess!" Alkali showed up to inform her griffon Best Friend. "Maybe the princess is all we need!" Falcon Dive figured. "What?!" Alkali asked. "I mean, she can just magically send a letter to the sheriff without finding him! Everything solved!" Falcon Dive explained, before diving down like a peregrine falcon. "Wait for me!" Alkali cried, following the griffon and copying his diving position. Alkali's attempts to copy Falcon Dive's dive may be successful, but when he changed to spreading his wings out to change direction at the last second before his beak could hit the ground, she quickly found out that it was a bad idea to dive fast, as she had not mastered such a stunt, and winded up crashing right into the door of the building that Princess Twilight Sparkle and Rarity were standing in front of, a few seconds after Falcon Dive got to the mares. "I'm okay..." the hippogriff groaned. "Darling! What happened? How did you fly so out-of-control like that?" Rarity asked. "I was trying to copy Falcon Dive's fast diving like a peregrine falcon, but I haven't mastered it to turn nor change direction at the last second." Alkali explained. "Next time, practice stunts in the sky near fluffy, soft clouds." Flacon Dive advised. "Got it, and incidents like this won't happen again." Alkali declared. "Alright Madam Rarity, here's your pencil back." Falcon Dive presented the pencil to the unicorn mare, before turning to Princess Twilight Sparkle, "And your Majesty, here's something you should see; according to the calculations Volcano made, the exposed surface area the reservoir has is 31400 metre square when rounded off, and that means around 3.14 times 10 to the power of 7 litres of water is lost when the water level goes down by 1 metre. The large exposed surface area is allowing too much evaporation! The reservoir is not designed well enough to store water with this feature!" "But don't worry, Volcano figured that if we built a waterproof cap to prevent the water vapour from getting into the atmosphere, the water won't be going anywhere as the water vapour condenses into water droplets over the lid, and as far as I know Volcano, he's probably already figuring out what material the cap needs to be made of! Starting wth the features of the material like not fragile, not easy to decompose, will not break into tiny pieces to pollute the water.." Alkali went on until Princess Twilight Sparkle interfered. "Thanks for th information, Heroic Ten, but I'm afraid that the reservoir has to stay the way it is!" "WHAT?! Why?" Falcon Dive asked. "Because the reservoir is designed to collect large amounts of water from rain!" Princess Twilight Sparkle explained, "The larger the area, the more water to collect, and the more it can store without going very deep underground. Do you know how long it took to dig that deep underground since the moles hadn't returned back when the reservoir was built? More than a year! We can't go any deeper, nor can we place a cap over the hole, as that will block the rainwater!" Princess Twilight Sparkle explained. "But...can't you see that there is no rainwater to collect nowadays?!" Falcon Dive complained. "Um, can you please excuse us a second?" Alkali asked, before walking off with Falcon Dive flying after her. "What's with you? Don't you see that I have a good point back there?!" Falcon Dive asked while whispering. "Yes, but so does Princess Twilight Sparkle! She's right that the reservoir needs to be designed to collect water in order to store! I mean, no point designing the reservoir to store water if it does not have any collected water to store!" Alkali whispered back. "But it's not doing a good job storing water, is it?" Falcon Dive argued, still whispering. "Yes, but maybe we need to think things through; we thought of the water reservoir one way, but not the other. We think that we have to improve the reservoir to be good at storing water and preventing it from losing water through evaporation, but we didn't think that the water reservoir should be designed for collecting water from rain, and storing so much without needing to go even deeper! Princess Twilight Sparkle and the creators of the reservoir thought of the opposite of what we thought! Both sides are thinking of one need, and not the other!" Alkali explained. "Too bad we can't design the water reservoir to be good at both storing water and collecting water!" Falcon Dive signed. "Falcon Dive, you're a genius!" Alkali praised, "If the reservoir is good at both storing and collecting water, both needs are fulfilled. We got to tell the princess!" The two creatures turned to see that Princess Twilight Sparkle had disappeared while they talked. "Where's Princess Twilight Sparkle?" Falcon Dive asked. "She was here, until she learnt from a friend of the sheriff's that the sheriff needed to see her." Rarity explained. "See her? Where?" Alkali asked. "At the sheriff's office, of course." Rarity replied. "Why didn't we think of that?" Falcon Dive asked. "Wait a second, think!" Alkali gasped, "When we think and thought the whole day, we never thought more than once before we acted! That happened with you claiming that something as little as 0.01 will not make a big difference, Volcano's math examples, not thinking twice nor thrice, nor more than once, led to all that unnecessary waste of time until he found a way to obtain different answers from rounding off and accuracy! Same thing for the reservoir and how we thought of it, and the same thing for you when you were about to start an argument with Princess Twilight Sparkle!" "Let's not talk about the argument part ever again." Falcon Dive insisted. "Alright, but the main point is, every creature never thought twice before they acted! And look at how many bad things most of the mentioned examples can cause!" Alkali pointed out. "You're right, not thinking twice sure led to a lot of problems, like the water reservoir is not designed to store water on hot days." Falcon Dive named an example. "Which results in a water shortage!" Alkali cried. "And a town in crisis!" Falcon Dive added. "Looks like we got a new message to give out." Alkali declared. "But before we do..." Falcon Dive responded, then turned to fly towards Rarity and return her sketchbook, "Here you go Madam Rarity, your sketchbook back, as promised." "Thank you so much for returning it. It still has my latest designs that are yet to be made!" Rarity replied. "Whatever, we're off now!" Falcon Dive notified, flying off with Alkali. In the mean time, Buffer had arrived at his family's house and knocked on the door, but there was no answer. "Looks like no creature's home." Buffer said to himself. "Who are you calling no creature?" a familiar voice could be heard asking. Buffer turned to see a pleasant sight; his younger sister Cushion right behind him. "Cushion! Am I glad to see you alright!" Buffer cried happily, hugging his sister. "I'm glad to see you too, Buffer, regardless of whether you are a famous hero of Equestrian and Beyond, or just your regular self." Cushion replied, embracing the hug. "Buffer! It's so good to see you!" Buffer and Cushion's father Bulwark greeted. "Especially in Appleloosa, our hometown!" the siblings' mother Mainstay added, "Even though, we might have to spend most of our days camping somewhere else nowadays." "What?!" Buffer asked. "Haven't you heard? There's a water shortage here!" Cushion informed. "Yes, I've heard, and saw the reservoir with my best friends." Buffer explained, "Only half of the Heroic Ten, including myself are on the case here today." "Where's the other half?" Mainstay asked. "At Manehattan because some creature's relative nee personality fixing, but the main point is, my best friends and I will do something to solve the problem!" Buffer saluted. "I sure hope so, because if the water doesn't go increase, we're afraid that we may have to move away and live somewhere else." Bulwark announced. "What?!" Buffer asked in shock. "Many Appleloosans have already been getting ready to do so, and so have we. Unless the water in the reservoir is enough for all of us once again." Mainstay explained. "Face it, Buffer. We really need lots of water. Don't believe me, check out our water usage!" Cushion told her brother, before entering the house. Buffer gasped to see that the house looked like a new one, with nothing other than space in it. "Where's all your stuff?" Buffer asked. "We packed it all up to prepare for the time we have to leave." Bulwark answered. "But we still return to sleep here, before going out to somewhere else with more water to collect in our huge tanks and carry back." Mainstay added. "Here's a graph of how much we used last month!" Cushion told her brother, while dragging a paper across the floor. After the preteen buffalo removed her foot from the paper, Buffer could see how much water was used everyday of the month before, commenting, "You sure used different amounts of water each day! Which adds up to 28 cubic metres. And since 1 cubic metre is the same as 1 million cubic centimetres, which is the same as 1 million millilitres, which is the same as 1000 litres, you actually used 28000 litres of water!" "28000 litres of water is way more than we can drink in a month!" Cushion added. "That's because we use water for all sorts of things! Washing apples before consumption, taking a shower, cleaning the floor, all sorts of things!" Bulwark explained. "And worst of all, if you consumed 28000 litres a month, how many litres do you think the whole town of Appleloosa consumes in the same period of time?!" Buffer asked. At the sheriff's office, the sheriff and Princess Twilight Sparkle were still thinking of what to do with the water reservoir. "We could try making it even deeper now that the moles have returned to help us again..." the princess suggested, a second before there was a knock on the door. "Come in, the door' snot locked." the sheriff called. Alkali and Falcon Dive entered the office the very next second, with Alkali doing the greetings, "Good afternoon, sheriff of Appleloosa!" "I'm Sheriff Bronze Rod, the sheriff who succeeded the former Sheriff of Appleloosa Sheriff Silverstar." the sheriff introduced himself. "Got it. And by the way, you do know who we are and why we're here, don't you?" Falcon Dive asked. "Indeed, two members of the Heroic Ten. The team's hippogriff and griffon members." was the sheriff's answer. "You don't know our names?!" Falcon Dive asked in a complaining tone. "The only Heroic Ten member's name that I know is Luster Dawn, the unicorn who leads the team?" the sheriff referred. "Alright...here's your chance to know the whole team's names, although not all of them are here nor in Appleloosa...I'm Alkali, the hippogriff, and the griffon is named Falcon Dive, the buffalo is originally from here, and he's called Buffer..." Alkali began, until she was interrupted by the sheriff. "I don't have time for this! I'm trying to thin of what to do with the water in the reservoir..." "That's what we're trying to help with! And we figured that you need to improvise and make the reservoir good at both collecting water and storing water." Alkali informed. "Hmm...good at both collecting and storing water...I like the sound of that." the sheriff responded. "You creatures have a great idea, but how is that possible?" Princess Twilight Sparkle asked. "That's what we are still trying to figure out. Maybe Volcano already thought of something. He and Krona should be still at the reservoir." Alkali reported. "Then take us to them!" the sheriff instructed. "No! No! No! Why can't I think of a material that matches everything needed?!" Volcano asked as he paced around. "Krona already tried to tell Volcano, that there's no such material that fits all of the descriptions!" Krona reminded. "There has to be at least one out of all the materials the universe has!" Volcano dramatically cried. "Has what?" the sheriff asked upon showing up with Alkali, Falcon Dive and the Ruler of Equestria. "Volcano, Krona, meet the current Sheriff of Appleloosa, Sheriff Bronze Rod!" Falcon Dive introduced. "Great to see that some creatures are concerned enough to come all this way to help!" the sheriff commented. "Indeed the Heroic Ten are trying to help!" Krona declared. "I still have no luck thinking of a material that's waterproof, not fragile, will not break down into tiny pieces, not biodegradable, not reactive and a poor conductor of heat!" Volcano panicked, "And I wasted so much time!" "Guys! You will not believe what I just found out!" Buffer called, running towards his best friends. "What did you just find out?" Princess Twilight Sparkle asked. "That my family, despite being three creatures in a house with me living in Ponyville, consumes 28000 litres last month! That means the whole town must have used loads of water last month, because a small family used up to such a large amount!" Buffer informed. "Of course! Water consumption! That's a factor of decreasing water level as well!" Volcano exclaimed. "But how much water did the whole town of Appleloosa use?" Alkali asked. "I don't know, a few billions?" the sheriff figured. "Let's go down town and ask every creature!" Volcano declared. "What?! No way! That will take too long! Do we have enough time to go to every house and ask and then add up?!" Falcon Dive asked. "But how els are we going to know exactly how much water the whole town consumed?" Volcano asked. "We can estimate!" Buffer suggested. "Estimate? But that's like, the opposite of accurate!" Volcano complained. "Does Volcano think that there's time to be accurate and go to every house in Appleloosa and get info?!" Krona dramatically asked. "Now that you put it that way, maybe an estimation is good enough!" Volcano sheepishly responded. "Alright, since my family used 28000 litres last month, we can use that amount to estimate how much all of Appleloosa used." Buffer began. "There are 500 buildings in the town, plus one Apple Orchard." the sheriff reported, "And judging by how big the orchard is, I bet it consumes 10 times the water a house or building consumes!" "In that case, we should have 28000 multiply the number that's 10 more than 500!" Falcon Dive apprised. "Got it! 28000 multiply 510...that's...14280000 litres!" Volcano gasped. "Or 1.43 times 10 to the power of 7 litres in standard form! And if it weren't for needing to write decimals, the number is actually 1428 times 10 to the power of 4, making an 8-digit number!" Alkali cried. "But 1 billion is a 9-digit number, and 9-digit numbers are more than 8-digit numbers!" the sheriff assured. "That's for the positive numbers, not the negative numbers." Krona pointed out. "Um, Krona? I don't think Appleloosa's going to have negative temperatures." Buffer informed. "And, no matter what 8-digit number you use, multiply it by 10 will surely get you to a 9-digit number!" Alkali stated. "There are 12 months in a year, and 12 is more than 10! Multiply 14280000 by 12 is surely going to get us over a billion! In other words, the town will probably use over a billion litres every year!" Volcano exclaimed. "And that's just a year! How many litres will they use in a decade?!" Falcon Dive asked. "Ten times of how much they used in a year if you estimate." Buffer figured. "Water is actually very precious!" notified. "More than that, it's very important, living things like us creatures can't survive without it! You have to improve the reservoir so it can collect and store water perfectly!" Alkali declared. "And encourage every creature to save water!" Volcano ended. "I see what you creatures mean, but how are we going to make sure the reservoir does not allow the water it stores to dry out so easily?" the sheriff asked. "You mean don't let the water evaporate so easily." Alkali corrected. "I suggest making a cap to cover it, but can't think of a material that has all the characteristics; waterproof, not fragile, will not break down, poor conductor of heat and not reactive!" Volcano stated. "Maybe instead of just one material, you can combine materials?" Buffer asked. "Combine materials?! Have you taken Chemistry?!" Volcano asked. "Not chemically combine them, just combine them so you can get all the characteristics. Like our team doesn't have just one creature who has all the characteristics of strength, flight, fire breath, transformation, aquatic respiration, and magic...it has different creatures that have different characteristics, so the team can have all those characteristics together!" Buffer explained. "That's a great idea! I can't believe I was too busy thinking of one material to think of that idea." Volcano responded. "Looks like every creature isn't thinking twice today." Krona commented. "And I don't think that my family's idea of going to other places of Equestria to collect water with large tanks to bring home every day is a good idea." Buffer admitted. "Wait. If the Appleloosans are getting water from other parts of Equestria and consume as much as they do, it's only a matter of time before they make those places run out of water!" Falcon Dive cried. "And not just them! Every creature in Equestria and Beyond needs water to consume! How much water do you think they all consume?!" Alkali asked. "Probably more than we can ever calculate or imagine!" Princess Twilight Sparkle answered. "So we got to not just encourage Appleloosa to save water, but also all of Equestria?!" Sheriff Bronze Rod asked. "Yes, but we'll start here, in Appleloosa, because we're already here, and here needs help way more than every other place we know!" Alkali responded. "And I think I managed to think of how to make the cap..." Volcano stated. "But we still need to let the rain water get in whenever it rains!" Princess Twilight Sparkle reminded. "I figured that out too, we can dig tunnels and holes to drain the water into the reservoir while the cap stays covering it!" Volcano figured. "But what if some creature doesn't notice the holes and falls in?" Falcon Dive asked. "I...never thought of that..." Volcano gulped. "Maybe the holes used to drain the water, should be covered up by something with tinier holes in it! Like the holes of a colander! They're used to allow water in!" Alkali suggested. "And now that the moles are helping Equestria like they used to before disappearing, we can ask them to dig holes and tunnels not just around the reservoir, but all of Appleloosa, to collect even more water whenever it rains!" Buffer suggested. "Wait a second, Buffer! We can't dig tunnels and holes in the ground as much as we want to, because if there were too many of them, the ground won't be able to hold everything" Volcano warned. "Then maybe, we should just dig rows of tunnels long the buildings that lead to the reservoir! As in, a tunnel in front and behind every building!" Falcon Dive suggested. "And cover them with caps that have tiny holes in it so no creature falls in, while water goes in!" Alkali ended. "You creatures are clever to think of all this!" Princess Twilight Sparkle complimented. "But just one question; if we built a cap over the reservoir, how are we going to know how many litres of water is in the reservoir, when the cap may block the view?" the sheriff asked. "Maybe we need to add the characteristic, transparent, on the list?" Buffer asked. "Unless the cap can be removed whenever it is needed to be removed, and then put back into place." Krona commented. "Krona, you just figured out the finishing touches!" Volcano praised. "What can Krona say?" Krona asked in a proud tone. "Alright, we had the reservoir improvements plan all figured out!" Alkali exclaimed. "But what about every creature's water consumption?" the sheriff questioned, "You can't blame them for needing to drink and wash things and water plants!" "Waer? Wash?" Alkali repeated. "Yes, I did use those words." the sheriff responded. "Those words remind me of what I used to do with my little brother Acid years ago whenever we neutralised an acid and alkali to get water. We won't drink nor wash things with the water, so we used it to water the plants. Matter of fact, we used all the water that we used to wash things without soap, to water the plants. We always had a container right underneath whatever we were washing without soap to collect the water!" Alkali recalled. "Alkali, your example is the last thing we need!" Volcano exclaimed. "What? Watering the plants with water that was used to wash things without soap?" Alkali asked. "Yes! If every creature collected that water for their plants, they will save some water as they will not have to use so as much as they do when they do not collect the water they use to wash things without soap!" Volcano figured. "But that's just a little bit of water compared to all the water they need!" the sheriff complained. "Never underestimate little amounts." Falcon Dive told the Earth Pony. "Look at it this way, sheriff. If one mouse used 1 millilitre of water, as little as a droplet of water, how many millilitres would 500 houses use?" Buffer asked. "That's easy, 500 times 1, that's 500!" Sheriff Bronze Rod answered, before gasping, "500 millilitres?!" "That's enough to fill a 4 by 5 by 25 centimetres cuboid!"Krona exclaimed. "And all from little droplets of water!" Buffer added. "Bet you'd think that such a little amount was nothing to mind!" Falcon Dive said to Sheriff Bronze Rod. "But if every creature saved the amount of tap water that they use to water the plants with by using already used water instead, the amount will add up just like saving time!" Volcano stated. "Like, if I took 60 seconds to fly from here to the town, I'd take 120 seconds to go 1 round from here to the town and back! But if I managed to get faster and use 59 seconds to get here to town, I can go 1 round from here to town and back in 118 seconds, which is lesser time compared to 120 seconds! So the little 1 second difference does make a difference!" Alkali gave an example. "A little difference can make a big one. That's something very valuable, as valuable as a lesson!" Princess Twilight Sparkle commented. "Therefore every creature and every one can make a difference!" Alkali declared. "Yes, we can! And we're going to make that difference right away!" Sheriff Bronze Rod announced. The sun was soon setting, as all the new changes to the town of Appleloosa completed: There were neat, straight rows of drains in front and behind buildings to drain rain water, a new cap to cover the reservoir in order to prevent water vapour from escaping into the atmosphere, and a lever to open and close the cap whenever necessary. he Council of Friendship stood in a straight line with Princess Twilight Sparkle in the middle, watching the events unfold. "I'm glad that I don't have to harvest rain for Appleloosa anymore. I mean, that was exhausting!" Rainbow Dash commented. "I'm just glad that every creature has water again!" Fluttershy said, nuzzling the mice from earlier as she held them in her front right hoof. "I'm glad that the town is going to stay!" Rarity announced. "I'm glad that my family here is going to be alright." Applejack honestly stated. "So am I!" Pinkie Pie chirped. "All of Equestria is going to be alright, as soon as we ensure that every creature got the word, that every creature and every one can make a difference." Princess Twilight Sparkle said. "They sure can!" Spike responded, walking right up to his adoptive sister's side, having left the end of the Council of Friendship's line position. "With every creature trying to save water, Appleloosa won't consume as much as it did!" Krona exclaimed. "Little differences sure can make a big one!" Buffer reminded. "In your school subjects, and real-life scenarios!" Volcano added. "So you got to think twice!" Alkali chirped. "Before doing something, or claiming that things are the way you think they are!" Falcon Dive ended. "You creatures sure have taught an important lesson to us all today: That we should think twice as even a little difference can make a big difference." Princess Twilight Sparkle told the five creatures. "Wait, is that one or two lessons combined into one?" Pinkie Pie asked, causing every creature to laugh. "We better get going, the train is going to come in less than quarter hour!" Volcano told the Council of Friendship. "Sure thing. Until we meet again, Heroic Ten." Princess Twilight Sparkle replied. That night, the entire Heroic Ten team was back together in the Castle of Friendship's Dining Room, sitting around the Dining Table, exhausted from their day. "Well, it's great to know that you handled the problem, without us..." Luster told the five creatures who went to Appleloosa. "And taught them something as important as thinking twice and how small differences can make a big one." Sunshine Rays added. "And get them to save a very important need; water!" Nature Bloom contributed. "But, you got to work with the Council of Friendship, while we don't..." Luster sighed. "I don't think so, Luster. I don't think we worked with them much because we weren't together much!" Falcon Dive informed. "Think twice, Falcon! If every creature did their part to save water, they are actually working together to save water!" Alkali stated. "Regardless of whether they spent time with each other or not!" Buffer added. "So...we ALL can actually be working with the Council of Friendship, anytime!" Yellow Bright cheered. "What do you say, Luster?" Evergreen asked. "That was great thinking twice!" Luster answered with smile.
23. A Hearth's Warming Present CrisisAuthor's Note A Hearth's Warming Present Crisis serves as the twenty-third episode of the series. Summary: It is Hearth's Warming Eve once again, but the Heroic Ten's presents for each other mysteriously went missing, leading the team on a hunt for different things; Krona, Alkali, Yellow Bright and Falcon Dive rush to get the materials to make replacements, Buffer, Nature Bloom and Evergreen attempt to find the former four in order to remind them the real spirit of Hearth's Warming, while Luster, Sunshine Rays and Volcano attempt to find the presents. Song: Hearth's Warming Eve Is Here Once Again Featured Characters: Hyacinth macaws, a family of the said species of macaws that had been secretly residing in the Castle of Friendship's Gardening Room where plants were grown. They were finally discovered on Hearth's Warming Eve when the father macaw took the presents to give to his wife and children, but the Heroic Ten managed to recover the presents and accept the macaw family as friends and castle-mates. Acknowledgements : Definition of Potential 23. A Hearth's Warming Present Crisis At the top of Canterlot, Princess Twilight Sparkle was lowering the sun, and bringing the moon and stars up to begin the night sky. The Ruler of Equestria's royal advisor and friendship ambassador and adoptive brother Spike was not far behind her, standing right beside her as she turned day into night. "Another well done, Twilight. The night sky is perfect, especially tonight..." Spike told his adoptive sister, who giggled in response. "Sure thing, Spike. Hearth's Warming Eve, the holiday to celebrate and remember the founding of Equestria, is here once again." the alicorn said after her quick giggling. Right after the sentence was finished, the two adoptive siblings heard bells ringing, and familiar music, causing them to look down below. The different creatures of Canterlot sang, "Creatures' voices fill the night Hearth's Warming Eve is here once again Happy hearts so full and bright Hearth's Warming Eve is here once again Oh, what a sight Look at the light All for tonight Hearth's Warming Eve is here once again" A group of pegasi sang, "Clouds arranged so they're just so" Another group of Pegasi flew around and sang, "Hearth's Warming Eve is here once again" The former group of Pegasi sang, "Gonna make some awesome snow" The latter group of Pegasi sang, "Hearth's Warming Eve is here once again" Both groups of Pegasi then sang in unison, "The chill wind blows Making a show Snowflakes aglow" All of the residents of Canterlot then sang, "Hearth's Warming Eve is here once again" Princess Twilight Sparkle's old schoolmates from when she was Princess Celestia's student at the School of Gifted Unicorns could be seen and heard singing, "A day that's filled with songs to sing" The other residents walked pass and sang, "Ding-dong, ding-dong-ding" Saffron Masala walked out of her restaurant, singing "Cakes and pastries we shall bring" The rest of the residents in Canterlot sang, "Ding-dong, ding-dong-ding We're so busy making merry Windigos should all be wary" Stallions sang, "As our mighty voices carry" Every creature sang, "Hearth's Warming Eve is here once again" Rarity, who was organising the decorations in Canterlot, sang, "Perfection you just cannot fake" Every creature sang, "Hearth's Warming Eve is here once again" Rarity watched as the known-to-be careless Derpy Hooves was about to hang a fragile ornament on the giant Hearth's Warming Tree in the centre of Canterlot, singing,; "Not one mistake Don't let that break" Unfortunately, like she did years ago, Derpy dropped the fragile ornament right in front of Rarty, causing it to break into pieces, and making Rarity face-hoof herself, singing, "Oh, goodness' sake!" Every creature else sang in unison, "Hearth's Warming Eve is here once a— Happy, happy Hearth's Warming Eve Happy, happy Hearth's Warming Eve Hearth's Warming Eve is here once again!" From where they stood, Princess Twilight Sparkle and Spike smiled. "Looks like everything here is ready." the Ruler of Equestria said. "Indeed. Except for the Ruler of Equestria and her royal advisor should be down there, joining every creature as the royalty here." Spike stated. "Of course, Spike." Princess Twilight Sparkle responded, before they both spread their wings to fly down towards the town. Meanwhile, in the nearby village of Ponyville, the residents of the Castle of Friendship were getting ready for their Hearth's Warming Eve celebration. "Cookies?" Starlight asked, upon entering the Castle's kitchen. "Check!" Sunburst replied, levitating a rectangular tray of cookies in the shape of the Fire of Friendship, and coloured like the said fire, for his wife to see. "Soup?" Starlight asked. "Check!" Sunburst responded, tasting a bit of soup from the spoon that he dipped into the pot on the stove. "The cake I made for this year's Hearth's Warming?" Starlight asked. Sunburst went to the fridge and opened the door with his magic, revealing his wife's beautifully creative cake that was shaped like a 3 Dimensional Hearth's Warming Tree instead of a flat one. "Safe in the fridge! nothing to worry about, Starlight! Plus, with ten heroes of Equestria living with us right here in this castle, what can go wrong?" Sunburst asked, before the married unicorn couple heard a scream that answered their question. "The presents!!!" Krona screamed, summoning the rest of the Heroic Ten, and Luster Dawn's parents. "The presents are gone!" the yak cried, making every creature gasp. After the series' theme song intro played, the creatures gathered around the Heart's Warming Eve tree in the castle, as the presents they had for each other were supposed to be under the said tree. "Gone?!" Nature Bloom repeated. "But, presents can't move on their own! Having a remote to control them, or having magic to levitate them do not count." volcano explained. "But my presents for all of you aren't remote-controlled! They don' have a remote that can control them!" Alkali announced. "Neither are mine." Falcon Dive stated. "Nor mine." Sunshine Rays contributed. "Nor mine." Buffer added. "I don't think any of us made presents that are remote-controllable." Evergreen figured. "That leaves magic." Krona declared. "But I didn't enchant anything! Especially not the presents!" Luster cried. "I didn't enchant anything near the presents." Starlight Glimmer said. "I only levitate the decorations, no enchanting at all!" Sunburst added. "Then that leaves the remaining two unicorns here!" Falcon Dive announced. In the Castle of Friendship's Library, Sunset Shimmer was reading a book right in front of the Crystal Mirror that she always guarded during the night, just before the doors burst open as Krona, Buffer, Volcano, Alkali and Buffer entered. "Oh, happy Hearth's Warming Eve, every creature! Is the celebration ready..." Sunset Shimmer began to ask, but was confronted by the five creatures. "Tell us, Miss Sunset. Did you go near the presents?" Falcon Dive asked. "Uh, obviously did not! I stayed here in the library like I am supposed to! Washing and guarding the Crystal Mirror to ensure no creature goes into it, or out?" Sunset answered, "Although, I do leave to use the washroom whenever I needed it, but I teleport there and back! I need stepped a hoof around the presents! Unless you count the presents you gave me, plus the presents I got from the Council of Friendship, the Heads of the School, and Trixie and..." "Any chance that Trixie gave you some extra presents, making it more than just one from her?" Falcon Dive asked, interrogating Sunset Shimmer. "No, I counted the presents, and it's obvious that I got 1 present from each giver." Sunset Shimmer informed, levitating her pile of presents in the air for the creatures to see. "1, 2, 3, 4, 5..." the griffon began counting the presents as he pointed his claw at each of them and carried on to the next. "23!" Volcano cut Falcon Dive off before the griffon could even count up to 6. "Wow, you count fast!" Buffer commented. "23 is more than the number of givers, because the Heroic Ten plus the Council of Friendship makes 17, plus the Heads of the School of Friendship makes 19, plus Guidance Counsellor Trixie makes 20! There's 3 extra gifts!" Falcon Dive confronted the yellow unicorn in the library once again. "I was going to mention that the tie Mark Crusaders, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo gave me presents, too. And each of them gave me 1." Sunset Shimmer explained. "That explains why Miss Sunset has 23!" Krona exclaimed. "I actually have 24 or 25 if you count the writings and drawings I got from my best friends who graduated from Canterlot High long ago in the other world. They write it in a magical book that is magically connected to my magical book here, like the one I had when I wrote to the former Ruler of Equestria, who is also my former mentor, Princess Celestia." Sunset Shimmer explained, levitating her book and flipping it to the page with the writings for the five creatures to see. "You guys still think she has something to do with the presents?" Alkali asked. "Obviously not."the other creatures plainly replied in unison. Meanwhile, Luster, Sunshine Rays, Nature Bloom, Yellow Bright and Evergreen were interrogating Trixie around the blue unicorn's wagon. "What? Missing presents?" Trixie asked. "Please don't get...intense, Guidance Counsellor Trixie." Nature Bloom responded, before the confrontation began. "Presents don't disappear on their own, and since none of them are remote-controllable..." Sunshine Rays pointed out. "We suspected a magic-user taking them." Yellow Bright filled in. "And since it wasn't me, nor my parents, and it obviously can't be a Kirin like Evergreen..." Luster went on. "The only other magic-user around the Castle who could have done it, is you!" Sunshine Rays ended. "WHAT?! How dare you creatures accuse me, the Guidance Counsellor of your final school ever, to have done something as horrible as taking your Hearth's Warming Eve presents?!" Trixie asked. "It may be somewhat like accusation, but we..." Nature Bloom began, but an angry Trixie stormed right in front of the changeling, coming face-to-face with her. "Somewhat like accusation?!" Trixie roared. "If you want to put it that way, it's your choice." Evergreen apprised Trixie, "But what Nature Bloom was going to say is we're just asking you whether you did it or not." "I certainly did not! I have enough Hearth's Warming Eve presents from the students and the Heads of the School, anyway! Why would I take an additional load of presents that aren't for me?!" Trixie asked, as she levitated a giant sack of presents from inside her wagon, and released the presents from the stack, forming a huge pile of presents that was even bigger than the blue unicorn's size. "Wow! The sure is a lot of presents!" Yellow Bright exclaimed. "And every reason to not want anymore!" Evergreen added. "We're sorry for...accusing you, Guidance Counsellor Trixie." Luster apologised. "You sure are sorry!" Trixie responded, still sounding angry. "How about we make it up to you by cleaning your wagon for the next ten times you have to clean it?" Nature Bloom asked. "So, you will have lesser work to do?" Yellow Bright supported. "Sorry every creature, but in this case, the best way to make amends is to trust her more often!" Sunshine Rays shook her head at her best friends' suggestions. "How about allowing you to come with us on our next mission, quest or adventure?" Luster proposed. "Well, in that case! Apology accepted! And deal made!" Trixie announced, using her magic to take out a gavel and a sound block similar to what a Judge would have, and knocked the gavel against the sound block like what a judge wold do. "You know that that wasn't necessary, do you?" Yellow Bright asked. The Heroic Ten regrouped around the Hearth's Warming Eve Tree after their interrogation did nothing useful. "Miss Sunset Shimmer did not do it!" Alkali told the other group of five. "Guidance Counsellor Trixie did not, too." Evergreen informed. "Worst of all, she figured that we were accusing her, and she accepted our apology when we made a deal." Sunshine Rays added. "Made a deal? What deal?" Falcon Dive asked. "A deal to allow her to join us on our next Heroic Ten quest, mission or adventure." Luster answered. "What?!" Krona asked. "It's just having 1 more creature with us temporarily, nothing much most likely." Buffer figured. "But 10 plus 1 is 11! A prime number! What if we had to split-up and have no way to divide ourselves equally into smaller teams?!" Falcon Dive asked. "Come on, every creature! We are always welcoming as heroes and friends! And we should be welcoming especially on this night, because it's Heart's Warming Eve!" Nature Bloom reminded. "Nature Bloom's right we should be welcoming on this very night, and every other time!" Evergreen supported the changeling, walking right to her side. "Sorry..." the other creatures apologised and stopped their argument. "But, what about the presents we had for each other?! Where have they gone?!" Alkali asked. "this is obviously a mystery, because we have to look for clues to find out who did it." Volcano stated. "Do we have to hire a detective?" Yellow Bright asked. "But, it's Hearth''s Warming Eve! Who will be working as a detective on a holiday like this?" Buffer asked. "We will!" Luster answered. "Of course we will!" Alkali saluted. "Wait a second, 'we'?" Nature Bloom asked. "The mystery is the mystery of the disappearance of our Hearth's Warming Eve presents for each other. Whys couldn't we be the creatures who solve it?" Luster asked. "That makes sense..." Evergreen figured. "I just hope we can find them before sunrise tomorrow!" Sunshine Rays stated. "Not to be negative, but I suggest that we all should prepare ourselves for the possibility that we can't get our presents back." Volcano announced, causing all the other creatures with the exception of Luster Dawn and Sunshine Rays. "In that case, we might as well make replacements!" Yellow Bright declared. "There's still some time left! I got to make those replacements!" Alkali panicked, dashing off. "Krona's presents for best friends must have a replacement!" Krona exclaimed, running off. "Wait, every creature! Presents are not what Hearth's Warming Eve is really about!" Luster called, but all the creatures who departed did not return. "Well, that sure didn't work." Buffer commented. "I don't blame them, they just wanted to ensure we get something from them this Hearth's Warming." Nature Bloom spoke. "But Hearth's Warming Eve is not all about giving presents, it's about celebrating friendship and getting together with others in harmony!" Evergreen stated. "Indeed, but unfortunately, some creatures get too focused on the gift-giving and presents part to remember that!" Volcano responded, "Even my teaching assistant whom I rely on to ensure students' attention and as a result bring her to every class unless I have a good replacement." "You could have just said that you were talking about Alkali instead of referring to her like that!" Bufer pointed out. "Looks like we're down to six." Sunshine Rays announced, looking at the remaining creatures. "But some creature got to tell those departed creatures that it doesn't matter if we don't get presents back, because what truly does matter, is that we're together as friends." Luster informed. "I can control my heat to keep myself warm," Evergreen said, rising her front left hoof as she activated a bit of fire, "Maybe I can go after the through the snow." "I know changelings aren't supposed to use their powers anyway they liked, but King Thorax and Prince Pharynx claimed that transformation is alright when it's an emergency, a job, or a play. And this seems like a bit of an emergency..." Nature Bloom said. "So, Nature Bloom and Evergreen will go after the creatures who ran off and bring them back here to the castle!" Luster declared. "Wait a second, Luster! Buffaloes may not be yaks, but I think I can manage it! I went to Yakyakistan before!" Buffer apprised. "Sure, but don't forget to wear your winter outfit, because buffaloes aren't yaks!" Volcano reminded. Buffer nodded and rn off to prepare for his search in the cold, leaving Luster, Sunshine Rays and Volcano in the castle. "So...it looks like it's down to the three of us." Sunshine Rays said, "Unless, we don't want to solve the mystery." "Not that those presents are very important, but I figure that we must at least try to find them before sunrise!" Luster announced. "We better bring a clock or a watch to ensure we know what time it is, no matter where we are." Volcano noted. "Let me get one of the watches I had when I was in my early teenager years." Sunshine Rays said, flying off. "Anything else that we might need?" Luster asked. "Well, detectives usually have a magnifying glass with them, not to look cool obviously, but it's mostly for taking a closer look into things." Volcano explained. "No need for that, when we have My Magic!" Luster declared, lighting up her horn. "But, Luster, I read a Detective's Real Story, and learnt that it's always good to have a back up. So, even though we have your unicorn magic, we probably should still bring a magnifying glass just to be safe." Volcano advised. "I'm back with my watch! And don't worry, I changed its batteries and it should last longer than long enough for the whole night!" Sunshine Rays showed up, raising her front left hoof to show her watch attached to it. "Now it's my turn to go, as I got to get everything that Luster thinks we don't need, but it's good to have them!" Volcano announced, flying off. After the dragon left, Sunshine Rays flew slowly after Luster, who was looking carefully and closely around the Hearth's Warming Tree ad at the said tree. "So, any luck finding clues yet?" the pegasus asked. "Not yet..." Luster answered, before looking closer at the tree's branches, "Hold on..." The unicorn used her magic to levitate something dark blue out of the tree's main thin leaves on a branch. "Aha! A blue feather! It can be a clue!" Luster exclaimed. "I'm back with all the things that we might..." Volcano announced, returning with a bag packed with supplies that was covered by the opaque material that the bag itself was made of, before noticing the feather that his unicorn Best Friend was levitating. "Whoa! You found a dark blue feather?" the dragon asked. "Luster found it, not me." Sunshine Rays informed. "And this dark blue feather must belong to whoever took the presents!" Luster figured. "Luster, maybe you should use the term, 'most likely', because there's a chance that whoever took the presents wanted you to find a fake clue to lead you away from finding out it was them!" Volcano corrected. "But we should first investigate by following this clue! Like, find out what creature it belongs to" Luster exclaimed. "It could be a pegasus, but obviously not me because my feathers are white. It could be a griffon's, a hippogriff's, or...an alicorn's?" Sunshine Rays made a list of possibilities. "Alicorns are the rarest of all creatures! And last I checked, there are no known alicorn that has dark blue feathers, except for the retired Princess Luna, but there's obviously no way that it could have been her." Volcano pointed out. "Volcano, I'm still learning the many different kinds of scan spells, and can't remember if I could do one that matches a belonging with its owner. So do you have anything that can help identify who or what creature's feather is this?" Luster asked. "You're lucky that I never let my spare time go to waste!" Volcano replied. In the mean time, Evergreen was running through Ponyville's snowy ground in search of the creatures who left the Castle to make replacement presents. "Krona? Alkali? Yellow Bright? Falcon Dive?" the Kirin called as she passed the houses that were filled with lights and joy with creatures celebrating Hearth's Warming Eve. Suddenly, Evergreen heard a loud familiar voice that went, "We have a winner!!!" The Kirin turned to look at the familiar building behind her: Sugar Cube Corner. "Mr. Cheese Sandwich's in there! Maybe he knows where Yellow Bright is!" Evergreen said to herself, trotting into Sugar Cube Corner. The moment the Kirin entered, Cheese Sandwich and the Cake Twins automatically appeared around the door to welcome Evergreen. "Happy Hearth's Warming!" the three ponies greeted in a singing style. "Happy Hearth's Warming to you too, all of you." Evergreen replied. "So, Miss Evergreen, what brings you here to Sugar Cube Corner?" Cheese Sandwich asked with a microphone right underneath his jaws, before placing the microphone underneath Evergeen's. "First of all, you all can just call me Evergreen." the Kirin replied, causing Cheese Sandwich to turn the microphone in his front right hoof back towards himself. "I knew that, I was just teasing you." the party pony said through the microphone, before turning thesis object back to face Evergreen. "I came here because the workers here are known to be close to one of my best friends, Yellow Bright." the Kirin informed. "Known to be close?! Miss Evergreen, you are mistaken." Cheese Sandwich responded with his microphone facing him again as he spoke. "I thought you said you knew that you can just call me..." Evergreen began, but was cut off by Cheese Sandwich. "The ponies of Sugar Cube Corner taught Yellow Bright ALL about hosting parties, being funny, spreading laughter, optimism, cheerful and everything positive! he probably wouldn't be the Element of Positivity if it weren't for us!" Cheese Sandwich explained. "But Yellow Bright actually have Element of Positivity potential back before he went to the School of Friendship in Ponyville! And back then he lived far away in Manehattan!" Evergreen argued. "That is only potential, Miss Evergreen, potential is not everything!" Cheese Sandwich stated, before changing into a different outfit in a flash, as he wore an intelligent professor's outfit and said, "Potential means having or showing capacity to develop something in the future. For example..." "This is going to take longer than I hope..." the Kirin muttered, watching Cheese Sandwich's show. Meanwhile, Buffer, in winter clothes, called for the friends he was looking for, "Krona! Alkali! Falcon Dive? Yellow Bright? If you can hear me, you don't really need to make replacements! Hearth's Warming Eve isn't entirely about them!" Suddenly, the buffalo could hear some creature yelping in pain, "Ouch!" "That yelp...it sounds like..." Buffer said out loud, before running in the direction of the sound and found Krona scratching her fur against a tree. "Krona!" Buffer called. "Buffer! Krona's busy right now! Getting the only material for the replacement gifts!" the yak responded. "By scratching your fur against that tree?" Buffer asked in a puzzled tone. "Krona trying to get her fur off her!" Krona answered, making Buffer's eyes widen in shock. "WHAT?! Krona! Don't you know how important your fur is to you in the winter?!" Buffer asked, "You most likely can't even live without it!" "Buffer, if you remembered your science correctly, yak fur can be cut off and grow back." Krona explained. "First of all, the correct way to say that is' yak fur can be cut off, and it can grow back'. And second, Krona, there's actually no necessary need to make replacement presents." Buffer informed. "But, every Hearth's Warming Eve, we give each other presents!" Krona stated. "I know, but the presents aren't the real reason we celebrate; the real reason is to get together as friends in order to remember the foundation of Equestria, and how friendship was formed between the three different pony tribes, and how that friendship defeated the Windigos." Buffer explained. Krona warmed up after hearing the explanation, crying a tiny bit before resisting it and answering, "You're right Buffer. Friendship is the real reason every creature celebrate, not the presents. Krona shouldn't have rushed off to try to cut off her yak fur to make a replacement gift out of it without thinking twice. Krona's sorry that she put Buffer in this trouble." "It's not much trouble, Krona. It just costed a bit of time, or..some bit of time?" Buffer asked before shaking his head, "Anyway, let's just o back to the Castle and warm up." Back at the Castle of Friendship, Luster, Sunshine Rays and Volcano were in the said dragon's room, where he took a metal cube that was the size of his cow out of one of his drawers. "Behold one of my latest inventions, the DNA Detector. If the feather has DNA that belonged to a griffon, hippogriff, or a pegasus, the invention can tell us after the scan, because it has scanned before feathers from the said creatures." Volcano explained, flipping the top side of the cube and revealing a tiny red button that he pressed in order to allow the cube to transform into his machine that was 8 times the size of the cube it initially was. "We all were there when you asked us to give you strands of our manes, one of our feathers and things like those!" Sunshine Rays reminded. "So my machine can scan them and identify them from everything else!" Volcano answered. "But it's still a good thing we did that...or we will never know what creature this feather belongs to!" Luster claimed. Just then, the invention finished scanning and printed out the results on a script of paper that Volcano tore off and read silently. "So...what does it say?" Sunshine Rays asked. "It is a feather from a species that it has never scanned before!" Volcano gasped. "A species the it's never scanned before?!" the mares asked in unison. "According to the scan, the feather came from a bird." Volcano nodded. "Hello? All birds have feathers!" Sunshine Rays reminded. "Although, there might be some exceptions similar to how not all mammals give birth since the duck-billed platypus lays eggs, but Sunshine has a point." Luster corrected. "Since my machine never scanned the DNA of this species, it cannot detect what creature this feather is from! We don't have a clue on who the culprit is!" Volcano apprised. "Not completely don't have a clue! We know that the culprit isn't a griffon, hippogriff, nor a pegasus! And now we know that it is a bird with dark blue feathers!" Luster corrected. "But, it's cold out there! Why would a bird take our presents?" Sunshine Rays asked. "I have no idea unless there's food in them!" Volcano figured. "But I didn't put any food in the presents I made for all of our best friends!" Sunshine Rays stated. "Neither did I!" Luster contributed. "Nor I!" Volcano joined in. "And Alkali already said that her gift isn't food, guaranteed." Sunshine Rays recalled. "Krona said her gift is not something to eat, nor something to et with." Luster remembered. "And Falcon Dive said that his gift for us may help us get healthier, but it isn't food nor anything like that!" Volcano recalled. "I don't think any of the presents is food!" Sunshine Rays summarised. "But if none of the presents is food, why would the birds who took it take it?" Luster asked. In the mean time, Nature Bloom was flying through the night skies as a snowy owl, in order to use the said animal's abilities to find things through the snow. She soon spotted Falcon Dive flying off from Canterlot and on his way to further ground. Knowing that she had to catch up to Falcon before he could get to somewhere even further, Natue Bloom transformed herself into a peregrine falcon, the fastest bird known, and flew up high as she could before diving in like a real peregrine falcon would do to catch prey, only in her case, to catch a friend before they could get too far away. Falcon Dive was flying in a straight line as fast as he could, when he felt something whoosh by him, and got ahead of him. Once she was ahead, Nature Bloom changed back into her regular changeling form, surmising Falcon Dive. "Nature Bloom?! How did you...what are you doing out here?" the griffon asked. "I got to get you to go back to the Castle right away because you don't really need to make replacement presents to replace the presents the are gone!" the changeling informed. "But, we always give presents to each other to celebrate!" Falcon Dive stated. "Giving presents is just a tradition! The real reason is friendship, Hearth'sWaring Eve is celebrated to remember the friendship that defeated the Windigos and united the Unicorns, Earth Ponies and Pegasi back when Equestria was found!" Nature Bloom explained, "In other words, what really matters on Hearth's Warming Eve, is creatures getting together as friends and family. Not the presents!" Falcon Dive thought for a while before making up his mind, "You are right, Nature. Hearth's Warming is not about things, it's about others! Others whom we care about! We should o back, with or without presents!" "It makes no sense!" Luster said out loud, pacing in Volcano's room. "Birds usually don't like the cold unless they have the features to help them survive! And I don't think a bird with dark blue feathers is one of those kinds!" Volcano added. "Birds that can handle the cold are usually black or white, or both!" Sunshine Rays added. "I can't think of anything!" Luster announced, as she stopped pacing. "I know this might sound shocking to you, but this is one of the times Yellow Bright's jokes can come in handy, as I feel like I need one right now." Sunshine Rays admitted. "You actually like Yellow Bright's jokes?!" Volcano and Luster asked in unison. "Not really 'like', they just make me feel like...like...everything's familiar. Because I experienced their presence in situations like this, when we are all thinking, Yellow Bright came up with jokes to lighten things up or to prevent us from getting bored...even though they can get boring when went on for long time, but the main point is, I must have warmed up with them in their absence, this Hearth''s Warming Eve." Sunshine Rays explained. "That's like one of those very touching stories when characters never discovered how much they feel around something until that something is gone." Volcano commented. "It's good to know that you warmed up with something you usually aren't warm with, Sunshine, but let's not forget the situation here." Luster reminded. "Oh, right. Why would a bird take our presents?" Sunshine Rays asked. "And why would it be here during winter if it's not a bird adapted to the cold?" Volcano asked. "And where can it be with the presents?" Luster added. At Sugar Cube Corner, Evergreen was getting tired of Cheese Sandwich's performance. "And that's the story of how Yellow Bright got his job as a party pony's helper, and a comedian!" the party pony finished, before correcting his last statement, "No, it's the story of how Yellow Bright became two party ponies' helper and a comedian! No four party ponies' helper! Or is it five?" "Mr. Cheese Sandwich, I really don't have more time to lose! I got to find Yellow Bright before Hearth's Warming Eve is over! We need to get back to the Case! And the only reason I came in here is to ask you if you seen him!" Evergreen finally spoke up. "Then why didn't you say so, Miss Evergreen? What you're looking for is right upstairs!" Cheese Sandwich answered. "Come on, we'll show you." Pumpkin Cake apprised Evergreen, leading the Kirin upstairs with Pound Cake. Once they were on the second floor, they quickly arrived at the room Yellow Bright was in, making presents for his best friends. "Yellow Bright!" Evergreen called. "Evergreen?! You're here?!" the Earth Pony asked. "Yes I am! And I can't believe that you didn't hear any of Mr.Cheese Sandwich's performance that happened downstairs, when it's so close to where you have been this whole time!" Evergreen responded. "Sorry, Evergreen, I was busy making the replacements presents for every creature!" Yellow Bright answered, holding up a learn with a light bulb in it. "That's your present for all of us?" Evergreen asked. "I figured that these electronic lanterns will light the night as a perfect gift for every creature!" Yellow Bright explained. "Speaking of gifts, yo don't really have to go through all this to make replacement presents! Even if we never got any presents, we will have each other like what Hearth's Warming is actually about! But if you go after gifts, there won't even be a Hearth's Warming spirit at the party you're supposed o be in." Evergreen informed. "You mean...the real hing that matters is all of us being together?" Yellow Bright asked. "As friends and family!" Pound Cake added, hugging Pumpkin Cake. Seeing the Cake Twins together, Yellow Bright nodded, "Hearth's Warming Eve is about caring for one another, nt presents! I'm going back, even without completing the presents for every creature!" "Thats the Hearth's Warming spirit!" Evergreen responded, before the two made their leave and galloped away. In the Castle of Friendship, Trixie and Starlight Glimmer were sitting behind the tree, looking at it as they talked. "Well, Starlight, isn't it great to spend time with a friend on Hearth's Warming Eve?" Trixie asked her bets friend. "It actually is, and I'm glad that we're both free on this particular day. Or night." Starlight joked, causing them both to laugh. "Guess who I found!" Buffer could be heard saying, as he and Krona returned. "And here comes company!" Nature Bloom added, entering with Falcon Dive. "And here comes more company!" Evergreen added, arriving with Yellow Bright. "Well done, you've found every creature who ran off to get replacement presents!" Starlight complimented. "Not really every creature..." Buffer responded, after taking a look. "Where's Alkali?" Nature Bloom asked. "She went off to get replacement presents, and we haven't found her!" Evergreen added. "Over here!" Alkali's voice could be heard saying, causing every creature to turn their heads to look at where she was: Walking to the tree with Sunburst. "Alkali!" the six creatures who just returned to the Castle of Friendship exclaimed in unison. "Where were you?" Falcon Dive asked. "I was in the Storage Room looking for materials to make the replacements." Alkali answered. "And I found her when I went to teh said room in order to get some last minute decor." Sunburst stated. "Speaking of last minute, where are Luster, Sunshine and Volcano?" Alkali asked. "They're trying to solve the mystery of the disappeared presents." Starlight answered, a second before the three creatures arrived at the scene. "We are, and we don't have much to report." Luster announced. "Luster, Sunshine and Volcano didn't find Hearth's Warming presents?" Krona asked. "We don't even know what creature has our presents!" Sunshine Rays informed. "And we can't work out why it will take our presents if none of them have food." volcano ended. "Maybe whoever took the presents knew it was Hearth's Warming Eve, and took our presents to give them to their friends and family!" Yellow Bright joked. "I can't believe I missed that." Sunshine Rays remarked. "The only clues we have are the facts that the culprit isn't a griffon, a hippogriff nor a pegasus." Luster explained. "And they are most likely the owners of this dark blue feather found in hr crime scene." Volcano added, holding up the dark blue feather that Luster found earlier. "Wait a minute, can I have that feather to take a closer look?" Nature Bloom asked politely. "Sure, whatever that can help." Luster answered. Nature Bloom examined the feather for a few seconds before telling the others, "This feather belongs to the largest flying parrot known today: The Hyacinth Macaw." "Wow! She's as good as Fluttershy." Trixie commented. "That's because Nature Bloom usually helps Madam Fluttershy with animals!" Krona answered. "And get to learn a lot bout animals!" Buffer contributed. "Hyacinth Macaws grow to be as big as a metre, and are social creatures as they live in pairs or in flocks. And they are vulnerable to extinction, so they are not very common." Nature Bloom explained. "But why would they take our presents?" Sunshine Rays asked. "They are intelligent to some extent, and might know what presents are and decided to give them to its mate." Nature Bloom figured, "Although, I never heard of anything like that." "What are we waiting for?! Let's find that macaw!" Falcon Dive announced. "But where do we look?" Evergreen asked, "We don't even know where the macaws might be!" "Please don't freak out, but I think that they might be secretly residing somewhere in the Castle, where it's warm." Nature Bloom figured. "But we cleaned all the rooms! Ddin't we?!" Volcano asked. "We better double and tripe check!" Luster declared, causing the heroic Ten to split up. "We'll help, too!" Starlight Glimmer called. "Of course we will! It is Hearth's Warming Eve, after all!" Trixie supported, joining the search. "I'm helping, too!" Sunburst contributed. The creatures searched high and low around the castle, trying to find the macaws that had the presents. Nature Bloom looked around the Gardening Room, the room filled with plants that were grown indoors and kept warm throughout the winter by a heater inside. "We have loads of nuts and native food of the Hyacinth macaws here. Every reason to think that they're hiding here all along..." Nature Bloom told herself, before spotting a cluster of twigs and branches covering a certain part of a tree. The changeling flew to the cluster, and was surprised by a dark blue macaw that squawked, "What are you doing here?! You're not invited to this family's dinner!" "I'm sorry, I was just wondering if I could have a word with you..." Nature Bloom answered. "We searched everywhere!" Alkali exclaimed. "I thought they would be in the Relaxing Room because it's warm and relaxing there during cold times like this." Volcano stated. "I searched the kitchen, thinking that the macaws will be after the food there." Buffer informed. "I searched all the empty rooms I passed by, and no macaw." Sunshine Rays apprised. "Hey, where's Nature Bloom?" Krona asked, noticing the changeling's absence. "She said that she will be checking the Gardening Room, that's what I heard from her when we were close enough to talk during the search." Evergreen replied. "Then that's where we will look now! Come on, every creature!" Luster instructed The nine creatures raced to the Gardening Room and found Nature Bloom with the macaws they suspected to be the culprits. "Nature Bloom!" the creatures shouted in unison. "Don't worry, every creature. Hyacinth macaws can be very friendly, and I obviously befriended them in this short period of time." Nature Bloom assured, gently stroking one of the macaws. "B...but... the presents! Didn't they..." Falcon Dive attempted to continue, but was prevented from doing so by Nature Bloom. "The father macaw took the presents because he knew it is Hearth's Warming, and overheard us saying that our presents are the prefect gifts this year. So he decided to take them to give to his family, whom he cares about so much. He's really sorry for doing so, he thought that giving presents was how to show care n Hearth's Warming Eve, which he heard so much about." After hearing Nature Bloom's explanation, the others were amazed. "Wow, macaws understand what we were saying?" Evergreen asked. "That's out of this world!" Yellow Bright commented. "Animals can actually be smart! Very smart!" Volcano told the others. But, why would macaws want to celebrate Hearth's Warming? Krona thought that animals don't celebrate much." Krona asked. "They may most likely won't have anniversaries or that kind of celebrations, but if they ever thought of something like that like we creatures do, they might make something like that for their families and those they treat as friends." Nature Bloom explained. "Speaking of friends, macaws, there's something important you must know about Hearth's Warming Eve: The real reason we celebrate is not the presents, it is to be together with friends and family as we remember the friendship formed between the unicorns, Pegasi and Earth Ponies, that created the Fire of Friendship that defeated the Windigos and drove them out of Equestria, never to harm us again." Luster explained. "Unless there's disharmony between the different creatures like when Lord Tirek, Queen Chrysalis and Cozy Glow..." Volcano began, only to be cut off by Yellow Bright. "I don't think we need that info now, Volcano." The male Hyacinth macaw then squawked, "I'm sorry," for the creatures to hear, impressing most of them. "Wow! Now that's what I call a cool bird." Falcon Dive commented. "That's alright, we found our resents and can have them back, so everything is going to be fine." Nature Bloom assured. "Just one more thing. How about we get our new friends who have been our castle-mates all this time, downstairs to the tree to celebrate Hearth's Warming Eve?!" Luster suggested. "Sorry Luster, but not all of the macaws can make it!" Nature Bloom informed, flying to the tree and revealing the nest hidden behind the twigs and sticks. Four tiny heads popped into sight, surprising he creatures. "The macaws have four new babies?! Congratulations!" Alkali exclaimed. "Actually, those babies are not so new. They are about to be months old!" Nature Bloom corrected. "Oh, in that case, they might not be so new..." Alkali figured. "How about we bring our party here? For the very first time?!" Luster suggested. "Um, Luster? This is actually our first Hearth's Warming Eve in this castle." Sunshine Rays reminded. "We can have next year's downstairs like my parents used to! But this year, let's try to make an exception..." Luster told her best friends. Later, luster rushed to her parents who were still waiting for her and her best friends. "Mum! Dad!" Luster called, galloping towards them. "Luster! Where are your best friends?" Starlight Glimmer asked. "Where the party is going to be moved into: The Gardening Room!" Luster answered. "WHAT?!" the older unicorns asked in unison. "There have been macaws living in the Gardening Room for about 3 months or something like that. And they're our new friends who wanted to try celebrating Hearth's Warming Eve after hearing so much about it!" Luster explained. "Animals wanting to celebrate Hearth's Warming?" Trixie asked. "They can be very intelligent, and understand what we're saying." Luster explained, "They may not be the best talkers when it comes to our language, but they're friends!" "Then we should do what real friends will do for them; help them get what they need!" Starlight Glimmer cheerfully declared, just before the heard a knock on the Castle's door. "I'll get it!" Luster announced, rushing to the doors and opening them with her magic, revealing a pleasant sight. "You came!" the pink unicorn exclaimed upon seeing the visitors. "Of course we did, you invited us!" Eclipse Instant answered. "And we were finished with our World Tour setting things right, spreading word about our reformations." Shapeshifter added. "Good thing you're here, because we need all the help we can get to move a celebration!" Luster declared. After some time, everything was finally ready for Hearth''s Warming Eve in the Castle of Friendship's Gardening Room. "The macaws are saying 'thank you for everything', every creature." Nature Bloom told the other creatures. "It was nothing..." Volcano replied. "Or something! Let's celebrate!" Krona exclaimed, causing Yellow Bright to turn on the music on the music box. Everything went on quickly; the opening of the presents, the serving of the treats and puddings, and the games. "Happy Hearth's Warming, to one and all!" every creature exclaimed together, as they looked out the window to see the snow falling.
24. To Be or Not to BeAuthor's Note To Be or Not to Be serves as the twenty-fourth episode of the series. It is inspired by the Elena of Avalor episode, To Queen, or Not to Queen. Summary: After a series of arguments associated with her age number happened on her birthday party, Luster Dawn begins to think that her chronological and biological ages being different is a drawback, as well as her backstory, until Xian Zhe shows her some alternate realities that answers her questions of 'what if' and see if it was really better for her to be the way she is or not. Featured Characters: Unnamed Blue dragon and Yellow Kirin, are creatures seen in an alternate reality that answered Luster's question of what if she was born in the same generation as the rest of the Heroic Ten. In that reality, Luster befriended the blue dragon and yellow Kirin at a Friendship Festival that was hosted to bring creatures together since Equestria and Beyond were still adjusting too changes. Despite having a strong friendship with them, the alternate reality Luster did not succeed in stopping Eclipse Instant from conquering Equestria and Beyond. Alternate Reality's Luster Dawn's Parents, an unnamed unicorn mare and an unnamed unicorn stallion who appeared in an alternate reality that answered what if Luster Dawn as born in the same generation as the rest of the Heroic Ten, but was not the daughter of Starlight Glimmer and Sunburst. In the alternate reality, despite Eclipse Instant's defeat and reformation, the parents believed that Ponyville was too dangerous for their daughter due to Shapeshifter's deceptions, deciding to move her to Canterlot near Princess Twilight Sparkle, resulting in an undefeated and unreformed Shapeshifter causing damage that did not get fixed. Acknowledgements: What is a Leap Year? Accurately how many hours in a day 24. To Be or Not to Be One fine day at Sugar Cube Corner, Pinkie Pie was making cupcakes as she was decorating the said pastries with icing and toppings such as sprinkles and berries, just before Yellow Bright and Krona arrived to the counter. "Why, hello Yellow Bright and Krona! What a great day to stop by Sugar Cube Corner, isn't it?" Pinkie Pie asked. "Yes, it is!" Krona agreed. "So, Yellow Bright, why'd bring your yak bestie here today?" Pinkie Pie asked. "Don't you remember, Madam Pinkie Pie? We've ordered two birthday cakes, cupcakes, doughnuts, tarts, and party supplies such as balloons, banners, ribbons..." Yellow Bright began listing, until he was cut off by Pinkie Pie. "Oh, yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Silly me, I totally forgot!" the pink Earth Pony quickly dashed off to grab everything on the list and bring it to her customers,"Here's your party supplies, all in this sack! And here are all the pastries, each box containing only one of each kind!" Pinkie Pie handed the towering tower of blue boxes to the creatures, making Krona comment, "Krona sure wish there was a unicorn here..." "Did some creature say 'a unicorn'?" a familiar voice asked. The creatures turned to see Pumpkin Cake, who used her magic to levitate the blue boxes into a small cube-shaped wagon that could carry eight boxes when filled to the brim, leaving the additional four stacked on top. "Thanks, Miss Pumpkin Cake!" Krona thanked. "Happy to help!" Pumpkin Cake happily replied. "Just one more thing!" Pinkie Pie announced, as she took out two white boxes from the counter, "Or maybe, two! The two birthday cakes you creatures ordered are in these white boxes!" "But the wagon's full!" Krona reminded. "We'll just have to carry them the old-fashioned way." Yellow Bright figured, as he opened his mouth to bite the string on one of the boxes. "Maybe I should go with you, in order to help you carry these final boxes so you won't have a lot of trouble." Pumpkin Cake suggested, levitating the last two white boxes with her magic, causing Yellow Bright to release the box he had. "Thanks, again Miss Pumpkin Cake!" Krona thanked. "I already said, I'm happy to help!" Pumpkin Cake giggled. "You kind of remind me of how Luster helped Alkali and I back when we first met her!" Yellow Bright commented. "Speaking of Luster, I remember that you ordered all of this to celebrate her birthday this year." Pumpkin Cake recalled. "Indeed! Luster's turning twenty!" Krona exclaimed. "No, she's actually turning ten!" Yellow Bright argued. "Twenty!" Krona protested. "Ten!" Yellow Bright disagreed. "Twenty!" "Ten!" "Twenty!" "Ten!" "Twenty!" "Ten!" "Will you two stop?!" an annoyed Pound Cake came down the stairs, "What are you even arguing about?! Numbers?!" "Arguing about how old Luster is this year! She's turning twenty!" Krona declared. "Correction, she's turning ten!" Yellow Bright argued. "Actually, you're both right to some extent: Luster is turning both twenty and ten!" Pound Cake told the two creatures. "Of course Krona's..." Krona began, before she paid more attention to Pound Cake's latest words, "Wait..." "Both twenty and ten?!" Krona and Yellow Bright asked in unison. "Don't you remember the real story? Head-mare Starlight and Head-Stallion Sunburst's only biological child, had one of the most amazing and out-of-the-ordinary backstories of growing up! Since her parents are too busy, they send her to Sire's Hollow to be taken care of by their parents, then, when Luster wasn't in kindergarten anymore, she enrolled in the School for Gifted Unicorns, passed the exam, but her happiness made her magic react with her magical project that resulted the irreversible age spell that made her ten years older than she actually is!" Pound Cake reminded. "So, that's how she can be both ten and twenty! Twenty is her biological age, ten is her chronological age!" Pumpkin Cake explained. "Is that why there are two cakes with two different amounts of candles instead of one?" Pinkie Pie asked. "Yes, that is..." Yellow Bright answered. "Krona and Yellow Bright couldn't agree on how many candles to put on the cake, and made Mr.Cheese Sandwich so annoyed that he shouted..." Krona recalled and was about to quote, but Cheese Sandwich showed up to say the quote for her. "Why don't you have them BOTH?!" "Yup, that's exactly what he said!" Yellow Bright nodded. "Do you think I will forget what happened on the day a party order is made, when the day that the party order is supposed to be delivered on arrives?" Cheese Sandwich asked. "Obviously, wouldn't!" Krona answered. "Wrong!" Cheese Sandwich strictly snapped, before immediately changing his tone and expressions, "The correct answer is 'Certainly won't!'" "What?!" Krona was speechless to hear the correct answer. "Look at the time! We best be going! Can't have a party without all of this!" Yellow Bright announced. In the Castle of Friendship, Alkali was skating on soap bars on her four hippogriff feet like she always would whenever it was cleaning time. Sunshine Rays was cleaning the walls with sponge, while Buffer delivered water around, as he had a wagon loaded with the said liquid attached to him. "The castle is looking fabulous!" Starlight Glimmer commented. "Glad you said so! It felt like we were cleaning for days!" Falcon Dive exclaimed. "We hope that this birthday party isn't too hard to manage, as we have quite a lot of guests." Natue Bloom told the Head-mare. "Don't worry, every creature. This castle has welcomed all of Ponyville before! If it can handle a whole town, why can't it handle a hundred guests?" Starlight Glimmer asked. "Are you sure that we have a hundred guest this time?" Falcon Dive asked. "It's just an expression." Starlight Glimmer replied. "Well, our siblings are coming, accompanied by one of their parents, and since there are 9 of us, 9 times 2 is 18..." Buffer stated. "Don't forget Gloss Semblance! He's not a sibling, but he is the sibling of one of the former students of the School of Friendship, and he's friends with our siblings! And Luster went to fetch him here because his family knows that she can be trusted!" Alkali reminded. "Adding him to the guest list makes 19..." Buffer counted. "Don't forget that the Council of Friendship and their children are coming, and some of their children's friends/relatives." Sunshine Rays informed. "19 plus 7 plus 10 makes...36!" Buffer calculated. "Don't forget Nightfall Dusk and Mitigate," Nature Bloom added. "Adding them makes 38!" Buffer figged. "And since it's Luster's birthday, her old caregivers are coming, too." Starlight Glimmer told the creatures. "Plus 2 more that's 40!" Buffer counted. Just then, there was a knock on the Castle Door. "I will get it!" Sunshine Rays called, flying to the golden doors that allowed creatures in and out of the castle. The white pegasus opened the door to find a huge number of ponies on the other side. "Oh, the Cutie Mark Crusaders and their families are here, including the huge Apple and Pear Family..." Sunshine Rays said out loud, before gasping as she realised what she recently said, "Huge family!" "Hi, Miss Sunshine!" Pear Sweet greeted. "We're here for Luster's birthday party!" Pear Treat added. "You all invited us?" Scootaloo reminded. "Yes, and I completely forgot..." Sunshine Rays answered, speechless. "The more the merrier! Come on in!" Alkali cheered. "No, wait!" Sunshine Rays tried to stop the process, but failed. The ponies walked into the castle quickly, only to slip on the slippery floor just as fast, falling flat on their backs. "Whoops, I forgot that I just soaped the floor to clean it, major apologies and a thousand sorries!" Alkali apologised. "You're lucky that Grandpa Boiled Pear's at home with Haystack, or he might have been doomed to be involved in this fall." Apple Bloom groaned. "Adding the Cutie Mark Crusaders and their husbands, and their children and a huge family makes...a total of 55 guests!" Buffer calculated. "55 rounded off to 3 significant figures, is 100!" Sunshine Rays stated. "Matter of fact: When you round 55 off to the nearest hundred, you also get 100!" Alkali added. "How about 57 guests?" Yellow Bright asked, as he, Krona and the Cake Twins arrived. "Wait, the Cake Twins are invited, too?" Sunshine Rays asked. "Actually, not. But since they helped Krona and Yellow Bright, why shouldn't they attend the party?" Krona asked. "As they say, the more the merrier!" Starlight responded, being the cheerful pony she was. "But that would leave Mr. Cheese Sandwich all alone running Sugar Cube Corner!" Nature Bloom reminded. "He can handle it." Pumpkin Cake assured. "Besides, he's done that before a hundred times!" Pound Cake added. "But are you sure he won't complain about missing the party?" Falcon Dive asked. "He can handle it, we told you so!" Pumpkin assured. Soon, the birthday party was on, with every creature having a good time playing and talking, before it was time to cut the cake. "Attention, every creature! It is time for the moment we've all been waiting for: Cutting the birthday cake!" Princess Twilight Sparkle announced, catching every creature's attention. "Wait, wait, wait!" Pinkie Pie called, "You meant cut the birthday cakes!CAKES! There are two birthday cakes, not one!" The party pony raised the two white boxes in the air for all to see, making the guests confused. "Say what?" Rainbow Dash asked. "A birthday party with two cakes instead of one?" Spike asked. "Maybe it's for feeding more guests?" Rarity suggested. "Actually, it's because Krona and Yellow Bright couldn't decide between twenty and ten candles, so..." Krona began, before Yellow Bright filled in. "We ended up ordering two cakes; one with twenty candles, the other with ten! Other than that, the cakes are identical!" "But, why would you have to choose between two numbers with a great difference of 10?" Fluttershy asked, makan Luster Dawn feel uncomfortable, knowing what was coming. "Because Luster's biological and chronological ages are different by 10!" Falcon Dive answered. "Don't you all know her Real Story?" Evergreen asked. "At first, it is only a lecture at the School of Friendship..." Buffer began "But when Luster became a heroine of Equestria and Beyond, the story is known worldwide!" Volcano went on. "For every creature to know!" Yellow Bright finished. "Can we just go on with cake cutting?" Luster asked, getting very uncomfortable. "Wait! Wait! Wait! I can't remember the story! How did Luster get to have different biological and chronological ages?" Juicy Apple raised her front right hoof and asked. "That? It's because of an irreversible age spell that she unintentionally casted on herself when her happiness made her magic react with her magical project at the entry exam for the School of Gifted Unicorns." Volcano explained, making Luster even more embarrassed as the craziest part of her backstory was told or reminded to the whole crowd. "Now can we please forget this story and cut the cakes?" Luster asked. "Hold on, we have to light them first!" Princess Twilight Sparkle said, getting ready to light the candles as she approached the cake that was closer to her, the one on her left with the twenty candles, but was stopped by Yellow Bright. "Wait! Wait! Wait! Luster is actually ten, and since there are ten members of the team she is in, and a digit 1 in the number 10, you should light the cake that has ten candles first!" "No! Luster is biologically twenty! With the intelligence of some creature who's twenty! And twenty is considered her age now! So the one with twenty should go first!" Krona argued. "Ten!" Yellow Bright insisted. "Twenty!" Krona protested. "Ten!" Yellow Bright argued. "Twenty!" Krona disagreed. Seeing that the two arguing creatures would not be happy either way, Luster decided to light the candles herself, lighting both cakes at the exact same time as she sent a magic wave that was small, but enough to do the trick. "There you go! Two cakes lit up at the exact same time!" Pinkie Pie announced. "That way neither of them is first, nor last!" Applejack added. "And you creatures have nothing to argue about!" Fluttershy continued. "Make a wish, Luster, that's what we always do on our birthdays!" Princess Twiliht Sparkle told her faithful student gently. Luster silently though for a while, before getting ready to blow out the candles, but was interrupted by Yellow Bright. "Wait! You should blow out the ten candles before blowing double the amount!" "What?! Luster will get tired! She should blow out the twenty candles then get half the work to blow out ten!" Krona insisted, starting another argument. "Ten!" "Twenty!" "Ten!" "Twenty!" Knowing that she had to make sure neither went first nor last again, Luster asked Rarity, "Madam Rarity? Do you have 2 fans for fanning?" "Indeed, I do!" Rarity replied in a friendly tone, levitating 2 fans out of her clothes, and giving them to Luster. Luster levitated the fans and had one facing the cake with ten candles, and the other facing the cake with twenty candles, and fanned both at the exact same time until all the candles were out. "There you go, another tie!" Pinkie Pie announced. "Both blown out at the same time!" Rainbow Dash continued. "And started getting blown at, at the same time." Spike added. "Now that the candles are blown out, it's time to take them off and..." Princess Twilight Sparkle said, lighting up her horn, ready to use magic to take the candles off the cake, but was interfered by Krona. "Princess Twilight Sparkle should remove the twenty candles first! Because it's better to have more work first than more work later!" "But the one with ten candles would take lesser time! That should go first!" Yellow Bright argued. "Or maybe they should both go at the same time." Princess Twilight Sparkle figured, using her magic to levitate all the candles off at once. "Now, to cut the cake!" Sunburst declared, giving his daughter the cake-cutting knife with his magic, like unicorns usually would. "Finally!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed. "Wait!" Krona called, "Luster is twenty, so she should cut the cake that had twenty candles on it! and there's a lot of guests! And twenty is more than ten!" "Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! The number of candles doesn't determine how many pieces the cake can be cut into, nor the size of the cake! And Luster is really ten years old! So she should cut the cake that had ten candles on it!" Yellow Bright disagreed. "Twenty!" Krona argued. "Ten!" Yellow Bright protested. Luster groaned and used a duplication spell on the cake-cutting knife, making a clone appear. But before she could cut the cakes at the same time.. "Wait! Luster is really ten years old! The cake that had ten candles would be cut with the real knife!" Yellow Bright pointed out. "But she doesn't have to be treated like a ten-years-old! She's twenty! With the mind and appearance of some creature twenty! So the real knife should cut the cake that had twenty candles!" Krona argued. As the two began another argument, Luster asked out loud, "does any creature have a real spare knife for cake cutting?!" "Right here!" Pinkie Pie handed one to Luster in a flash. "Thanks!" Luster thanked, before undoing the duplication spell to send the clone life away, followed by cutting the two cakes with two real knives at the exact same time and in the exact same way. "Glad that all that argument was over." Fluttershy commented, watching the events unfold. "Alright, every creature! Step right up and have some cake!" Luster announced, signalling the crowd to come over. Soon, after every creature had cake, Luster was about to take a piece for herself, but was interfered by Yellow Bright and Krona's augments and suggestions, again. "Wait! Luster is turning twenty in age, so she should have a piece from the cake that had twenty candles, first!" Krona insisted. "No! She's really ten years old, so she should take a piece from the real deal!" Yellow Bright argued. Irritated, Luster quickly got out two real plates and two real spoons with her magic, and got one real slice rom each cake and divided them equally by the plates. Scooping about the same amount from each slice with each spoon, Luster then challenged herself to consume both at the same time, bringing them towards her mouth, allowing them to stop right in front of their destination and wait for the entrance to open as she sent the food right into the starting point of her digestive system. "Or...that could work..." Krona commented. That evening, all the guests were leaving the Castle of Friendship, with Luster waving them goodbye. "Goodbye! Hope to see you all soon!" the unicorn called and waved, before turning around and accidentaly bumping into Nightfall Dusk. "Sorry, Nightfall! Didn't see you there!" Luster apologised. "Don't worry, accidents do happen." Nightfall Dusk responded, understandably. "Hopefully when we see each other again, this won't happen so often." Luster said, slightly blushing. "Hope so, too. See you someday, Luster Dawn." Nightfall Dusk responded, before walking off. "See you , someday...Nightfall Dusk..." Luster replied, dreamingly, before walking back into the Castle of Friendship. Inside the Castle, Alkali was skating on soap bars once again, skating towards the birthday mare, greeting her, "Hey, Luster! Happy that you've become a decade older? And had a great big party? And never had to set it up nor clean up after it?" "Kind of," Luster gloomily replied. "Kind of?!" Falcon Dive asked, "Hello?! It's a huge party with lots of work to do to prepare it and clean it up! And you don't have to do any of that!" "And it's your party in the first place!" Sunshine Rays reminded. "And you got something like sibling time with Gloss Semblance, whom we figured that you treat like a sibling of yours." Buffer contributed. "And even Nightfall Dusk came! How can you not be happy?!" Evergreen asked. "I'm actually unhappy about something else..." Luster answered. "What are you unhappy bout?" Nature Bloom asked in a concerned tone. "Is it Krona and Yellow Bright's constant arguing about which number should go first?" Volcano asked. Every creature turned to look at the two creatures mentioned by Volcano recently, who responded sheepishly as they gave out nervous laughter. "That only irritated and annoyed me." Luster answered. "Then what was the real thing that upset you? Please don't say it's Mitigate being one of the guests!" Nature Bloom asked. "Nope, every guest is fine, too." Luster replied. "Then, what is the thing that upsets you?" Sunshine Rays asked. "It's my..." Luster paused, before admitting, "Age." "Your age?!" all nine of the listeners gasped. "But, why?" Krona asked. "If it's because it made us argue so much and annoy and irritate you so much, we're really sorry!" Yellow Bright apologised in a way like some creature would apologise to royalty. "Not because of that," Luster answered, "It's because it makes me so...different..." "Well, that's understandable, because mot of the creatures in the land are obviously as old as they really are!" Evergreen apprised Luster "I may not like the idea of changing ages through age spells since it can be unnatural, but I know that your case is an acceptable exception, because it was unintentional, and irreversible, and you actually tried to reverse it." Sunshine Rays contributed. "I still have no idea how it was irreversible, I mean, no creature has sen anything like it!" Lustr exclaimed. "There's always a first time for everything," Nature Bloom assured. "Like the first time you talked, the first time you made something, the first time you participated in a competition!" Alkali listed some examples. "Those are all basic things, Alkali. Not something so rare that the world has never seen before!" Luster informed. "But on the bright side, you forget about trying to reverse it and moved on!" Yellow Bright reminded. "Yes...but it makes me uncomfortable whenever some creature asked me how old I am." Luster sighed. "Just say the age that the age spell made you into!" Krona figured, "Because you have the appearance and mind of some creature that old!" "But I chronologically am ten years younger than that!" Luster reminded, "What if they asked which year I was born in? Once they calculate, they'd be shocked!" "Tell them not to calculate?" Yellow Bright asked, "Or just tell them to never ask which year you're born in, just ask how old you are?" "Wouldn't that be a little weird of me?" Luster asked. "Speaking of weird, there are a lot of weird things in the world!" Volcano showed up, with a science magazine in his claws, "Like, the blob fish!" The dragon showed an image of the mentioned fish in the magazine to every creature, surprising them in not a very pleasant way. "What is that?!" Sunshine Rays shrieked. "A blob fish, and Queen Skystar as a sea pony, playing games with it, as they are friends." Volcano explained. "I love the blob fish already! I can't wait to go back to Mount Aris for a visit, and dive into Seaquestria to play with one! Or more than one! Or many!" Alkali exclaimed. "So Luster, now that you've seen something weird, do you feel any better?" Volcano asked. "No...there's more things for me to be uncomfortable about, that makes me very, very different from every creature I know..." Luster sadly responded. "Is it still the age spell?" Krona asked. "More than just the age spell!" Luster cried, "My whole backstory! I was born in Ponyville, but got sent away to live in Sire's Hollow with my grandparents, was raised by them until I enrolled in the School for Gifted Unicorns, when the age spell happened and changed my life!" "It's not super rare to find children not raised by their biological parents: I mean, they might hire babysitters or caregivers not related to the family by blood, to take care of the children while they, the biological parents, work." Volcano explained. "And your parents actually didn't have a choice!" Nature Bloom reminded. "They got a School to run!" evergreen contributed. "And you know how bad things were without them..." Falcon Dive ended, reminding every creature about the incident that happened when Starlight Glimmer and Sunburst cared more about spending time with Luster than about the school, resulting total chaos on the family's final vacation day. "But look on the bright side! When you came to Ponyville, they were happy to see you, and offered you castle life!" Yellow Bright reminded. "That you...kindly rejected because you don't want to have privileges that we can't have." Buffer went on. “I know, but something that I do will like to know, is..." Luster gulped, before revealing what she was going to say, "Whether am I better off without the effects of my backstory or not." The nine creatures gasped to hear what their leader said. "Luster...why will you think of that?!" Krona asked. "That backstory is crazy and unlike what most creatures could have gone through!" Luster answered. "But there's always a first time for everything, even for the world." Buffer reminded. "Even if I wasn't the first creature to experience a crazy backstory like mine, I don't think I'll feel any better..." Luster sighed. "But Luster, don't you remember what Princess Twilight Sparkle learnt about timelines and effects when your mother hadn't reformed and altered the past?" Sunshine Rays asked, "Not to make you think of your mother being...not good." "They both learnt that every friendship is important, and every little thing is important too, as everything in the past leads to the present, and even the future." Luster replied. "I bet Sunshine is trying to tell you, that if it weren't for your backstory, the present will not even be the present it is," Volcano informed. "We might never have met you nor become your best friends!" Nature Bloom added. "And might never became the Heroic Ten!" Alkali dramatically exclaimed. "And what do you think Equestria will be like if none of that happened?" Evergreen asked. "Eclipse will not be defeated nor reformed?" Yellow Bright figured. "And we all might be brainwashed!" Falcon Dive ended. "I know it's great that we saved Equestria, but I'm still...different from every creature else..." Luster reminded them about the main point. "But if you were biologically as old as you chronologically are, you will be a kid like the Council of Friendship's children!" Buffer pointed out. "And you might not even get to lead us!" Nature Bloom added. "Nor be Element of Leadership!" Krona ended. "And, you might always needed one of us to be with you, how inconvenient will that be?" Volcano asked. "But, what if I was born in the same generation as all of you! Being biologically and chronologically in my twenties like you are?!" Luster asked after thinking for a while. "But, will your parents be old enough to have you?" Evergreen asked. "According to my calculations, and biology knowledge, the answer is can, but difficult and risky." Volcano answered, after silently thinking for a while. "And, if you were born in the same generation as we are, wouldn't you have made friends with Ponyville residents and never wanted to go to the School For Gifted Unicorns?" Sunshine Rays questioned. "I never made friends because I liked reading and studying more than anything!" Luster reminded, "So, I probably would have went to Canterlot and become Priincess Twilight Sparkle's student!" "But, how can you learn nothing about friendship through that scenario? I mean, your parents run a friendship school, Princess Twilight Sparkle is still the Princess of Friendship." Falcon Dive asked. "I was sent to Sire's Hollow to live with my grandparents! They probably won't teach me anything about friendship!" Luster claimed. "But your parents are still about the same age as the Council of Friendship! And if their children were born years after we were, shouldn't it be more right for you to be born in the same generation as the said children?" Sunshine Rays asked. "And not to wish that your Mum gave birth to you so soon and put her and your Dad in the situation that Volcano just described !" Falcon Dive contributed. "Or...what if I wasn't their biological daughter! As in, some creature else's biological daughter!" Luster asked after thinking again. "WHAT?!" Krona asked. "You don't want to be your parents' biological daughter?!" Yellow Bright asked out loud. "No! I mean yes! I mean...It's not that I don't want to be their biological daughter, I was just asking wha if my biological parents were other ponies, and not Head-mare Starlight Glimmer and Vice Head-stallion Sunburst, then I can be born in the same generation as you are, and be Princess Twilight Sparkle's student, and got sent to Ponyville to meet you all?!" Luster clarified. "That sounds...complicated..." Alkali commented. "And not quite possible if you ask me!" Sunshine Rays went on, "Only your biological parents can make you exist, like their biological parents and ancestors can!" "What are you all talking about? It's getting late!" Eclipse Instant asked, showing up into the hallway where the party was held. "Head-mare Starlight figured that you would have cleaned up fast and took your shower sby now, but you haven't!" Shapeshifter explained, showing up as well. "Whoops! We kind of...forgot?" Yellow Bright nervously laughed and replied. "What?! You've been living here longer than Shapeshifter and I have after we finished going around Equestria and Beyond!" Eclipse responded. "How can you forget your routine of bathing after hosting a party here?" Shapeshifter questioned. "We were busy talking through something!" Buffer answered. "Something that makes Luster feel uncomfortable!" Krona added. "Don't worry, I'll clean up the remaining things with My Magic, while you all shower!" Luster told her best friends. "Are you sure? It is your tenth birthday..." Yellow Bright asked. "Twentieth!" Krona insisted. "Tenth!" Yellow Bright snapped. "Twentieth!" Krona disagreed. "How about a Multiple of ten, term birthday?!" Alkali asked. "Or, maybe Shapeshifter and I shall clean while you all shower." Eclipse Instant suggested. "Besides, we really realised being good is good, so as every good thing regardless of size!" Shapeshifter added, flying down to get a broom. "I couldn't be any happier after seeing that Princess Twilight Sparkle knew that I am currently living with you ten like she hoped for back when you saved Equestria for the first time, and making her happy does make me happy, so now I'm going to clean up for all of you, so you won't be upset." Eclipse Instant apprised the Heroic Ten. "Actually, we won't be upset if we couldn't clean up this time..." Alkali pointed out. "Doesn't matter, we'll clean up for you while you shower." Shapeshifter responded. "Shower! Of course! We haven't showered yet!" Evergreen said out loud. "And we should shower a minimum of once a day!" Volcano added. "Luster, shouldn't the birthday mare go first?" Alkali asked. "If you all insist..." Luster replied. Later that night, every creature was sound asleep, with the exception of Luster, who flipped around in bed, unable to sleep because of what she could not get out of her mind. "That age spell! Caused so many problems such as making me unable to sleep!" Luster groaned, "I would have been happier if it weren't for it!" "I wouldn't say so." a familiar voice could be heard saying. "Xian Zhe?!" Luster asked, knowing that the voice was his. "Outside the Castle, Luster." Xian Zhe's voice said, causing Luster to teleport outside and ind him in front of the Castle's golden doors entrance. "Xian Zhe! What are you doing here so late?" Luster asked. "Came to give you your birthday present from me because I had a feeling that it's better for you to see me now instead of the exact anniversary of your birthday, which is actually more than a week before today." the ancient serpent answered, using his tail to place down a brown book in front of the unicorn. "More than a week before today?!" Luster asked. "Actually, one day is 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4 seconds to be more accurate, and a year is 365.2422 days to be more accurate. And there are 2 leap years contributing 2 extra days after you were born. And those little differences multiplied to become a big difference. And as an ancient serpent, I know very accurate things." Xian Zhe explained, pushing the book forward towards Luster with his tail. "Wow, thanks, Xian Zhe..." Luster thanked, but she was obviously no where near happy. "What's bothering you, Luster? You usually get excited to have a new book, and I know that the book I got you is extremely rare and unique with nothing like it." Xian Zhe asked. "It's not the book, Xian Zhe! It's my backstory! How crazily complicated it is, how unusual, and most importantly, the irreversible age spell!" Luster exclaimed. "And you're thinking that you might be better off if it weren't for it?" Xian Zhe asked. Luster did not use words to answer, but nodding as she moved her head up and down allowed the ancient serpent to know what her answer was. "Well, I was planning to give you just the book for your birthday, but it seems like it's time for my stronger powers to come in." Xian Zhe figured. "Stronger than accurately knowing how old something is by examining them?" Luster asked. "Indeed, now Luster. What question will you like to ask now?" Xian Zhe asked, preparing a brew in a short but wide black cauldron. "Whether I'm really better off without that crazy backstory of mine." Luster answered. "Sorry, but you have to be more clear than just that. Like, ask what if...whatever you want to know!" Xian Zhe explained. "Well...in that case...What if the age spell never happened?" Luster asked. The cauldron bubbled before forming a bubble as big as a ball that could get stuck in the cauldron's circular area. The bubble managed to float up, losing contact with the cauldron, but stay directly above it by a small distance. "Go ahead, pop the bubble." Xian Zhe instructed the unicorn. Luster reached out one of her front hooves to touch the bubble, causing it to release a very bright white light. Luster opened up her eyes and looked around, everything was different: It was not night, it was day. And she was not in Ponyville, she was in Canterlot, right outside the School for Gifted Unicorns. "Canterlot in the afternoon? The School for Gifted Unicorns?" Luster asked, "Xian Zhe, what did the bubble do?" There was no reply from the ancient serpent, who was no where to be seen. "Xian Zhe?" Luster asked again, "Looks like I'm on my own." Just then, a pony walked right through Luster, causing her to gasp, "I'm...intangible?! And, no creature seems to notice me?!" Luster rushed to a nearby group of creatures consisting a hippogriff, a yak, and a griffon, asking "Excuse me? Do you know where to find Princess Twilight Sparkle around now?" The group not only did not reply, but did not respond to Luster at all, as they continued chatting as if she never existed. "Did they just...not seem to know I was here?!" Luster asked herself, in a panicked and shocked tone, before noticing some familiar ponies nearby. "Everything's going to be alright, Luster, we're there for you." Luster's paternal grandmother Stellar Flare said to a filly Luster Dawn, accompanying the said filly to the school. "Even though we won't be able to cheer nor say much, but we're sure our presence is everything you need." Luster's maternal grandfather Firelight, who was also accompanying the filly Luster, said. "This is the day I had that entrance exam! And my grandparents took me there! Did I just went back in time?!" Luster asked, before closing her eyes to scrub them with her front left hoof for a second, and finding herself seeing how her younger self took the exam, completing the project and impressing the examiners. "Congratulations, Luster Dawn. You are accepted into the School for Gifted Unicorns, and welcomed to stay here in Canterlot." Princess Twilight Sparkle told the filly. "That's odd," the real Luster said to herself, "Unless I remembered wrongly, this is the part when the age spell happened." "Please ensure that our Luster is in good hooves." Stellar Flare told Princess Twilight Sparkle. "Don't worry, I know how to handle kids like her, like my mentor did with me." Princess Twilight Sparkle assured. "Wait till her parents find out." Firelight added. "I'm sure they will very soon." Princess Twilight Sparkle responded, "I'll send a letter to them, and get room for one more student." The alicorn then walked away, leaving filly Luster with her grand parents. "Stay strong, without us, Luster." Stellar Flare told her granddaughter. "If you needed us, tell the princess to snd a letter to us." Firelight added. "Dn't worry, Grandmare and grandpa, I will." filly Luster assured, hugging her grandparents. "We will come back in a week to check on you," Stellar Flare informed. "What?! So soon?" young Luster asked. "Because we're your caregivers, we have to make sure you are in good care." Firelight responded. "Especially when your parents trusted us enough to let us take care of you all these years." Stellar Flare added. "We don't want to disappoint them, especially after how we never heard from them for a while in our life times." Firelight continued. "Don't worry, every creature. Luster Dawn's parents, who are friends of mine back in Ponyville, agreed to let me take care of Luster for as long as she needed, so you all can be assured that you have nothing to worry about. She probably will have enough to eat, drink, and enough space to do what she has to do! Starting with her own place to sleep in for as long as she studies here!" Princess Twilight Sparkle announced, upon returning to the room. "That's great news, indeed, Princess Twilight Sparkle." Firelight replied. "Can we take a look at how you are going to take care of our granddaughter her in Canterlot? We just wanted to make sure that it's completely alright." Stellar Flare asked. "Indeed, you may." Princess Twilight Sparkle responded, leading the family of unicorns out the room. The real Luster remained quiet, but by the looks on her face, she was curious and decided to follow them. "Students came from all over Equestria to attend the School before, so we have Dorms for them to reside in during their stay." Princess Twilight Sparkle explained, leading the family to the dorms and stopping in front of a door. The alicorn then used her magic to open the door, revealing a dorm with a bed, a desk, a closet, a water cooler, a small freezer, a clock on the wall, a small rainbow-coloured carpet on the floor and a door leading to a smaller room that was the washroom. "Just like any other dorm, his dorm has everything a student needs, other than food before they get some and put it in the freezer for keeping. The food is given at the beginning of every day: Enough for breakfast, and to store for lunch and dinner. But for new students who just enrolled, they will get their meals right after everything is settled for them." Princess Twilight Sparkle explained. "How very thoughtful of Princess Celestia to provide an environment like this for every student!" Firelight commented. "Not every student: Students who actually live in Canterlot and not come from somewhere else without their parents of guardians moving with them, don't get to have dorms, as they sleep where they live, outside of the School." Princess Twilight Sparkle corrected. "Oh, right. That way, there will be plenty for those who need the dorms." Stellar Flare replied. "Enough about the dorms, can we know what is usually served here?" Firelight asked. "Well, oats with nuts and berries is always breakfast in the morning, lunch can be rice or noodles or hay with some vegetables, or fruits, dinner is something similar, but not the same as the lunch of that day." Princess Twilight Sparkle explained. "Sounds healthy and just right." Stellar Flare commented. "And one more thing, in case a student needs help urgently, there is a hidden button they can press to alert me, or whoever is watching the school." Princess Twilight Sparkle swept the carpet aside, revealing a metal hatch that stood out from the floor's wooden texture. The metal hatch could be easily opened with a pull on the handle, revealing a red button under it. "This system may have replaced Princess Celestia's old system of how to call for help, which was ringing a bell, as it could take a while to find out which room's bell was the one ringing, but the change was worth it." Princess Twilight Sparkle explained, "With this system, any creature can easily tell which dorm needed help." "This place has everything!" Stellar Flare exclaimed, after knowing everything she needed to know. "Not everything. I don't see any books around here!" filly Luster exclaimed. The grown-ups giggled upon hearing what the filly said, before Princess Twilight Sparkle answered, "Oh, Luster, the books are in the School Library. Come on, I will show you." The real Luster, who had been with them in the dorm, seeing and hearing everything, was amazed, telling herself, "Since that age spell did not happen, the tour is the number one thing after the exam! What a waste of time that age spell costed!" The School Library was the final stop of the tour that Princess Twilight Sparkle was giving to filly Luster Dawn and the latter's grandparents. "The library is the place to be, for quiet and research, and study. Like a real library, books can be borrowed from here, and had to be returned on the day that t's due. If not, it's one bit per day after one month passed the due date unless returned." Princess Twilight Sparkle warned. "Don't worry, our granddaughter had read lots of books that she borrowed from the library back in Sire's Hollow!" Stellar Flare informed. "And they are always returned before the actual due date, there's no way she can have an overdue book." Firelight added. "I sure hope so, because it is never a good thing to have an overdue book, even if you're a princess." Princess Twilight Sparkle responded. "I know that, Princess Twilight Sparkle. And I promise I will make sure every book I borrowed from this library, or any other library, is returned before it can be overdue!" filly Luster Dawn saluted, causing the alicorn to laugh before replying. "Thanks, Luster Dawn. I'm sure the School For Gifted Unicorns will be welcomed to have you hear." The real Luster stared at the scene, "That's what I said after Princess Twilight showed me the library! Although, because of the age spell, there are some differences, but...everything's alright here." What Luster saw then faded into blackness, causing her to ask, "What?! Is that supposed to happen?" Colour and light then returned to make a view for Luster to see, only a different view compared to what Luster last saw. This time, Luster could see her filly self, with her parents visiting both the filly and Princess Twilight Sparkle. "Luster is having a wonderful time here." the alicorn told the unicorn couple. "Mum, Dad! You should have seen me earn my cutie mark during the entrance exam!" filly Luster exclaimed. "Sorry we missed it, Luster." Starlight Glimmer apologised. "We have to take care of the School of Friendship unless it's a school break. And the day of your entrance exam was not a school break day!"Sunburst added. "That's alright. Now that you're here, we can talk all we want in my dorm!" filly Luster exclaimed. "Alright, alright, we're coming!" Starlight Glimmer replied. The view then faded and was replaced by happened that night: Princess Twilight Sparkle and filly Luster Dawn waving goodbye to the latter's parents outside the School For Gifted Unicorns. "Goodbye now, Twilight. And please ensure that Luster is and remains in good care." Starlight said, hugging the alicorn before they parted. "Don't worry, Luster is just like I was when I was Celestia's pupil. I'm sure that everything's going to be fine." Princess Twilight replied. "Don't worry, Mum! I can take care of myself! You all figured I'm a child prodigy because of how fast I learnt to read and do things!" filly Luster reminded. "Yes, but you still got to be careful!" Sunburst pointed out. "I will!" filly Luster chirped. "Then see you both at the same time, next school break at our school..." Starlight Glimmer responded. "We will be looking forward to it." Princess Twilight Sparkle gratefully answered. "Princess Twilight Sparkle is right! We will be looking forward to it!" filly Luster aded, causing the three grown-ups to laugh. "The age spell...it never happened!" the real Luster said to herself, before gasping as she realised something "So this is the answer to my question!" The vision Luster saw faded once again, and was replaced by a terrifying view of dark skies in Equestria,and every creature being brainwashed as their eyes glowed green. She then saw that Canterlot did not look like the capital city she knew: Instead of towers, she could see a huge building shaped like an unicorn with an evil smile. "Is that...a building modelled after Eclipse Instant?!" Luster asked herself, before hearing the voice of some creature she thought she knew well... "That's right, every creature! Bow when you see me, and do not stop until you can't!" Luster gasped to see who was pulling the princess' chariot: Siverstream and Ocellus in the latter's hippogriff form! "Professor Silverstream?! Professor Ocellus?!" the pink unicorn called, but there was no response, as the creatures continued to pull the chariot with Twilight, wearing a crown and a queen's royal robes, riding in it. "What is going on? That's not like Princess Twilight at all!" Luster cried, before she realised something after some quick thinking, "Unless...that's not really Princess Twilight Sparkle! But Eclipse Instant, in Princess Twilight's body! And Eclipse not being reformed! And conquered Equestria!" The vision faded into blackness before in reality, Luster opened her eyes to find Xian Zhe looking at her. "What happened?" Luster asked. "What you saw for the last 2 hours, 18 minutes, and 34 seconds is an alternate reality that answers your question." the ancient serpent explained. "In that reality...I saw myself...remaining a filly after the entrance exam...because the age spell never happened!" Luster exclaimed. "That's because your question was, and I quote, 'What if the age spell never happened?' So the cauldron made a magic bubble that when popped, shows you what happens according to that scenario." Xian Zhe explained. "But...it ended with showing me a terrible world...where all of Equestria had been conquered and brainwashed...by who I think was an unreformed Eclipse Instant, still having Princess Twilight Sparkle's body!" Luster cried. "Why do you think that what you described, happened in that reality?" Xian Zhe asked. "Because Eclipse wasn't defeated?" Luster asked. "And, why wasn't she defeated?" Xian Zhe asked. "Probably because the creatures who stopped her in this reality didn't stop her in that reality!" Luster answered. "And why didn't they stop her?" Xian Zhe questioned. Luster thought for a while, before gasping, "Because in that reality, I never got to be biologically ten years older than I really am! It's only because of my age...I mean...my biological age, that I could be sent to Ponyville the way I was sent!" "So...summary is: Because the age spell never happened, never got sent to Ponyville, resulting in no creature stopping Eclipse Instant, who conquered and brainwashed all of Equestria." Xian Zhe figured, "So...do you think that the age spell is still a bad thing?" "Not completely bad...but it still makes me feel uncomfortable!" Luster complained, "I can't believe something that makes me so uncomfortable is the one key to making Princess Twilight Sparkle snd me too Ponyville!" "The cauldron can still take a few more questions before needing to recharge for sure. Any more questions you'd like to ask?" Xian Zhe asked. Luster thought for a while before asking, "What if I was born in the same generation as the rest of the Heroic Ten?" Luster asked, causing another bubble to form. Just like before, Luster touched and popped the bubble, getting to see the alternate reality that answered the question. This time, Luster saw a young adult unicorn who was herself, but talking to two creatures whom the real her, did not know. "Which way out?" the Luster in the alternate reality asked. "I think it's this way," the blue dragon said, her voice revealing her gender to the real Luster. "But I think it's that way!" the yellow Kirin pointed at another tunnel, revealing her gender through the sound of her voice. "This place...is the Catacombs underneath Canterlot!" the real Luster gasped, after looking around. "If we don't find our way out, Princess Twilight is going too..." the alternate reality Luser gulped, finding herself unable to finish the sentence. "Control every creature once they attend the celebration today?! We know!" the blue dragon replied. "But which way out?" the yellow Kirin asked. "I hope we find the right way...for as long as we've been friends for longer than one and a half decades!" the alternate reality Luster said, making the real Luster gasp. "Longer than one and a half decade?! That means that the age spell never happened here, too!" "When we were all three, we met at the Friendship Festival hosted to get creatures together in harmony as Equestria and Beyond were still adjusting to the changes made since the former rulers retired." the yellow Kirin remembered. "You were at first unwilling to make friends, since you were dragged to the festival by your grandparents, until you returned the ball we lost to us when we accidentally bounced it out of the three-year-olds' playpen!" the blue dragon recalled. "After returning it to you, and having to toss it back after you kept knocking it out several times, I found it fun and joined you two playing."the alternate reality Luster continued. "Then when our parents and your grandparents came to fetch us, they decided to take us to Canterlot once every two weeks so we can play while they have a good time." the yellow Kirin resumed. "And when we're finally old enough to look after ourselves, you, Luster, went to the School for Gifted Unicorns, while we meet up with you once a week!" the blue dragon went on. "And got through everything together!" the three females in the alternate reality hoof and claw bumped as they said in unison. "We will find a way out of this." the alternate reality Luster declared. The real Luster was stunned to hear everything the friends said, asking herself, "Not being born in the generation I was born in, resulted in me making other friends?!" The vision faded and was replaced by the terrifying vision of the world with Eclipse Instant unreformed, and still in Princess Twilight Sparkle's body, ruling over Equestria as a tyrant. "Eclipse is still unreformed even under these conditions?" Luster asked, "But, if the me in this world discovered her plans, wouldn't this world's me, and her...I mean...my...whatever friends have stopped her?! As in, wouldn't this reality's Eclipse Instant be stopped by this reality's Luster and this reality's Luster's friends?!" the real Luster asked, before getting to see what the creatures she mentioned were going through: The creatures were lost in the catacombs, as it was nothing other than a huge maze. They grew hungrier and hungrier and soon, they could not go any further as they were too hungry and had no energy. While outside the catacombs, the unreformed Eclipse Instant, still in Princess Twilight Sparkle's body, had conquered the areas even further beyond Equestria. The vision faded as in reality, Luster opened her eyes to see Xian Zhe again, who asked her, "So...how did things go this time?" "Not so good, still." Luster answered, "In that reality, I...I mean that reality's me, made friends, but not the same friends I have in this reality, and in that reality, the friends never succeeded in helping that reality's me get out of the catacombs underneath Canterlot to defeat that reality's Eclipse Instant! And worse, the vision showed the friends...suffering from starvation to the point that they could not move much!" "So, they probably never defeated Eclipse, and the reality...is doomed." Xian Zhe figured. "I sure am glad that in this reality, my best friends and I got out and managed to defeat Eclipse." Luster said, sounding grateful, as she had a bit of a smile on her face after she finished her sentence. "So, does that answers your ultimate question?" Xian Zhe asked. "My ultimate question?" Luster asked. "You know, whether you are better off without the age spell or not?" Xian Zhe clarified. "Actually, I still got lots of questions I will like to ask..." Luster responded, turning to face the cauldron. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Luster Dawn, don't forget that this is a real magical cauldron, not a toy! You can't ask it countless questions in one go! Nor in one night! Please, think wisely before you ask it a question!" Xian Zhe warned Luster, blocking the former's way to the cauldron. "Alright...let me think for a while." Luster replied, before pacing and talking to herself as soft as possible, "I could have asked what if the age spell never happened, but I got sent to Ponyville because my parents live in the said town! But I might wind up making different friends who couldn't help stop Eclipse Instant again, so it's not worth asking. What if I was born in the same generation as my friends but still got to become best friends with them?" "You got to think twice about that, Luster! And use what you saw as your answer the past two times!" Xian Zhe called. "You overheard what I said?!" Luster asked. "I can as an ancient serpent, but sometimes, I don't reveal that ability through my response." Xian Zhe explained. "Let me think. I saw a reality that showed what happened if I was born in the same generation as my best friends, but winded up making other friends and being best friends with them instead, at a Friendship Festival hosted to get creatures together as Equestria and Beyond is still adjusting to the changes made since the former rulers retired. And according to that reality's creatures, I was dragged to the festival by my grandparents! That's how I winded up meeting those friends there in the first place!" Luster said as she thought, "So...what if I was never dragged there?!" "You got to think more than that, Luster! Try thinking what else could happen to you in that reality yourself, before asking a question that is mostly worth asking." Xian Zhe advised. "Alright...even if I was never dragged to the festival, there probably be the experience of every creature adjusting! I managed to avoid other creatures in this reality, but I had lesser time, too! In a reality where I am born in the same generation as my best friends, I'd had plenty of time and chances to make friends, especially when I'm the daughter of the heads of a friendship school, and in a world where friendship is cared about so much, and in a kingdom under the rule of the Council of Friendship! I might never had met my best friends in those conditions as many creatures could have tried introducing me to other friends!" Luster figured. "So, asking if you were born in that generation, isn't going to be a good question to ask anymore, is it?" Xian Zhe asked. "It isn't...unless I asked what if I was born in the same generation as my best friends, but was not the daughter of Head-mare Starlight Glimmer and Vice-head stallion Sunburst!" Luster asked out loud, causing another bubble to be formed and released. Once again, Luster saw a vision of the alternate reality's creatures and their world. This time, she saw a small village that was like no place she had ever seen, and her filly self in a house, reading a book, just as a unicorn mare with a coat that matched the filly's coat colour, walked into the room. "Luster, guess what? You get to take an entrance exam to get into the School for Gifted Unicorns, run by the Ruler of Equestria, Princess Twilight Sparkle!" the mare informed. "Yes! Yes! Yes!" the filly exclaimed, hopping around, "I can't wait to get in, Mum!" The real Luster was stunned to see the alternate reality's her being the daughter of some creature she did not know. "I could have been the daughter of a regular unicorn?" Luster asked, before seeing clips of what happened down this alternate reality's line. "Congratulations, Luster. You've passed the exam, and got your cutie mark, and got to have this school as your school for as long as you study here! Which can actually even go up to a decade unlike most schools!" Princess Twilight Sparkle informed the filly Luster, with the latter's parents nearby to listen as well. Seeing a stallion with a blue coat, mane and eyes that matched hers, made the real Luster feel a bit uncomfortable, as she never imagined having some creature else as her father. "Yes! Yes! Yes!" the filly happily leapt around in joy, while her parents talked to the princess. "So, our daughter will have everything she needs to survive in here, for sure?" the unicorn stallion asked. "Of course she will! Alongside the other students! I mean, what will all of Equestria and Beyond think if a school ran by the Ruler of Equestria never provided such basic and important needs?" Twilight assured. "You have a point, your majesty. But is it alright if I came and checked on her once every two days?" the unicorn mare asked. "Mum!" the filly Luster complained. "If you felt that there's a need to, you can. But please, don't make it a routine for more than a month." Princess Twilight replied. The vision faded and was replaced with clips of the alternate reality's Luster growing up, avoiding the other students in the school, and not caring much about creatures nor their activities when outside of school, as she just walked pass them. Soon, the vision showed the Council of Friendship in the throne room with the reality's Luster, during the latter's young adulthood. "I know exactly where to send you, but do you think your parents will allow it?" Princess Twilight Sparkle asked. "Better make sure they'd approve." Luster responded. The scene faded and a new scene, taking place at night, took place, with the alternate reality's Luster being embarrassed in front of the other members of the Heroic Ten in that reality, at the entrance of the School of Friendship. "Make sure you send letters to us, everyday and every night!" the mother unicorn reminded. "Mum! Calm down! I will!" Luster insisted. "And make sure that you don't make any bad friends!" the unicorn father added, offending the creatures in that reality. "Bad friends?! Why, unicorn stallion just..." Krona angrily responded, ready to give the stallion a lesson, but was stopped by Buffer. "Krona, it's not worth being mad!" "The School of Friendship is always in good care nowadays!" Starlight Glimmer informed the parents. "Your daughter will be in good care here." Sunburst added. "I can never imagine my parents not being my parents!" the real Luster said to herself. The vision then faded to show what happened after the defeat of Eclipse Instant. The parents of Luster in the alternate reality rushing up to their daughter. "Oh, Luster! Thank heavens you are alright!" the unicorn mare exclaimed, rushing to hug her daughter. "We can't believe that you just defeated a villainess!" the unicorn stallion added. "Can you please don' address some creature by that word you just said?" Nature Bloom asked. "Now that you've graduated, are you moving back home with us?!" the unicorn mare asked her daughter, giving a big smile in an attempt to persuade the alternate reality's Luster to do as she said. "Sorry, Mum and Dad, but Princess Twilight Sparkle just figured that me and my best friends here should move into her old castle, in Ponyville, a very centralised in Equestria town, so we won't be too far away from anywhere." Luster informed. "Actually, Ponyville is far from some places in Equestria, but since it isn't in the North, South, East nor West of the land, there's no place that's the furthest from it, as there's no position being the opposite of the center." Volcano corrected. "But...a castle's too big for you! You'd get lost!" the unicorn stallion panicked. "Don't worry, Sunburst and I live in the castle, you can count on us to guide her and her best friends around!" Starlight Glimmer apprised the parents. "We are not convinced so easily! I'd say we move into the castle, too!" the alternate reality mother of Luster declared, to the shock of every creature. As a result, not only was moving in harder for the Heroic Ten, but helping Eclipse Instant earn every creature's forgiveness was nearly impossible with the overprotective parents being overwhelmed by the disguised Shapeshifter's deceptions. Causing the parents to hurry their daughter back into the Castle. "We're sorry Luster, but you're not safe here with that unicorn who might do bad again!" the unicorn stallion apologised. "We'll ask Princess Twilight Sparkle if it's alright for you to stay somewhere in Canterlot, where it's safer." the unicorn mare added, to her daughter's shock. "But, my best friends and I just saved you and all of Equestria! I can handle risks like they can!" Luster argued. "Sorry, Luster. But we can't risk you taking such risks." the unicorn stallion informed. Soon, the alternate reality's Luster waved goodbye to her best friends in front of the Castle of Friendship. "We will miss you." Evergreen said sadly. "Don't worry, at least you'll come to visit," Luster assured. "As soon as we can finally help Eclipse earn forgiveness after what happened at Sweet Apple Acres..." Sunshine Rays pointed out. "Poor Eclipse, she can't go anywhere until her name's been cleared!" Alkali added. "Don't worry, we won't let any of those four creatures spread more lies!" Yellow Bright saluted. "If we knew how!" Falcon Dive contributed. "Right now, Eclipse's going to stay in the Castle Library with Miss Sunset Shimmer!" Krona declared. "Until her name's cleared!" Buffer added. "And not just her. The Council of Friendship and their families are all affected by those creatures' lies!" Sunshine Rays reminded. "Excluding Madam Fluttershy's family and Princess Twilight Sparkle's unless you include her adoptive family-in-law due to her adoptive brother being married to Madam Rarity, who is affected." Volcano corrected. "Not to forget that whole school!" Nature Bloom reminded. "Hopefully you all can fix things without me." Luster responded. "We will try our best." Falcon Dive answered, before they shared a group hug, and let Luster leave. The next thing the real Luster saw in that reality was Lil'Cheese's immediate family alongside the Cake Twins suffering from the absence of customers, and left with no choice but to move to the Castle of Friendship, to the foal's dismay. "But Sugar Cube Corner's our home!" Lil'Cheese wailed. "Sorry, Lil'Cheese. We couldn't earn anything to live in that place!" Pinkie Pie sadly apologised, "Look on the bright side, at least we've got a castle that's a lot bigger and better!" "But it's not Sugar Cube Corner!" the colt complained. "I can't believe that some creature's got to be Captain of the Wonderbolts because the team isn't convinced that we're not under a spell!" Rainbow Dash complained to her husband Soarin, as they flew home to Rainbow's cloudominium. "I can't believe it, too, Rainbow. But at least we still have each other and the kids." Soarin reminded. At a closed Carousel Boutique, its residents were moving out. "Goodbye, Caoursel Boutique! I will miss you and everything we've been through!" Rarity dramatically cried, as her children, and helpers Yona and Sandbar watched. "Come on, get over that already, Mum!" Sparity called. "We don't want to leave too, but had no choice because no creature ever wants to buy stuff from you recently!" Precious Treasure added. "That we have to move to a glorious castle!" Rarity responded, "But leave our home!" The white unicorn dramatically cried once again, just before being interrupted by a sad Apple Family from Sweet Apple Acres. "You're not the only ones who have to leave home." Applejack sadly informed, "Because of every creature thinking that all of the apples of our farm are cursed, no creature dares to visit us nor buy apple products from us anymore!" "We have no choice but to move into Princess Twilight Sparkle's old castle." Caramel added. "Eeyup." Big Mac nodded. "But at least we're all together!" Sugar Belle stated. "But we'll miss the farm!" Sweet Caramel Apple said. "Really, really miss it." Big Sugar supported. The vision vanished and Luster was once again seeing and hearing things in the reality she belonged in, as Xian Zhe questioned, "So, what answers did you get?" "Not good ones." Luster explained, "Eclipse Instant may be defeated, but she couldn't earn forgiveness because of four creatures claiming that she was up to no good in public, and not only framed her, but also caused problems for a majority of the Council of Friendship, who had to leave their homes to move into the Castle of Friendship!" "And, why did that happen in that reality, but not this one?" Xian Zhe asked. Luster tough for a while, before gasping, "Because, my best friends and I stopped Shapeshifter, and cleared every creature's names! But in that reality, my parents...I mean, the parents of that reality's Luster Dawn, prevented her from living in the Castle with her best friends, which resulted in Shapeshifter not being stopped, and every creature whom he affected, remained affected!" "Now are you finally convinced that things in this reality are the best?" Xian Zhe asked. "I am more convinced, but I still got questions!" Luster admitted. "You got to make a wise one, because by the looks of the cauldron, it can only answer one more question before it needs to recharge." Xian Zhe informed. Luster paced and whispered to herself, "Maybe I should ask what if the age spell is finally reversed somehow after all this time! But, that will cause inconvenience for the Heroic Ten, something we all figured, so that's not worth asking. I can ask what if I was born in the same generation as my best friends and still get to meet them! But, that will be like...still getting sent to Sire's Hollow before the School for Gifted Unicorns! What if I was raised by my parents? I would have known about friendship and made some other friends!" "If you got nothing, you can just admit it." Xian Zhe told the unicorn. "I got it!" Luster sad out loud, before walking to the cauldron to ask "What if, I was born in the same generation as the rest of the Heroic Ten, but made friends that managed to defeat Eclipse Instant and Shapeshifter?" This time, instead of seeing creatures in the alternate reality, Luster saw nothing but a doomed world, with no plants, no creatures, no water, no clear blue sky, nor anything but a city of buildings with machines that stopped working. "What happened here?" Luster asked, walking downtown to investigate. "Hello?! Any creature here?!" Luster called, before she remembered, "Oh, I'm intangible and invisible to everything in this reality I'm seeing." After a walk that seemed like forever, Luster found a board that showed the population of Equestria and Beyond on a bar graph throughout the decades. The bars were long at fist, but became shorter and shorter, then finally at zero. "It's saying that every creature went extinct?!" Luster gasped, "But, how can this be?!" She looked around once again, and saw not a single living creature in sight, just before the vision faded as Luster saw Xian Zhe in the actual reality again. "That took a lot shorter than the last times." the ancient serpent commented. "Xian Zhe, this time...I didn't see a creature...not a single one!" Luster informed. "Why do you think that's possible?" Xian Zhe asked. "I don't know! All I saw was a dark world with tall concrete buildings, machines that aren't working. And a bar graph that showed the population had decreased and went to zero!" Luster exclaimed. "Put all that together, what do you think happened?" Xian Zhe asked. "Well...machines are used to do things and some work for us creatures, so those machines must have...or had done that before stopping. Creatures in the cities live in buildings, so those buildings used to be homes for creatures, before the creature population went down!" Luster figured. "But, why do you think that the population went down?" Xian Zhe asked again. Luster thought for a while, before figuring it out, "Because...the machines might have made them have lesser work to do, that they think that they do not need to work, nor do anything, and became very lazy!" "Anything else?" Xian Zhe questioned. "Not that I can think of..." Luster answered. "Here's a hint: What did you tell me about your Best Friend Sunshine Rays? About why she can be quite...homophobic?" Xian Zhe asked, making Luster figure it out. "Because, she knew that if we don't have opposite sex couples to produce children, we will have lesser and lesser of us in the future, and the economy and society will collapse!" "And, why wasn't that stopped, when your question was what if you were born in the same generation as the rest of the Heroic Ten, but made friends that managed to defeat Eclipse Instant and Shapeshifter?" Xian Zhe reminded. Luster gasped as she realised something that shocked her, "In that reality, the Luster Dawn there must have made friends with a different group of creatures, who have stopped Eclipse and Shapeshifter, but not the disastrous futures that the Heroic Ten are doing everything to prevent from happening!" "Exactly! The cauldron must have figured that you can figure it out." Xian Zhe commented. "With help from you, Xian Zhe. Thank you so much..." Luster thanked, hugging the ancient serpent, who warmly accepted the hug. "Let me guess, for answering those questions of yours?" Xian Zhe asked. "More than that. You showed me that my backstory may be crazy, but it's really for the better. Although, I might have a lot of other questions to ask the cauldron, but seeing those realities is enough to make me realise, that not only am I better off with the age spell happening, but every creature and the world is. And most importantly, learn a valuable lesson through realisation." Luster explained. "A valuable lesson? Shouldn't that be reported to a certain princess?" Xian Zhe asked, causing Luster to chuckle. "Indeed." the unicorn then quickly teleported off to get a scroll and quit, and returned to where she was, saying her letter for the princess out loud as she wrote it. Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle, I just learnt a valuable lesson through the realisation that my backstory of being sent to Sire's Hollow to be raised by my grandparents instead of my parents, and then performing an irreversible age spell on myself by accident, before being sent to Ponyville, may all sound crazy and make me uncomfortable, but is really for the better. If it weren't for it, I might never have been best friends with the creatures who could save Equestria's present and future. The main point is, even something uncomfortable can be what is best, as my backstory may make me uncomfortable, but since it prevented all the bad things that can happen if it weren't for it, from happening, it really is for the better. This lesson is one valuable lesson that I hope to always remember in my heart, and hope that you and every creature will, too. Signed, your faithful student, Luster Dawn After sending the letter away with her magic, Luser saw the sun coming up. "Looks like I learnt all that just in time." the unicorn commented. "Indeed. The princess is awake to receive it, and your breakfast time is about to start." Xian Zhe responded. "Speaking of breakfast, will you like to have breakfast with my parents, and my best friends?" Luster asked. "Ancient serpents may usually avoid society, but, I have a feeling that your society, is a good exception." Xian Zhe answered. Later in the Dining Room, every creature was waiting for a certain unicorn. "Where's Luster?" an impatient Falcon Dive asked, "Doesn't she know it's breakfast?!" "Right here!" Luster replied, rushing in by galloping, "And I brought a guest! Every creature, meet a friend of mine whom Gloss Semblance and I met when the Map called us: An ancient serpent named Xian Zhe!" Xian Zhe appeared through the door right after Luster said his name, surprising every creature. "An ancient serpent?!" Sunburst asked. "That's right, every creature. I am Xian Zhe, an ancient serpent, and friend of Luster Dawn's. Ancient serpents like me usually don't interact with creature society, but knowing that Luster can be trusted, you're all an exception." Xian Zhe announced. "That's good to know!" Nature Bloom responded. "But, why are you visiting so early in the morning?" Starlight asked. "He didn't. He visited last night to give me my birthday present from him!" Luster informed, using her magic to levitate the book that Xian Zhe gave her, showing it to every creature, "He actually wanted to give me this book on my exact birthday anniversary, but figured that it was better for him to visit me, after my birthday party, which turned out to be true as it was indeed, better for him to visit me after my birthday party, as he managed to prove to me that my crazy backstory is actually a good thing! Despite leaving me different from every creature as my chronological and biological ages don't match!" "I was actually going to tell you a True Story of a pony being stuck frozen in ice for fifty years having the same situation as you do once he was freed: His chronological and biological ages did not match! But...I think that you're all better, even without that story about some creature else going through something very similar!" Volcano notified. "And one more thing. Luster, Krona and Yellow Bright wanted to say that we're sorry for causing so much trouble with their constant arguing yesterday..." Krona apologised. "Yeah, we were foolish to argue over something not so important!" Yellow Bright added. "From now on, whenever it's Luster's birthday, whichever cake or number that goes first, doesn't matter!" Krona saluted. "We'll just celebrate!" Yellow Bright summarised. "Thanks, you two. Although, your argument is not completely bad..." Luster began, before being cut off by Sunshine Rays. "Be careful with your words, Luster! They can be an influence! And I'd apologise for saying this, but I won't say that arguments can be a good thing." "I know Sunshine. I don't support arguments, but their argument lead me to learning that something uncomfortable can be really for the better." Luster clarified. "Now how did you learn that?" Sunshine Rays asked. "I have a role to play in that. And I can't wait to tell you all about it." Xian Zhe responded, before beginning to tell the creatures what happened,"It all began last night as I came to Ponyville to give Luster her birthday present..."
25. Stone-Hearted, Part OneAuthor's Note Stone-Hearted, Part One serves as the first part of the two=parted Season 1 finale, and the twenty-fifth episode of the series. Summary: When the Council of Friendship did not send a word to the temporarily in charge of Equestria in their absence Princess Cadence, the Heroic Ten adventure to the Stone Mountain of Nothingness, bringing Trixie along with them due to a promise half of the team made with the Guidance Counsellor, plus Discord, whose magic came in handy. Acknowledgements: Differences between Sea and Ocean Difference between Guests and Visitors 25. Stone-Hearted, Part One In the Throne Room in Canterlot, the Council of Friendship were having a meeting as they looked at a map of all of Equestria and Beyond. "This is a map of everything involved in the range of areas we know." Princess Twilight Sparkle began, "Even with families passing their homes down their family lines, we still are going to need a lot of land to build new houses, farms and reservoirs and everything." "But we cannot cut down forests nor take over areas with grass! We need those plants as much as little animals would! Especially when they clear up the air from all the pollution we're making!" Fluttershy added. "You mean all the carbon dioxide that we breathe out and produce when we burn trash for energy? Yes, that's the pollution." Spike pointed out. "We can ask all Pegasi to live in the skies above ground..." Rainbow Dash suggested. "But most creatures are not Pegasi!" Rarity reminded. "All hippogriffs and changelings could transform into sea ponies and live underwater?" Rainbow Dash asked. "But that could invade the homes of fishes and animals that depend on water as they live in bodies of water!" Fluttershy protested. "Maybe I can build another barn and get my family living in Caramel's former house that he donated to them after he married me, to move into the barn so some creature else can have the house?" Applejack asked. "That wouldn't solve much, would that?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Or, maybe we don't have to build new buildings! We can have them live in the wild like old time cave-ponies would!" Pinkie Pie suggested, dressing up like a cave-pony wearing animal skin as clothing. "Cave-ponies?!" Fluttershy whimpered, "No way!" "Sorry, I don't think that that's a good idea, Pinkie." Princess Twilight Sparkle apologised, before looking back at the map, saying out loud, "We need somewhere that doesn't have any flora nor fauna to hurt." "Maybe we could make more cities like Manhattan! Hundreds or even thousands of creatures can live in a single hundred meters square!" Rarity suggested to the rest of the Council of Friendship. "And how is that possible?!" Rainbow Dash asked. "Because, Manehattan has buildings with apartments that go up a hundred floors!" Rarity exclaimed. "Are you sure?!" Rainbow Dash asked. "What Rarity meant is, the buildings with apartment floors go up so high, that they can have lots of space for creatures to live in, all while taking up lesser land because it takes up lesser area on the ground!" Spike clarified. "But, who wold want to live in a city when everywhere we go is mostly a town or a village?" Fluttershy asked. "I know who would!" Pinkie Pie raised her hoof, "Rarity! She loves Manehattan!" "What?! Pinkie Pie, I love Manehattan, but not as much as I love Ponyville! Ponyville is my home!" Rarity protested. "And ours, too!" the other mares except for Twilight, shouted in unison. "I got it! We can try building new buildings on The Stone Mountain of Nothingness, which is right on the other side of the South Luna Ocean." Princess Twilight Sparkle announced. "The Stone Mountain of Nothingness?" Rainbow Dash asked. "It got it's name because nothing is found living near it, nor in it." Princess Twilight Sparkle explained. "When was it found, exactly?" Fluttershy asked. "Ages ago, before we were all even born." Princess Twilight Sparkle answered. "Shouldn't we check it, just to make sure there really are no flora nor fauna living in it? I mean, things change over time, and there might be some living things capable of living in there, living in there!" Fluttershy pointed out. "And we shouldn't kick them out of their homes because we needed space!" Applejack added. "We have to make sure that there are indeed, zero living things to hurt there, before doing whatever we need to do." Princess Twilight Sparkle announced. "So...does that mean..." Spike began, before Pinkie Pie beat him to saying the next word. "Adventure!" After the series theme song intro played, it was evening, and the Heroic Ten members were retuning to the Castle of Friendship for dinner after work. "Back from my duties in the sky!" Falcon Dive announced, as he flew into the castle. "I'm back from getting more writing supplies, so I can write more of my books mainly focusing on morality and virtues and the right thing to do!" Sunshine Rays announced, flying into the castle. "And I'm back from delivering." Buffer ended. "And you're all in time for dinner!" Sunburst informed. Once every creature was in the Dining Room, Starlight Glimmer entered with a huge pot in her magic's grasp. "Who's ready for today's dinner consisting pumpkin soup?" Starlight Glimmer asked cheerfully, levitating a huge pot down onto the table, right in the middle so every creature would not have problems getting it. "Krona's definitely ready for soup!" Krona exclaimed. "And perhaps some news?" Falcon Dive asked. "News?" Buffer questioned. "I saw the Council of Friendship in their chariot, heading south west this afternoon." Falcon Dive informed. "They are probably going to check on a location in Equestria, nothing much." Volcano figured. "But, don't they usually announce where they would be going before they actually go there? I mean, with the Ruler of Equestria present, wouldn't the creatures there go a little crazy as royalty was visiting without any word, resulting in the town having nothing prepared for a royal visit?" Alkali asked. "Well...when Appleloosa was suffering from a lack of water, the Council of Friendship visited there, without any declaration before they did so." Buffer remembered. "That's because the town is facing a crisis!" Nature Bloom pointed out. "And, as the rulers of Equestria, the Council of Friendship had to do something!" Evergreen stated. "So maybe, somewhere in Equestria has a crisis that attracts the council!" Volcano summarised. "Whatever it is, the Council of Friendship should be able to handle it. They always do." Yellow Bright assured. "And in the meantime, let's have soup!" Starlight Glimmer announced, beginning to serve the soup to every creature with her magic. Meanwhile, at the very top of the Stone Mountain of Nothingness, the Council of Friendship had set a camp right next to their chariot. "The sunset is just beautiful, isn't it?" Rarity asked, looking at what she mentioned with her husband Spike. "It sure is, Rare. I'm glad that we can see this together after how long we didn't see each other after every meeting." Spike responded, just before being interrupted by Pinkie Pie's voice. "Guess what this is!" The part pony was making some shadow puppets against one of the boulders on the top of the mountain, as part of a game she was playing with Applejack. "That's easy, it's a bunny!" Applejack answered. "Uh-uh! It's a hare!" Pinkie Pie responded. "Bunny, hare...what's the difference?!" Applejack sarcastically asked. "Well, bunnies are usually referring to small rabbits, mostly baby rabbits. While hares are larger than rabbits." Fluttershy explained, walking towards the two Earth Ponies. "No storm clouds around, every creature! We should have an awesome camping adventure ahead of us!" Rainbow Dash announced, returning to the group. "Thanks, Rainbow Dash, now let's have dinner, then some sleep before checking this place out in the morning." Princess Twilight Sparkle instructed. "Can't we treat this like a campout and NOT go to sleep so soon?" Pinkie Pie asked like a child. "Well, since we don't usually do this for a long time, I suppose we can...just this once." Princess Twilight Sparkle answered after thinking for a while. "Gorgeous! Because I have just the story to tell before bed!" Rarity announced. "Let's not forget dinner first." Spike reminded, bringing his bag of supplies, and taking out a lunchbox. The next morning, Featherweight delivered newspapers throughout Ponyville like usual, before delivering the last newspaper to the Castle of Friendship. "Newspaper delivery!" the pegasus called, knocking on the castle's golden door. "Alright, alright, we're here to get the delivery!" Eclipse Instant told Featherweight, walking out of the castle after hearing his constant knocking and calling. "Sorry, just wanted to make sure some creature's here to get it." Featherweight apologised. "What happens if no creature's at home?" Eclipse Instant asked. "Then the newspaper will go into their mailbox." Featherweight replied, causing them both to look at the mailbox for the Castle of Friendship's residents' mail. "WHAT?! You could have just always put the mail in there than call and knock!" Eclipse complained, as her horn glowed and several little magic sparks came out. Featherweight backed off in fear, before Eclipse calmed down and apologised, "Sorry...I can get annoyed easily at times. Just please put the newspaper in the mailbox next time." "Is that what Head-mare Starlight Glimmer wanted? Because she wanted the newspaper to be delivered directly to some creature living in the Castle, so that they all will know the news! And it's usually Sunshine Rays who gets it, because she usually stays in the Castle!" Featherweight informed. "Whatever! I suggest that the newspaper should be put in he mailbox so whenever some creature collects mail, they will collect the newspaper alongside it!" Eclipse Instant informed. "If you say so," Featherweight responded, turning to the mailbox in an attempt to put the newspaper there. "But...if some creature who resides in the Castle of Friendship is right in front of you, you can just give them the newspaper!" Eclipse Instant notified. "Sorry for all the trouble, next time talk faster so I won't do anything wrong that can be prevented!" Featherweight suggested, giving Eclipse the newspaper before taking off. "Eclipse, you got the newspaper?" Sunshine Rays asked, flying towards the unicorn. "Yes, I do. Not a big deal." the unicorn replied. "I actually overheard the conversation and know that you told Mr Featherweight to do something that Head-mare Starlight Glimmer never said anything about!" Sunshine Rays informed in a somewhat scolding tone. "I thought that was best, so I said that!" Eclipse Instant protested. "That's what you thought, but not know! Think and know are not synonyms nor antonyms! So you can't trust what you think is best to be the real best! Do I have to teach you morality lectures, too?!" Sunshine Rays asked, as the mares headed inside. "Why do you always make big deals out of these little things?" Eclipse Instant asked, getting annoyed. "Because I'm moral! Concerned for right and wrong! To the point that I abandon my desires that are against what I know and feel is right!" Sunshine Rays blurted out. "You fight against desires? I thought that doing what is right is what you always wanted." Eclipse Instant asked. "It is, but sometimes I wanted to do something that is not so right, and have to battle that desire to stay on morality's track." Sunshine Rays replied. "What are you girls talking about?" Shapeshifter asked, with a mop in his front legs, since he was mopping the floor. "Morality?" Eclipse Instant answered. "All started from when Eclipse told Mr Featherweight to put the newspaper in the mailbox instead of call and knock, something Head-mare Starlight never said!" Sunshine Rays told the changeling in front of her. "What?! Eclipse, why did you do the?" Shpaeshifter asked. "Because I was annoyed by the calls and knocks?" Eclipse Instant answered. "Annoyed or not, we shouldn't just go around telling others things our way." Shapeshifter informed. "That's what I was trying to tell her. Not some creature in charge, should never take charge in their absence without their approval nor words. Plus, even if you were left in charge, I don't think that telling some creature else to do something that the original commander never said is acceptable!" Sunshine Rays blurted out. "Classic Sunshine. Should have known that you will always make a big deal out of everything because of how strict you are." Eclipse Instant said. "I'm only being this strict because I like being moral! I can't just let immoral deeds happen, regardless of their size!" Sunshine Rays ended her part of the conversation, "Now if you excuse me, I got to finish my example of what a good children's book is like! Filled with reality facts like, there's no way a restaurant will serve you something that's not on the menu other than plain water!" "Yup, that's definitely Sunshine Rays for you." Shapeshifter apprised to Eclipse Instant, watching the white pegasus walk away. That evening, once every creature returned and gathered in the Dining room for dinner, Starlight asked the only pegasus in the area, "So, Sunshine. Did we get the newspaper today?" "We did, but I believe that that question should be answered by Eclipse Instant." Sunshine Rays responded. "I was only trying to help! And I do have reasons to think that having whoever delivering newspapers putting the newspaper in the mailbox is better than having them knock on the door and call until some creature answers!" Eclipse protested. "Wait, you told Mr Featherweight to put the newspaper for us in the mailbox?" Starlight asked. "When we said nothing about that?" Sunburst added. "Sorry, Head-mare and Vice-head stallion of the School of Friendship, I thought that was for the better, I mean, we always checked the mailbox every day! And bring the mail in! So if the newspaper is in the mailbox, it would be brought in alongside the other mail!" Eclipse Instant reminded. "You do have a point..." Starlight commented. "And I thought that having some creature to knock on our door until some creature responses can be quite troublesome, so putting the newspaper in the mailbox instead might be a lot better." Eclipse explained. "Now that you put it that way, it does make sense. So, from now on, the newspapers should be collected alongside the mail from the mailbox." Starlight declared. "Phew, glad that you're not so upset." Eclipse Instant sighed in relief. "Sorry about how I acted!" Sunshine Rays apologised. "That's alright, Sunshine. All is forgiven, or, most likely." Sahpeshifer responded. "Anyway, who collected mail today?" Sunburst asked. "I did, and it's mail for the Heads of the School of Friendship." Evergreen responded, levitating some letters in sealed in envelopes towards the unicorn couple. "Thanks, Evergreen, we'll settle them after dinner." Starlight Glimmer responded. "So, who's got the news?" Buffer asked. "You meant newspaper, as in 'Who's got the newspaper'." Volcano corrected like he usually would whenever he heard some creature making a mistake. "I do!" Eclipse Instant answered, levitating the said paper, "Read it all you want." The unicorn levitated the newspaper towards Volcano, who quickly read them through silent reading, before revealing the news to every creature around. "No way! The Council of Friendship are checking out the Stone Mountain of Nothingness, to se if they could build facilities and buildings there?!" "The Stone Mountain of Nothingness?" Krona asked. "Founded and named long ago, before any of the members of the Council of Friendship were born." Volcano answered. "But, why would it be named, 'The Stone Mountain of Nothingness?' " Nature Bloom asked. "There's no way something can be made out of nothing for a start!" Falcon Dive added. "That's because the mountain is mainly stone, with nothing living in it. No flora nor fauna, no living organisms as they can see." Volcano explained, "That's how it got its name." "Through the discovery that there's nothing living in it?!" Alkali asked. "And nothing living around it." Volcano finished. "That mountain sounds like a very interesting mountain! I mean, nothing living in it nor around it?! That's unlike every other mountain we know: As they all have creatures and plants around them! And in them!" Yellow Bright stated. "But...doesn't that make the mountain sound a little...dangerous?" Nature Bloom asked. "That? What does 'that' mean?" Luster asked. "the fact that there are no creatures nor plants living in it nor around it? Nothing living in nor around there? Unlike most other mountains?" Nature Bloom clarified as she whimpered. "Don't worry Nature Bloom, the Council of Friendship won't let any creature else go there until they are certain that it's safe." Evergreen assured. "But, if the whole Council's away, who's in charge of Equestria?!" Nature Bloom asked, causing every creature to realise the possibility that Equestria was going to be left with no leader until Volcano, who was busy looking at the newspaper while every creature else looked shock, told them some news that calmed them down. "Don't worry, every creature! Princess Twilight Sparkle already had her duties covered by telling creatures what should be done around the kingdom before her departure! Plus, the former Ruler of the Crystal Empire, Princess Cadance, will be in charge until Princess Twilight returns." "That's a relief." Buffer commented. "But, has Princess Cadence ruled over Equestria before? I mean, it's a lot bigger than just the Crystal Empire!" Falcon Dive asked. "Princess Twilight is sure that Princess Cadence can handle it. And Princess Cadence is staying at Canterlot temporarily during this period of time." Volcano added. "But, it is so sudden that such things happened. How can Princess Cadence handle a kingdom that's a lot bigger than the Empire that she ruled over all those years?!" Nature Bloom asked. "Relax, Cadence is not the only creature who's close to Twilight to substitute for Twilight temporarily for the very first time! Back when Discord sent Twilight and her friends on a wild goose chase through making a fake friendship mission for them, I substituted for Twilight as temporary Head-mare of the School of Friendship, for the very first time, and managed to do a good job!" Starlight informed. "That is if you don't say anything about the whole problem with Discord and his tricks that day." Sunshine Rays plainly stated. "Right...other than the failure to prevent Discord from making all that temporary trouble, at least everything worked out in the end." Starlight sheepishly responded. "Can we please get back to dinner?! The food's getting cold as we all have been taking instead of eating!" Falcon Dive complained, reminding every creature of why they were fitted around the Dining Table in he first place. "Falcon Dive's right! We better finish our food, fast!" Sunburst announced, levitating his plate, fork and spoon before eating. The next day in Canterlot, Princess Cadence was pacing in the Throne Room, waiting for something. "Come on, Twilight. You told me that you will send me a letter every morning and every night until you return! Why haven't you sent any this morning?" Princess Cadence asked, just before wha she was waiting for arrived. "Thank goodness they're all alright! I was getting worried!" Princess Cadance said out loud, after silent reading what the letter said. "Your Majesty, it's time for you to check on everything in Canterlot!" Gallus informed from where he usually stood, right in front of the Throne room doors. "Thanks for the reminder, Gallus You're like a second-in-command to the Ruler of Equestria!" Princess Cadence complimented. "I'm just doing my job," Gallus replied, glad to hear the compliment. In the mean time, at the Stone Mountain of Nothingness, Spike tested the mountain's fire resistance by breathing fire at the stone ground on the top. Finding that the stone did not catch fire, he announced, "This mountain's rock ground is fireproof indeed, as it does not burn when there's fire." "It may have resisted dragon fire, but can it resist a pegasus' storm cloud's lightning?!" Rainbow Dash asked, bringing a storm cloud to the area, kicking the said cloud, making it release lightning that struck the stone floor due to Spike moving himself away from the site, to prevent himself from being the lightning's target. After the lightning struck several times, and getting zero fire results, Rainbow Dash declared, "This mountain's top is fireproof and safe!" "The hippogriff guard turned into a sea pony and scouted the waters below, and no living creatures around like what the founders said." Princess Twilight Sparkle informed. "So, does this mean that we can use this mountain?" Rarity asked. "Most likely we can." Princess Twilight Sparkle answered. "I knew it!" Pinkie Pie cheered, "I knew that this mountain is the place to be! Other than Ponyville, of course." "I just hope that it really is alright." Fluttershy whimpered. "Come on, Fluttershy, we checked and I scanned the whole mountain. Other than us, no creature is here. No plants, no animals, nothing to hurt nor harm when we build facilities here!" Princess Twilight Sparkle reminded. "I suppose so..." Fluttershy responded in a tone that showed that she was still uncertain. "Maybe we should do one last check before work." Princess Twilight Sparkle figured. The day passed by very quickly, and a tired Princess Cadance returned to Canterlot Throne Room after a day of duties. "Can't believe I'm saying this, but I am glad that I didn't rule all of Equestria back when I was a ruler." Cadance said out loud despite how tired she was. "Your majesty, has the Council of Friendship sent you the letter yet?" Gallus asked. "Weren't you there when I got the letter this morning?" Cadance reminded. "I'm talking about the letter that they should send at night. They said that they will send a letter every day and every night until they return, so we will know how they are doing." Princess Cadance explained, sounding more and more worried with each passing word. "It's not like it of them to forget such a simple promise." Gallus thought for a while before stating. "And that's not all. Princess Twilight said that even though she's away, she will still be raising and setting the sun and the moon at the right time. But look outside!" Princess Cadence said, walking towards the nearest transparent glass window to see the sunset. "That's odd, the sun should be lower and begin dusk by now." Gallus commented, seeing that it was still half sunset. "Something must have happened. And it mostly isn't something good." Princess Cadance figured, sounding even more worried. "Should we send the Royal Guards?" Gallus asked. "I think I know a team of creatures who can handle this." Princess Cadance replied. At the Castle of Friendship's Dining Room, the residents of the said castle were waiting for some creature to save dinner. "I hope that whatever Alkali made in a short period of time isn't bitter gourd soup..." Shapeshifter commented. "Don't worry, she told me that according to research, what she's making is alkaline, but not bitter gourd." Volcano assured. "Dinner's served every creature!" Alkali announced, placing a bowl full of cooked Brussels sprouts at the center of the table, to every creature's dismay. "Brussels sprouts?!" Krona asked. "Well...Brussels sprouts are alkaline...and not bitter gourd soup, and not bitter gourd..." Volcano nervously stated. "Maybe it's a little better than bitter gourds?!" Yellow Bright asked in a nervous tone, trying to stay positive. "If Yellow Bright says so, prove it!" Krona declared. "Alright..." Yellow Bright replied, before nervously brining his face towards the bowl of cooked Brussels sprouts, slowly and uncomfortably as he went. Fortunately for him, the process is interfered by the arrival of a letter sent by magic. "A letter!" Luster exclaimed, causing Yellow Bright o sigh in relief. "Let me guess, from the Ruler of Equestria?" Sunshine Rays asked. "Half correct, because it's for the temporary Ruler of Equestria, Princess Cadance!" Luster answered, "It says that the Council of Friendship had her worried; they did not send a letter to tell her how things were going yet, plus, the sun had not fully set when it should have by now!" Volcano took out a clock from nowhere and looked at the time, commenting, "The sun should have been completed yout of sight when you look at the horizon by now!" The Heroic Ten rushed out the Castle to take a look, and saw the it was half sunset, not dark. "That is weird. It's not like it for Princess Twilight to set the sun like this." Luster claimed. "Did the letter say anything else?" Buffer questioned. "The letter says that some creature has to go to the Stone Mountain of Nothingness to check on the Council of Friendship, and make sure that they're alright. And those creatures...are us!" Luster announced. "Us?!" Nature Bloom asked. "Why am I not surprised?" Sunshine Rays responded. "Maybe because we already saved all of Equestria and Beyond once, and helped in several major events!" Falcon Dive answered. "The School of Friendship's graduated top students, Captain of the Royal Guards, Gallus, his wife Silverstream, they friends Smolder and Ocellus, plus the married Yona and Sandbar would serve as backup in case something bad happened to you all. Just be careful and please keep me updated with letters reporting on your progress. Signed, Princess Candance." Luster finished reading. "So...we're going to the Stone Mountain of Nothingness?!" Falcon Dive asked in an excited tone. "Yes we are." Luster answered. "We better pack up supplies, because this isn't going to be a short, less-than-a-day adventure!" Volcano advised. "Did some creature say 'adventure'?" a familiar voice could be heard saying, causing the creatures to turn and look at Trixie's Wagon, parked right outside of the Castle of Friendship. Out came the owner of the voice, who was the same creature as the owner of the wagon, Trixie the blue unicorn, who was also the Guidance Counsellor of the School of Friendship nearby. "I heard that you creatures are chosen to go an adventure mission to find the Council of Friendship at some Stone Mountain..." Trixie began. "It's called the Stone Mountain of Nothingness." Buffer informed. "Located at the other side of the South Luna Sea!" Krona added. "Actually, it's the South Luna Ocean!" Alkali corrected. "Sea, ocean, what's the difference?" Krona sarcastically asked. "In terms of geography, seas are smaller than oceans and are usually located where the land and ocean meet. Plus, seas are typically enclosed by land, and found on the margins of the ocean." Volcano answered. "Thanks, Volcano, for the explanation without a long list of additional unnecessary facts." Falcon Dive thanked in a sarcastic tone. "You sounded sarcastic, so you don't really mean it, do you?" Volcano responded. "WHAT?! I just sounded sarcastic! I'm used to it at times! I really meant what I just said!" Falcon Dive protested. "Come on, you two! This is no time for arguing!" Nature Bloom told the dragon and griffon. "Right now we got to figure out how are we going to get to the Stone Mountain of Nothingness." Luster announced. "Can't you unicorns just teleport there?!" Falcon Dive asked. "If we know what our destination looks like for real!" Luster answered, "I never went to the Stone Mountain of Nothingness before!" "Neither did Krona!" Krona added. "Nor I," Sunshine Rays contributed. "I did not go there before, neither." Evergreen added. "Nor I!" Yellow Bright chirped. "I don't think any of us went there, before." Nature Bloom said the main point out. Every creature then looked at the only creature who was biologically a generation or two generations older than them. "Why are all of you staring at me?" Trixie asked. "Because you might have went to the Stone Mountain of Nothingness before?" Buffer asked. "What?! Why would you think of something like that after you saw me being unable to say it's proper name?!" Trixie asked. "Because you're a lot older than all of us." Volcano answered. "And the older you are, the more you probably will know from the more time you've been around." Falcon Dive continued. "Even back when I was the travelling magician who calls herself 'The Great and Powerful Trixie', I never went to a mountain made of stone!" Trixie claimed. "You said that you had o work on a Rock Farm once," Alkali reminded. "Back when you challenged Princess Twilight Sparkle to a magic duel, before she was an alicorn princess." Volcano added that detail. "Even so, I did not travel far to visit a Stone Mountain, especially when it's not any where near Equestria!" Trixie declared. "The Stone Mountain of Nothingness is quite far, being a few hundred kilometres away from the edge of the kingdom, on the other side of the South Luna Ocean." Volcano informed. "No big deal, we can just fly there!" Falcon Dive claimed, getting his wings stretched for a long flight. "But, Falcon Dive, not all of us can fly!" Buffer reminded. "Oh, right..." Falcon Dive nervously laughed, "I kind of forget that..." "I believe that the right term is 'forgot', as in 'I kind of forgot that', because it already happened." Volcano corrected. "Whatever..." Falcon Dive plainly responded. "Maybe we can just carry all of you there?" Alkali suggested. "But can each of you five flyers carry five non-flyers around your size or bigger, all the way to the Stone Mountain on the other side of the South Luna Ocean?" Luster asked. "Five?! What about me?!" Trixie asked. "You're going with us?!" Falcon Dive asked in a shocked tone. "If you all need reminding, you made a deal with me during Hearth's Warming Eve, telling me that you will bring me with you on your next mission or task or adventure!" Trixie explained. "Is Guidance Counsellor telling the truth or what she can't remember correctly?" Krona asked. "Actually, she's telling the truth."Luster responded, "Don't you all remember the deal we made with her after she felt that we were accusing her of stealing our Hearth's Warming Presents for one another?" The other creatures thought for a while without uttering a word, before remembering their deal at last. "Right...sorry we forgot." Sunshine Rays apologised. "Apology accepted every creature, but you got to show more true in me during the task." Trixie instructed. "I believe the correct word is 'faith', as in 'show more faith in me during the task'." Volcano corrected. "Come on, every creature! It's just one adventure!" Yellow Bright chirped. "Alright, Guidance Counsellor Trixie, how are we going to get to the Stone Mountain?" Luster asked. "Why are you asking me? I'm not the leader, you are!" Trixie reminded. "You're older than I am, and older than all of my best friends, and you are a Guidance Counsellor who gives advice to students at the School of Friendship for the longest of time! You might have some good ideas!" Luster reminded. "Now that you mention it, I am a Guidance Counsellor who should have good ideas! And I think we should ride a balloon to the Stone Mountain of Nothingness!" Trixie declared in a confident tone. "Why didn't we think of that?" Falcon Dive asked. "That's actually a good idea!" Evergreen commented. "A lot better than travelling a long distance carrying lots of weight." Nature Bloom added. "Then that settles it, grab your adventuring supplies every creature, and get ready to leave in 15 minutes time." Luster instructed. Alkali flew into the Gardening Room, the home of the Hyacinth macaws that reside in the Castle of Friendship. The birds watched the hippogriff harvest the bitter gourds growing in the room, as quickly as she could. Since Alkali usually would not be in a hurry to harvest her favourite food from the Gardening Room, the macaws found it unusual and squawked. "Oh, hi Hyacinth Macaws. If you're wondering why I'm in a rush, it's because I have to leave for a mission in 15 minutes time! Or, less than 15 minutes time, by now!" Alkali informed, as she plucked the bitter gourds off the plants that grew them. In his room, Volcano packed up his stationery, notebook, compass, and sunglasses, before rushing off. At her room, Luster packed up a few things such as an umbrella, a water bottle, sunblock and snacks in a lunchbox, just before her parents came in to check on her. "Luster?" Starlight asked, startling the younger unicorn. "Mum, Dad!" Luster responded in a shocked tone. "Sorry we startled you, we just wanted to check on you." Sunburst informed. "I told you Mum and Dad, I'm fine!" Luster told her parents. "We know, we just wanted to remind you, be extremely careful out there." Starlight apprised, walking towards her daughter, nuzzling her face. "Don't worry Mum and Dad, I will." Luster responded, as the family of three unicorns gathered together for a family face nuzzle. "In case some creature wants to change my moral spirit, got to bring everything I wrote about morality and right things in this book!" Sunshine Rays told herself, packing the large book into her backpack of supplies, which was overflowing with her belongings such as her keyboard, Moonshade Fright costume, and water bottle. "Come on, Sunshine! Do you really need hat?!" Falcon Dive asked in a complaining tone, as he said in the air, right outside of Sunshine Rays' room. "I bought them, just in case we do!" Sunshine Rays answered. "You think we have to scare some creature?!" Falcon Dive questioned. "I'm ringing them just in case." Sunshine Rays repeated. "Krona ready to go!" Krona's calling startled the pegasus and griffon, reminding them of what their conversation made the forget a while ago. "We're coming, too!" Sunshine Rays and Falcon Dive shouted un unison, rushing out the Castle doors. "Alright, every creature ready?" Trixie asked. "Don't tell me that you're taking Luster's role as leader of the Heroic Ten!" Sunshine Rays responded. "I'm here, every creature!" Luster called, rushing out of the castle. "Oh great, whoever gave the command was the last to fulfil the command?" Falcon Dive asked, causing Luster to give out a nervous laugh "Sorry...I never thought that my parents would do what they did back there..." Luster answered. "That doesn't matter, let's just get on a balloon and to our destination!" Evergreen announced. "Speaking of balloon, where is the balloon that were going to take?" Buffer asked, making every creature notice that there was indeed, no a single hot-air balloon around the Castle of Friendship. "Probably in Ponyville's Hot-Air Balloon Stop." Trixie answered. "What?! I thought the balloon is prepared and placed right outside the castle!" Alkali could not help but say out loud. "Calm down, very creature..." Evergeen reminded. "Come on, look on the bright side! Ponyville is just a hundred meters away! Just walk that little distance and we'll get a not-exhausting ride to the Stone Mountain of Nothingness!" Yellow Bright cheerfully chirped. The next moment had they arrived at where the Hot-Air Balloon in Ponyville was supposed to be resting on, the eleven creatures discovered some unpleasant news that was surely not on the newspaper, and would probably never be. "The Hot-Air Balloon's been used?" Luster asked the Earth Pony in charge of the balloon. "Indeed, they said that they'll be back from their roadmap in a few days." the pony answered. "A few days?!" Nature Bloom repealed in her usual Fluttershy-like voice. "We cannot wait that long!" Buffer exclaimed. "We'll just have to use a Hot-Air balloon from somewhere else." Volcano declared. "Cloudsdale has lots of them to help non-flyers working or visiting up there!" Sunshine Rays reminded, "I'll fly up there and get one down!" "Just remember to find one that can fit eleven creatures!" Trixie called to Sunshine Rays, after the pegasus took off high into the skies. "Got it!" Sunshine Rays called back. After some time flew by, Sunshine Rays returned with some bad news, "Sorry every creature, every hot-air balloon up there is been used, leaving zero for us." "What?!" Krona asked in disbelief. "All used?" Buffer repeated. "Are you sure?!" Volcano asked. Sunshine Rays nodded, "Every last one of them." "But, why?" Nature Bloom asked. "The Pegasi in charge of the balloons said that the balloons are used by the guests to get around." Sunshine Rays answered. "Don't you mean 'visitors?' As in, 'The Pegasi in charge of the balloons said that the balloons are used by the visitors to get around.'?" Volcano corrected. "Guests, visitors, what's the difference?" Falcon Dive asked. "Guests are invited to visit places, while visitors visit places regardless of being invited or not." Volcano explained. "Can't believe that there's so many creatures using hot-air balloons today!" Evergreen commented. "The whole kingdom should think about making more hot-air balloons in this rate!" Yellow Bright remarked. "Or even a cruise that isn't for staying and sleeping in during vacation, but a cruise that can go to every town to pick creatures up!" Alkali added. "Alkali? The Stone Mountain of Nothingness is not a town nor a village. There's no way that cruise you talked about would go there." Volcano reminded. "Actually, I forgot to say that the cruise could have just taken creatures to different places in Equestria like a train! In the sky! So they wouldn't have to use the hot-air balloons so much!" Alkali corrected. "Alkali, I believe what you are meant to say is a zeppelin. Like the one Priness Twilight Sparkle's family was on before she became Ruler of Equestria, and not to mention that cruise director Iron Will..." Volcano was about to begin saying some extra unneeded information, but was prevented by Sunshine Rays. "We know that, Volcano! And we don't need that information now!" the white pegasus informed. "So, we need to get to the Stone Mountain of Nothingness, but have no way to get there?" Luster asked. "Well, we can try to row a boat across the South Luna Ocean..." Alkali suggested. "Row a boat across an ocean?!" Krona asked in a scared tone. "Cheer up, every creature! We can always sing row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream..." Yellow Bright began singing when he finished his first sentence and first four words after. "Steam?! An ocean is super different from a stream!" Falcon Dive pointed out. "And I think some creatures might get seasick." Buffer added. "Maybe we'll just have to wait until we get a hot-air balloon..." Luster sighed sadly, "Unless we can teleport ourselves there in a snap." "Wait a second, Luster, you gave Trixie an idea..." Trixie said in third-creature. At Fluttershy's sanctuary, Fluttershy's draconneques husband Discord was busy looking after his wife's animals as he served them dinner. "Dinner is served, every animal! Nuts, seeds, leaves for squirrels, mice, bunnies, and well, probably, most of you. And eggs and milk for the dogs, cats, and vultures." As the animals ate, Discord noticed that he had visitors. "Oh, hello ten newest heroes of Equestria, what brings you here?" Discord asked. "Ten?! Can't you see with your Draconneques eyes that there isn't jus ten creatures here?! It's eleven!" Trixie asked in a loud and somewhat unpleasant manner. "I was referring to the ten newest heroes, Mrs Trixie..." Discord responded, wearing a professor's glasses as he did. "Actually, Mrs isn't the right..." Volcano began, but was cut off by Trixie. "Don't call me that, Discord! You may and should still refer me as Trixie!" "Can you two please stop this argument?!" Nature Bloom shouted, curing every creature to be shocked. "Wow, I never seen you shout like that before." Evergreen commented. "Did you mean heard? Because you cannot see some creature shout, you can only hear some creature shout." Alkali corrected. "It looks like some creature's growing up and stepping up." Luster smiled. "I know I usually believe that it's best for those who lead to stop arguments like this, but got to say, that's something alright. I mean, we do need some creature to stop that argument." Sunshine Rays commented. "Now, is every creature good?" Nature Bloom asked in a gentle tone. "Things alright on Trixie's side." Trixie reported. "Recovering on Discord's side." Discord added. "Great, glad that's over." Falcon Dive remarked. "So, what brings you eleven creatures to my dear Fluttershy's sanctuary?" Discord asked. "Haven't you noticed something odd with the sunset?" Buffer asked. "The sun is supposed to have completely set ages ago!" Yellow Bright said the main point. "What he actually meant is he sun should have set some time ago." Volcano clarified. "That's Princess Twilight Sparkle's duty. She said that even though she and the council are away at that mountain of stone or whatever...she will still be in charge of raising the sun and the moon." Discord responded. "Yes, but the point is, she didn't set the sun completely to let the moon up, which is not like her!" Krona notified. "We think something bad might have happened to her, and even...the whole Council of Friendship!" Nature Bloom continued. Discord's expressions and emotions completely changed when he heard of the possibility that the Council of Friendship was in trouble. "Fluttershy could be in trouble?!" the draconneques asked. "Yes...that's what we think because there's no word from them, added to the fact that Princess Twilight left the sun half set..." Sunshine Rays said, just before with a snap of his claws, Discord teleported all twelve creatures to the top of the Stone Mountain of Nothingness. To the visitor's shock, they saw a camp made of stone, a chariot made of stone, and royal guard stone statues. "A camp made of stone?" Krona asked. "More like a camp turned to stone." Falcon Dive corrected. "How did this happen?" Luster asked. "Do you think it's cockatrice?" Buffer asked. "It cannot be, because cockatrice can only turn living creatures and animals who look into their stares." Nature Bloom explained. "And tents and chariots are obviously not living animals nor creatures..." Evergreen pointed out. "Bricks aren't living creatures, neither." Volcano contributed. "Bricks?" Alkali asked. "Look down the mountain!" Volcano announced, pointing at an edge. "Why look when we can just be there?" Discord asked, with a snap of his claws, he teleported the twelve creatures to their destination. Once they arrived, all of them, with the exception of Volcano, how was paying attention to the bricks, looked shock at what they saw in front of their eyes, with Discord being the most terrified. "Looks like the Council of Friendship were beginning to build something themselves, out of bricks." Volcano said, looking at the bricks structure. "Volcano, why aren't you looking at what we're looking?" Yellow Bright asked. "Because I wasn't looking in the same direction as you all were when Discord teleported us down here." Volcano answered. "Now would be a good, or not so good, time to look!" Alkali said in a scared tone, causing Volcano to turn his head to see what they were all looking at: Stone statues of the Council of Friendship! "Fluttershy!" Discord cried, rushing over to his petrified wife, "What terrible creature could have done this to you?!" "WHO ARE YOU CALLING TERRIBLE CREATURE?!" a loud, angry-sounding voice roared, startling the twelve visitors. "Every creature, I think we're not welcomed visitors here..." Luster whimpered. To Be Continued...
26. Stone-Hearted, Part TwoSomething has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.
1. How the Magic of Friendship Grows, Part OneAuthor's Note How the Magic of Friendship Grows, Part One serves as the first part of the three-parted series premiere, and the very first episode of the series. Summary: Luster Dawn is sent to Ponyville to make friends, but she is made the newest student at the School of Friendship, meaning that she will not be able to go down the same path her mentor Princess Twilight Sparkle did. Featured Characters: Luster Dawn, a female unicorn, the biological daughter of Starlight and Sunburst, who was raised by her grandparents in Sire's Hollow before becoming Princess Twilight Sparkle's star student after performing an age spell on herself that is irreversible. Falcon Dive, a male griffon. He is the team's fastest and most selfless member, who always has the intentions of saving others at the cost of his own good. His tomboyishness and impatience are inspired by Rainbow Dash. Yellow Bright, a male Earth Pony. He often helps his fellow creatures through tough times by helping them be positive and looking on the bright side. He has a sibling-like relationship with Alkali, and a growing relationship with Evergreen. Evergreen, a female Kirin. She is usually the calmest creature around, being patient and advising others to do the same. Alkali, a female hippogriff with an indigo coat, light blue mane and cyan eyes. Like Pinkie Pie, she loves making things fun in order to encourage others. She is believed to not know anything about being serious by Volcano, whom she soon starts having a growing relationship with. Nature Bloom, a female changeling with a green-turquoise body a slightly violet chest, violet eyes, light violet tail and wings, and dark purple elytra. Like her inspiration Fluttershy, she loves and tames her many animal friends by treating them nicely, regardless of species. Volcano, a male dragon with dark orange scales, orange spikes, very light orange wings and underbelly, and red eyes. Like Luster, he is very diligent and loves researching. He usually has a habit of mentioning some long factual stories or explanation for certain things based on educational subjects, during times when it is unnecessary. Sunshine Rays, a female pegasus with light green eyes, a white coat and a mane consisting a variety of warm colours. She can be very strict at times due to her morality as she ensures every creature follows the rules. She can be annoyed by Falcon's selflessness when he goes against certain morals in order to help others, but nevertheless has a growing relationship with him. Buffer, a male buffalo with brown eyes. He usually helps his fellow best friends learn to listen to others, or help them identify who to listen to. He has a growing relationship with Krona. Krona, a female yak inspired by her distant relative Yona. Like most yaks, she speaks in broken English and third-creature, and has Brute Strength. Despite being feared because of her short-temper at times, she maintains the trust of her friends due to her integrity. 1. How the Magic of Friendship Grows, Part One A storybook with an alicorn painting on it opened and revealed the words, ‘Once Upon A Time’ on its first page. A female narrator then began reading a story: “Once upon a Time, in the magical land of Equestria, a unicorn named Twilight Sparkle, the star student of the Ruler of Equestria, Princess Celestia, was sent to Ponyville after reuniting the two Royal Sisters, Celestia and Luna. Twilight eventually became an alicorn princess after learning a lot about friendship, with the aid of her Ponyville friends, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash. Soon, Twilight had a personal student, reformed villainess Starlight Glimmer, who soon graduated and became Guidance Counsellor, and later Headmare of Twilight’s School of Friendship, opened to teach and spread the Magic of Friendship far and wide. Soon, after so many successes, Celestia and Luna decided to retire, and make Twilight the Ruler of Equestria. Many years later, Twilight has a unicorn star student, Luster Dawn, whom she sent to Ponyville to learn the Magic of Friendship just like Celestia sent her.” “Or maybe partially just like Celestia sent her,” Luster Dawn corrected. She was having a walk with her new friends, right after waving goodbye to her mentor, Twilight Sparkle. Twilight just sent her student away, but instead of letting Luster learn the Magic of Friendship the former's way, Twilight made Luster the newest student of the School of Friendship. “Relax, Luster, you don’t have to be just like your mentor in order to be as successful as her,” Luster’s new griffon friend, Falcon Dive, told her. “Plus, at a friendship school, you’ll get to learn about friendship” Alkali the hippogriff added. “Isn’t that what she’s supposed to do?” Krona the yak asked. “Yes...only with teachers to help and guide her!” Alkali clarified. “But we went through the history of Twilight and her friends’ adventures a million times!” Volcano the dragon reminded his friends. “Yeah, and we still haven’t graduate,” Buffer the buffalo commented. “And we know that Twilight did not go to a friendship school to learn friendship!” Luster stated. “Of course, every creature knows that!” Sunshine Rays the pegasus responded. “Who wouldn’t?” asked Yellow Bright the Earth Pony. “Probably some creature who don’t want to study, or forgotten about it,” Evergreen the Kirin suggested. “But the main point is, how am I going to be as successful as my mentor, if I don’t learn friendship the way she did?!” Luster asked, clarifying her question. “That’s...something a little...tricky.” Alkali responded. “We’re only students, so we’re not experts like the teachers are, “ Nature Bloom the changeling commented. “Then why don’t ask them?” Falcon sarcastically asked. “Will they be available? At this time?” Luster asked back. “They...may prefer counselling us students in the daytime,” Buffer answered. “But, since they know that as teachers and the ones in charge of their school, they must care about their students at all times.” Yellow Bright clarified. “Especially after what happened with Silverstream a long time ago,” Krona honestly added. "Did not tell any creature where she was or going, caused all of Mount Aris to look for her, made her Guidance Counsellor and company adventure into the Everfree Forest, one of them got petrified by Cockatrice, but it was all resolved." Luster recalled and summarised. "Wow! You just enrolled and you're already like the top student, knowing the history super well." Volcano commented. "That's because during one of my parents' visits, they told me about it, as the reason why they took their job of looking out for their students so seriously." Luster explained. "You sure are lucky to have the Heads of your school as your parents," Krona commented. "Um, don't you remember the part where Starlight and Sunburst handed her to their parents, her maternal grandfather and paternal grandmother, when she was a baby?" Buffer reminded. "Only because they knew that they could not take care of her! They got a school to run, and hundreds of students to care about!" Sunshine explained, "They could have passed their roles to some creature else, but they knew that it was nearly impossible to find some creature capable of succeeding them, therefore, they chose to send Luster to their birthplace, Sire's Hollow, to be raised by her grandparents." "Until, I thought about enrolling in Princess Twilight's School for Gifted Unicorns..." Luster began, before Yellow Bright interrupted. "Which is originally her mentor's, and the previous ruler of Equestria...Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. Princess Twilight succeeded Celestia as the Head and teacher of the school after her coronation." "Um, every creature? Are we going a little...off topic?" Nature Bloom asked, making the whole team realise where they drifted off to. "Super sorry, about that, Luster, you were saying?" Evergreen apologised for the whole group, giving Luster the chance to talk about what she had in mind. "About being as successful as my mentor in a different environment? And being the daughter of the heads of my new school? How am I supposed to be like Princess Twilight, if I start learning about friendship in a super different environment?" Luster asked. "Relax, Luster, you have friends right here! Us! We'll help you go through the day and night!" Alkali assured. "Plus, I'm sure every creature won't mind." Yellow Bright added. Later that night, Yellow Bright took back what he said, saying, "Okay, maybe they do." "We are so pleased to have you here, Luster!" Starlight told her daughter, in a cheerful, friendly tone. "As our daughter, you totally get to have privileges that every creature else don't!" Sunburst added, "Like, for starters, living with us!" "In Princess Twilight Sparkle's former residence, the Castle of Friendship?" Falcon sarcastically asked. "Grown and created by the Tree of Harmony?" Volcano finished. "I appreciate your offer, Mum and Dad, but I don't want to be treated like specialty, especially when I have friends now." Luster politely rejected her parents' offers. Starlight and Sunburst were shocked to see their anti-social daughter finally showing concerns about her friends, to the point that she would reject an offer that her friends did not get. Luster grew up studying alone in Sire's Hollow, and barely interacting with any creature but her family, and believed that friendship was nothing but a waste of time as she became better at spell-casting than the rest of the unicorn foals, not playing their childish games during free time. Even after moving to Canterlot, Luster resumed being independent, studying alone all the time, not hanging out with friends. "Luster," Starlight begun, "You really made us proud. Princess Twilight may sent you to learn friendship at the School of Friendship, but you just proved that you already learnt something about friendship, without any classes." "Rejecting an offer your friends can't get is a noble act to show how much you cared about them, so we've decided to let you live in the School like every other student, if you accept." Sunburst added. "This is just what I hoped you'll say! Thank you." Luster Dawn hugged her parents. The next day... "Rise and shine, Luster!" Yellow Bright shouted, ringing a bag, startling Luster. "It's your official first day of school! Be excited!" Alkali cheered. "As if it was worth celebrating." Volcano grumpily commented. "Calm down, Volcano. Accept the fact that some of your friends are really into parties and celebrations," Evergreen told the dragon. "So, what should we do?" Falcon asked. "The normal routine every morning? Eat breakfast?" Sunshine replied. "With a little differences, cause we got a new friend!" Krona proudly claimed. "She's talking about Luster," Buffer clarified. Luster let out a nervous giggle as she just found out how supportive and caring her new friends were. Nature Bloom approached the unicorn, "Don't worry, Luster, here at the School of Friendship, we are taught to be friendly and social, and care about every creature, especially our friends." "If we were overwhelming, you can always tell us," Sunshine assured. "Yeah. Cause honesty classes are still on." Krona explained. "Um, speaking of classes, if we don't go to the Mess hall, to eat breakfast so soon, we'll be late for class!" Volcano warned. Not wanting to be late, the ten creatures rushed out of the dorms at the speed of light, before bursting into their location with Falcon pushing open the doors. "Is that Luster Dawn?!" asked a student. "The daughter of Head-mare Starlight and Head-Stallion Sunburst?!" another student squealed. "Uh, remember when I said that every creature won't mind the fact that you're the daughter of the heads of this school?" Yellow Bright nervously asked Luster, "I really take it all back." The students crowded around the ten friends, mainly because of the newest member of their group, knowing who she was. "Can you please excuse us?!" Nature Bloom asked the crowd. "Yeah, some creature...or should I say...some creatures need personal space here!" Falcon exclaimed. "Yaks may like being with friends, but not this much at once!" Krona cried. "What is going on here?!" Guidance Counsellor Trixie asked the crowd. "Oh, hi Guidance Counsellor Trixie!" Alkali waved. "Can you please help us get through this crowd?!" Luster asked. "Anything, Luster Dawn! After all, you are the daughter of the Heads of this School, so you could have the benefits every student else don't!" Trixie exclaimed, unaware of her words creating fury amongst the other students, as they were certainly unhappy about a special student getting the benefits they could not get. "Uh, Guidance Counsellor Trixie?" Luster spoke up, "I appreciate your offer, but I really don't want to be treated as some creature special; I just want to try school life here like any other student." "Well, of course you can have that, dear Luster! I'll tell every creature about that right away." Trixie replied, before walking off to do what she said. After the Guidance Counsellor's departure, the students begun chattering amongst themselves, with Luster having her head hung down; she knew that every other student would not be able to treat her as if she was a regular pony, mostly because she was the biological daughter of their school's Heads. "Are you alright, Luster?" Evergreen asked, approaching the unicorn alongside the rest of their friends. "No, not at all." Luster sadly replied, with the only creatures being able to hear her being her closest friends. "Would you tell us what's bothering you?" Buffer asked, in a concerned tone. "Maybe...it's a lot better to do so...when we're alone." Luster replied. A few hours passed, and the clock struck three. Luster regrouped with her whole team of friends in her room in the Dorms, the one place they knew that most students would not go too. "So, now are you going to tell us?" Volcano asked. "Yes, I would like to, after my first Honesty Class taught by Apple Bloom." Luster replied, before taking a deep breath, "I don't think I can learn friendship here." The nine listening creatures gasped to hear a comment like that from their new friend, especially since the school was friendly towards all of its students; giving the healthiest meals and snacks, providing enough bathrooms, having enough dorms. "Why would Luster say that School isn't where she wants to learn friendship? School is BEST!" Krona declared, speaking in third-creature like most yaks would. "Calm down, Krona." Evergreen told the yak, before calmly asking Luster, "Why would you say so, Luster? Is there anything it doesn't have?" "It's a long story," Luster lamented, "I wanted to accomplish as much as Princess Twilight Sparkle did, but I start out my adventures of learning friendship in an entirely different environment and way; Here, I kept getting special treatment because of being the daughter of the Heads, students keep overwhelming me with their attention and care, and I will barely get a friend who would want to be my friend, not because of my occupation and identity, like Princess Twilight's friends did!" "That's...a lot." Falcon commented. "Luster," Sunshine approached, "I know it's hard for you, being the one student here with the most attention, but don't forget; you already have tons of friends by your side, us!" "Sunshine's right. We are your friends, because we like you for who you are, Luster." Alkali saluted. "Totally! Remember when we all first met you after school?" Yellow Bright asked. In a flashback... "Oh, and how I used to wonder..." Princess Twilight sang, after Luster hung out with the Ruler of Equestria's best friends as they gave her a tour around Ponyville," What friendship could be!" After that and before sending Luster off with her new friends, Twilight approached the unicorn, "Luster, I hope that you'll accept moving to Ponyville...to make some friends like I did." "Of course, Your Majesty." Luster bowed before the Ruler of Equestria. "Good, because I'm actually not just sending you here, I asked your parents if they could make room for a new student at the School of Friendship." Twilight replied. "Wait, what?!" Luster gasped. "I know I didn't learn friendship at a friendship school, but I figured that it will help you learn friendship in a better way." Twilight explained. "A better way? What do you mean?" Luster asked. "What I meant was; At a friendship school, you totally get to be a lot safer, as the students there would most likely be honest, kind, generous, loyal and help you laugh alongside them, creating a good friendship. And most importantly, you'll be safe from all the possible threats that can happen, that happened to me when I was Celestia's star pupil." Twilight clarified. "But didn't she asked you and your friends to go face a huge dragon after you defeated Nightmare Moon?" Luster reminded. "Yes, but after that, I got attacked by a Hydra, petrified by a cockatrice..." Princess Twilight listed, before concluding, "It's a long list anyway, and too numerous to mention individually. So let's not waste any more time and get moving, shall we?" Luster expressed her uncertainty before she sighed, "Anything you say, Princess Twilight Sparkle." "That's what I'm hoping to hear, now, I'm going to hang out with my best friends before checking on you at sunset." Twilight told her student, "I hope that you'll make a wonderful group of fiends like I did." "But, how am I going to make friends with some creature if they know that I'm your student, and the daughter of the heads of the famous School of Friendship?" Luster asked. "Don't worry, all you have to do is find creatures who will like to be your friend, for who you are," Twilight answered, before leaving. "Alright, now to make some friends..." Luster said to herself, before trotting off into town. Along the way, Luster thought about her identity once again, and the possibility that it would make any creature who knew her true identity pay attention to her, only because of it. "I can't let them know my true identity..." Luster whispered to herself, "If they did, they'll just pay attention to me because of it, I can't let them know! I'll just tell them that I'm Luster, and not Luster Dawn." "This is it." Luster told herself, before looking around for some creature who would be kind enough to befriend her. She then heard a voice coming out of nowhere that shouted,"LOOK OUT!" Fortunately, Luster was able to protect herself by creating a forcefield, while the owner of the voice was not so fortunate to crash right onto the forcefield and slide off it. "I'm so sorry! Are you okay?!" Luster asked, approaching the creature who would have crashed into her. "No worries, I'm fine," the creature replied, automatically getting up, "Hang on a sec, I'm not fine! I mean, fine as in no injuries, I'm tough. But not fine, because I'm in a rush!" With that, the creature dashed off, shouting to Luster, "Sorry about nearly crashing into you, anyway!" "It's alright!" Luster called back, a second after the creature disappeared. "So sorry about that, " a voice said to Luster. The unicorn turned towards the voice and saw a white-coated pegasus with a mane that consisted the warm colours, red, red-orange, orange, orange-yellow, and yellow. "Oh, hi, I'm Luster," Luster Dawn greeted, introducing herself. "Nice to meet you, Luster. I'm Sunshine Rays, but every creature usually just call me Sunshine. And I'm so sorry about my friend Falcon Dive. You know, the black griffon who just nearly crashed into you?" the pegasus responded. "Wait, you're friends with that griffon?" Luster asked. "Yes, in a way that you can never imagine...because we don't get along at times, or most likely...at times when some creature needs help." Sunshine explained. "What do you mean?" Luster asked, confused. "Well, Falcon always care about others more than he cares about himself, to the point that he will ruin his own reputation trying to protect them, having pounced on a new student when the newcomer teased two students about their relationship, and getting detention for a week." Sunshine explained. "Oh, that does sound awful," Luster commented. "It does, and I kept trying to tell Falcon that no matter what, we should always do what's right, but he just won't listen whenever he sees some creature in need, like right now." Sunshine continued, before gasping, "RIGHT NOW! Falcon's still on the loose! He can hurt some creature with his speed passing the speed limits! Sorry, Luster, I got to go!" "It was nice meeting you, anyway!" Luster shouted, after Sunshine's departure. The unicorn then heard the conversation between an Earth Pony and a hippogriff nearby. "Is that all the gifts?" the pony asked. "Absolutely! Now all we have to do is get them back to the school!" the hippogriff replied. The two creatures then struggled to carry their gifts with them until Luster used her magic to help them. "Hi, I'm Luster, I'm new around here in Ponyville and at the School of Friendship, and I figured that you two can use some help," the unicorn introduced herself, after getting the two creatures to notice her. "Hi, Luster! I'm Alkali," the hippogriff introduced, "And my Best Friend here is Yellow Bright," "She meant one of her best friends," Yellow Bright clarified, "We have seven other best friends, excluding ourselves," "Wow, that's a lot!" Luster commented. "And all these gifts are for us to share on our group foundation day!" Alkali happily exclaimed, "Which is today!" "That's really..." Luster began, before Yellow Bright cut her off. "Thoughtful and friendly? Of course! We're students at the School of Friendship for two years now, we totally learnt how to be friendly!" "Right..." Luster responded, before continuing their walk. Soon they had the gifts placed in Alkali's room, for safe keeping. "Thanks for your help, Luster!" Alkali cheerfully told the unicorn, "You really helped us like a friend would, so you totally deserve to be called our friend! Because friends help friends, in a good way, and in the right things!" "Just wait until the rest of our best friends meet you," Yellow Bright added, "They'll be meeting us at sunset in the field outside of Ponyville. Would you like to come?" "Sure, why not?" Luster answered, before the school bell rang, forcing her new friends out of the room to do cleaning alongside quarter of the school.. Luster then teleported herself outside of the school ground and back to the middle of Ponyville, where startled a yak and a buffalo behind her, having appeared out of the blue right in front of them. "What's the big idea?!" the yak angrily asked. "So sorry, I didn't know that you'll be here when I teleported here," Luster apologised. "Calm down, Krona, listen," the buffalo told his yak companion before telling Luster, "Sorry, my Best Friend Krona here just doesn't like surprises, the unpleasant ones, that is." "It's alright, it was my bad teleporting here, startling you two," Luster told the creatures. "Unicorn should have been ore thoughtful!" Krona declared, speaking in broken English and third-creature like most yaks would, "Does unicorn even know that with Equestria and allies becoming friendlier, every creature should be thoughtful?!" "Krona, please listen, getting angry does not help," the buffalo told the yak, causing her to calm down. "Krona is so sorry for getting angry at you, unicorn," Krona apologised. "It's alright, Krona, and you really got a good friend by your side," Luster responded. "I'm Buffer," the buffalo introduced himself, "And, please listen, I know that teleportation is convenient, but you should be more thoughtful or you'll scare some creature," "Don't worry, I will cut down my usage," Luster replied, before the two hairy creatures walked off. A second after the encounter, a small flying bird then passed by Luster, catching the unicorn's attention and lading her to noticing a changeling training a flock of birds to perform one of the most interesting bird shows in the history of Equestria. "Well done, every animal!" the changeling praised, "Now, get plenty of rest before sunset, I just can't wait to let my best friends see your splendid performance," "Hi," Luster approached the changeling, "Sorry if I'm startling you, but I just have to say that your animals' performance was amazing! It's not like anything I've ever seen!" "Well, thanks for...liking it. It's actually meant to be for my best friends, as in...for them to see." the changeling replied. "Oh, well, if you want it to be so...private, I totally won't tell any creature about it!" Luster began to back away, before trotting off and leaving the changeling alone. "Looks like you'll only have two friends to be with," Luster mumered to herself, before hearing a conversation between a dragon and a Kirin nearby. "What should we look for? More library books?" a Kirin asked an orange dragon. "Not just any books, books that can help us graduate from the School of Friendship! It's been two years, and we still haven't graduated!" the Dagon replied. "Um, hello?" Luster caught their attention, before introducing herself, "Hi, I'm Luster, and I was sent here to make some friends." "Oh, really?" the Kirin asked, before seeing Luster nod in reply. "Then why don't you go to the School of Friendship? You know, the first-ever friendship school in the history of Equestria?" the Kirin asked some more, before her dragon friend added. "The one Princess Twilight thought of, created and ran as its Head-mare before passing her position to its current Head-mare Starlight because of Celestia and Luna's retirement?" "Well, I totally know the school! Because I just enrolled in it, today." Luster replied. "Really? If you did, how come we never saw you at school?" the Kirin asked. "Probably because I came late, enrolling after school," Luster answered. "Well, since you're new, you totally will need a lot of studies, so would you like to go to the library with us?" the dragon asked. "Library?! Why not?!" Luster exclaimed, showing her passion for studying and reading. "Some creature who loves studying, does she remind you of some creature, Volcano?" the Kirin asked her dragon friend. "Let me guess: me, isn't it?" Volcano responded, "Totally, it is, I know what you're thinking, Evergreen. "Volcano? Evergreen?" Luster asked, "Those are your names?" "Of course they are! To be respectful, we call each other by our real names most of the time," Evergreen explained, "Now, Luster, you really do have a lot to learn about friendship." In a montage, the trio searched the school library from top to bottom, in hopes of finding keys to graduation. Unfortunately, they found nothing except for a copy of Twilight and her friends' Friendship Journal, which contained many valuable lessons about true friendship. "This journal's really interesting," Luster commented, "It seems to have everything about friendship! True friends will never tell you to do what's wrong, true friends will always be there for you when you need them the most, true friends will always tell each other the truth..." Luster stopped, as she felt guilty for not telling any of the creatures she met the truth about her identity, fearing that they would treat her in a special way because of her occupation. "Is everything alright?" Evergreen asked. "Not really, it's just that..." Luster begun, only to be interfered by the bell ringing, alerting the creatures of what time it was. "The sun is setting!" Volcano cried out, "Sorry, Luster, we got to go! We got a group of friends to meet with!" "It's alright! I got somewhere to be at during this timing as well!" Luster shouted to her new friends, who had rushed out of the library. Using her magic, Luster teleported to the field, where Yellow Bright and Alkali were waiting. "Luster, you made it!" Alkali exclaimed. "Of course I have! Why wouldn't I?" Luster asked. "Because we thought you have other things to do, as in, being out in Ponyville?" Yellow Bright pointed out. Before Luster could respond, she was interrupted by Krona, "Why is unicorn-who-scared-us here?!" "Wait, she scared you?!" Alkali asked the yak. "Luster?!" Sunshine Rays asked, "What are you doing here?" Sunshine Rays asked, a moment before Falcon Dive appeared. "The unicorn whom I almost crashed into?! I am so sorry! Plus, if you want a proper apology, I can always invite you to hang out with me and my best friends, for good things?" "Did you invite her here?" the changeling whom Luster met earlier asked Falcon. "Not really, Nature Bloom," Falcon replied to the changeling, revealing her name. "Luster?!" Volcano asked. "How do you know where we are going?" Evergreen asked, "And get here before we do?!" "She can teleport herself," Buffer explained, "Especially earlier when she accidentally scared Krona and I." "So, we all know Luster?! Without telling each other?!" Yellow Bright asked. "Well, actually, it's a long story..." Luster responded, expressing shame, a second before being interrupted by her mentor's voice. "Luster Dawn!" "Luster Dawn?!" the creatures gasped, before seeing the Ruler of Equestria approach the unicorn. "Your Majesty," Luster bowed, before all of her best friends did the same. "Luster, I was looking all over Ponyville for you, have you met any friends like I asked you to?" Twilight asked. Before Luster could respond, her new creature friends beat her to it. "Wait, you were sent to make friends by the Ruler of Equestria?!" Volcano asked in disbelief. "And your name is really Luster Dawn?!" Sunshine added. "The biological daughter of Heads Starlight and Sunburst?!" Nature Bloom continued. "Who performed an age spell on herself?!" Buffer asked. "Passing the entrance exam and getting to be Princess Twilight Sparkle's star student?!" Yellow Bright concluded. Luster blushed in embarrassment while Twilight was shocked, "Wait, you didn't tell your friends who you really are?! Why?!" "It's a long story, Princess Twilight Sparkle," Luster explained sadly, "I didn't tell them who I really was because I was afraid that they'll pay attention to me because of my occupation and identity, and not because they view me as a friend like your friends did." "Luster, I know that you're not going to be able to be completely like I was when Celestia sent me to Ponyville, but you should tell your friends the truth, that'll earn their trust." Twilight advised. "How do you know that they won't pay attention to me because I am special?" Luster asked, looking into her mentor's eyes. "Trust is one of the main things about friendship," Twilight replied, before Luster turned to her new friends. "Every creature, I'm so sorry I didn't tell you all the truth, and thinking that you'll never like me for who I am without giving you all a chance." "Luster," Evergreen approached, "We were indeed shocked to know the truth now, but, since you're new to friendship, we totally understand." "And we all totally forgive you," Nature Bloom added. "Krona may not like unicorn who lies, but if unicorn were to change for the better, Krona accepts her friendship," Krona announced. "We all will, as long as you're wiling to tell us the truth," Sunshine told Luster. "So, shall we have our group foundation day picnic?" Falcon asked. "Go on without me, I'm not so sure if I deserve to join you after what happened..." Luster told her new friends. "Luster, we all make mistakes," Buffer pointed out. "Plus, since you're new to friendship," Yellow Bright begun. "We all are going to help you learn just that!" Alkali cheerfully added. "Princess Twilight Sparkle?" Luster asked, turning to her mentor. Twilight nodded, "Luster Dawn, I can see that your new friends really are good friends, so I'm willing to let you hang out with them," "Of course, your Majesty," Luster bowed, a moment before Twilight's best friends joined the alicorn, singing the chorus of 'The Magic of Friendship Grows', as Twilight spread her wings. "How the Magic of Friendship grows," Twilight sang the final line, before sending Luster off, waving her student goodbye. In the present, Luster recalled, "After that, was the group foundation day picnic you all organised, Nature Bloom's animal show, the gift giving, then...I told you all about Princess Twilight Sparkle sending me here to study and learn friendship like how Celestia sent her," "We remember all of that, because it was yesterday," Buffer commented. "And just like what we know, we should like you for who you are, Luster, as in, not your identity and occupation," Sunshine added. "But it's really about what is in your heart," Alkali clarified. "And no matter what, we'll help you like a friend would," Falcon added. "Even if you all will keep getting involved in all the troubles I caused? As in, get overwhelmed alongside me, get crowds swarming over you because you're with me, all that?"" Luster asked. "Even if we have to face all that, we will." Yellow Bright replied. "You need help, Luster, and we're going to be the friends who will help you," Krona declared. "So, what do you say about us helping you through the school hours?" Volcano asked. "Well, I totally accept your help," Luster replied as she joined hooves with her best friends. In a montage, Luster Dawn went through every class with at least two or more of her nine best friends protecting her from the other students' attitude, until the students could act normal around her. Soon, a grand event was around the corner; the Special Connection Rainboom Anniversary. "The celebration that celebrates the day Rainbow Dash performed her first Sonic Rainboom and making all of Twilight's friends get their cutie marks!" Luster exclaimed, "I can't believe that I'm finally attending!" "And we can't believe that you never bothered to attend all this time," Volcano commented, causing Luster to blush in embarassment. "Don't worry, I'm sure everything will be fine," Evergreen assured. "Even though you get to be in charge of making sure everything goes well," Falcon added. "With our help," Buffer saluted. "Krona feels great to help out with best friends!" Krona proudly declared, "So where do we start?" "Well, Princess Twilight Sparkle wants all the deliveries to be delivered on time, all the fire-generating creatures in a place where they can't hurt any creature if they let out fire, sitting arrangements prepared, some creature checking on the music, and that's all," Luster explained. "Should we split up?" Nature Bloom asked, "Because that's a lot to take care of," "Don't worry, because I've already planned things out!" Luster declared, "Krona, and Buffer, you two will help with the deliveries, Evergreen, Volcano and Sunshine Rays, you three will find a place for the fire-generating creatures, Nature Bloom and Falcon Dive, you two will arrange the seats, Alkali and Yellow Bright, you two will check on the music." "Wow, you really know how to plan," Alkali pointed out. "She's Princess Twilight Sparkle's star student, how can she not?!" Yellow Bright stated. "Uh, guys? We might want to start doing and stop talking, because we're running out of time!" Volcano reminded. The creatures then rushed out of school and throughout town, with Luster checking on the events' location; the very area where Rainbow Dash performed her first Sonic Rainboom. 'Princess Twilight Sparkle' was there, watching the Wonderbolts perform. "Princess Twilight Sparkle!" Luster greeted. "Luster Dawn! How can you forget to bow before me?!" 'Twilight' asked in a rude and unpleasant tone, shocking the unicorn. "So sorry, your Majesty," Luster respectfully bowed before her 'mentor'. "So, what are you doing here? Isn't the event tomorrow?" 'Twilight' asked. "Don't you remember? You asked me to help with the preparations last night?" Luster asked. "Oh, right. I must have been too busy with other stuff to remember," 'Twilight' responded before asking, "So, Luster, how's everything going? Is every creature attending, at last?" "Well, even though I'm finally attending for the first time, I'm sure that there will still be some creatures who can't make it. But maybe they will next..." Luster began, before being cut off by 'Twilight'. "Luster! As Ruler of Equestria, I order you to spread the word; I want every last creature to be at the event, is that understood?!" "Yes, Your Majesty," Luster bowed. That evening, Luster and her best friends gathered at the location the event was taking place. "I can't believe that everything's so...amazing!" Evergreen commented. "Yeah, it is, except for one thing..." Luster sadly replied. "You alright, Luster?" Nature Bloom asked. "Not really. Princess Twilight Sparkle just acted a little...mean to me today," Luster explained. "What makes you say that?" Buffer asked. "When I forgot to greet her formally and bow before her, she was mad." Luster explained, "Then, when I told her that some creatures could not make it, she angrily ordered me to ensure every creature does make it, which is something I never see her do before!" "That does sound kind of...not right." Sunshine commented. "What should we do?" Yellow Bright asked. "Well, we can always ask Princess Twilight's friends," Volcano suggested, "They aren't really royalty, so maybe it's not a bad idea?" "Are you kidding?! They're Princess Twilight's friends!" Krona pointed out, "They can just tell her what we tell them!" "Or maybe we should...check on her?" Alkali suggested. "You mean...spy on her?" Luster asked. "Sorry Alkali, but spying on others isn't right; especially when it's spying on royalty!" Sunshine told her best friends. "But if something's weird or causing you to get suspicious, you should trust your feelings," Buffer reminded, "So if Luster thinks that there's something odd with Princess Twilight Sparkle, we should at least try to make sure everything's fine!" "Alright, so what are we going to do?" Falcon asked. "Try to find a magic lamp with a genie inside and wish that everything will be alright?" Yellow Bright joked. "Yellow Bright, this is not the time for jokes!" Sunshine Rays told the Earth Pony, "Get serious!" "Sorry, I'm used to it, to cheer creatures up." Yellow Bright apologised. "I don't think it's working in this situation." Volcano pointed out. "Luster is still not...cheered up." Nature Bloom added. "Calm down, Luster. Take a deep breath, and think." Evergreen instructed. Luster did as told, and was seen placing her left front hoof on her head to brainstorm, before the scene faded and changed. Later that night, the ten creatures, having Luster to teleport them to Canterlot, snuck pass the royal guards. Nature Bloom disliked how they had to act like sneaky thieves, but the others kept telling her that they were just going to check on Twilight. Volcano soon found Twilight's residence; her Canterlot tower. The creatures were shocked to find it only occupied by Twilight's sleeping Royal Advisor and Friendship Ambassador, Spike. Sensing something odd, Luster asked Nature Bloom to transform into a dog, to pick up Twilight's scent. As a dog, Nature Bloom sniffed 'Twilight' and soon found the 'Ruler of Equestria' in the throne room, mixing a green brew in a black cauldron, to their shock as Nature Bloom transformed back to her regular form. "This plan is going perfectly!" she sneered to herself, "Tomorrow, when every creature comes to that silly event, after Rainbow performs her rainboom, I'll cast my spell on them all, making them all my loyal subjects, and they will only have me to adore! Making me in complete and total control of all of Equestria and beyond!" 'Twilight' then laughed evilly as the ten creatures watch in shock. To be Continued...
10. Development of RelationshipsAuthor's Note Development of Relationships serves as the tenth episode of the series. Summary:The Heroic Ten and the Council of Friendship start a new event in Equestria, hoping to create relationships between creatures. Featured Characters: Nightfall Dusk, a deer with a black coat, white antlers and underbelly, and green eyes, whom Luster Dawn developed feelings for. His relationship with Luster reminds Princess Twilight Sparkle of her relationship with human Flash Sentry, due to their tendency to accidentally bump into each other. 10. Development of Relationships In the Castle of Friendship, Luster rushed around the hallway, packing up bags with all sorts of things. "Luster, Krona doesn't think the Heroic Ten need all those!" Krona called. Panting, Luster protested, "Don't need?! Krona! Get serious! This is our first meeting with the whole Council of Friendship! I mean, we didn't interact much with Princess Twilight's friends at the party for her brother and sister-in-law! Nor at the Special Rainboom Connection Anniversary!" "The Council of Friendship knows that we're epic! We don't need to get a giant bag of supplies to the meeting to show that we're good!" Falcon Dive pointed out. The next second, Sunshine Rays, carting an oversized camping bag, flew pass the griffon, causing him to ask her, "What is all that?!" "All the supplies for showing our plans for the first-ever Speed Dating event in all of Equestria and Beyond!" Sunshine Rays answered, "The main focus of the event is to find a boyfriend for each male, and a girlfriend for each male. So they can hopefully become a family, have children, so we can have a population with enough young adults in the future. Because if we DON'T have enough births, that means not enough young adults to do work in the future! That means every creature will suffer! Because not enough young adults and workers to take care of the elderly and kids, not enough to harvest and manufacture food, not enough to clean the place, not enough to PROTECT us! The society and economy will collapse!" "And we so don't want a disastrous setting like the ones in your posters that show why it is so important that we have biological parents and biological children." Evergreen stated. "Exactly. Which is why I brought my file of posters," Sunshine Rays explained, flipping the pages of her file, all of them showing a disastrous future caused by lack of births. "Well...at least you aren't insulting any creature with those posters," Nature Bloom pointed out. "I tried to make them as less offending as possible. You know me, trying to make immoral creatures change, starting with trying to reason with them and make them see what is the real right and wrong..." Sunshine Rays responded, "But the main point is, I never wanted any creature to suffer, especially because of their own wrongdoings." "We know that Sunshine!" Buffer replied. "And we all know that you're just being a real good friend to them, even if they don't see it that way." Yellow Bright contributed. "Because you wanted them to do what is right, and not what is wrong." Alkali added. "Trying to show them the real BEST!" Krona declared. "Even if it is risky, and meant going against their wishes," Luster ended. "Um, every creature?" Volcano asked, "If we continue talking and sharing moments like this, we're going to be late for our meeting!" the dragon held up a watch that showed the time. "Thanks for the reminder, Volcano!" Luster thanked, while rushing out of the Castle with the whole team. After the series' theme song intro played, the Council of Friendship were in the Throne Room, waiting for ten creatures to arrive. "I'm starting to think that they're not going to come," Rainbow Dash told her friends. "Come on, Rainbow. I'm sure they are coming, they're just...late." Princess Twilight told the pegasus. "Anyway, it sure is nice of them to come up with the whole speed dating event idea so every creature can have families," Fluttershy commented. "Plus, that means a lot of birthday parties, wedding parties, and baby showers for me and Cheesy to throw!" Pinkie Pie excitedly cheered. "My family is already big enough," Applejack announced, "I'm sure we don't need weddings right now." "But my family sure can use more members," Spike figured, "I don't even live with them, unless I retire as Royal Advisor so I can be free to move in with my beloved Rarity." Spike affectionally hugged his wife as he said her name. "Oh, Spike! With Luster going down a path similar to Twilight's, there's no doubt that you and Twilight's retirements won't be as distant as before!" Rarity assured. "But it will still take time, plus, Luster and her friends probably should not know about our hopes and plans for her until the time is right." Twilight reminded, a second before Gallus cleared his throat. "Your Majesty, they're all here, and all checked. They clearly cannot be imposters, being able to fill in every detail about their lives such as residences, both former and current, family members from parents to great-grandparents, but the main point, is, it is certain that it is them." "They may enter, Gallus." the Alicorn commanded. The newest heroes of Equestria trotted into the room and bowed before the Ruler of Equestria. "Your Majesty." they greeted in unison. "Luster, you and your friends can stop bowing now. Besides, you have a big event plan to share."Princess Twilight pointed out. "Yes, and we all know, it was our idea to introduce it to every creature," Sunshine Rays replied. "We just can't thank you enough for wanting to help some adorable babies have happy families!" Fluttershy squealed. "Um, Fluttershy? The babies aren't even born, plus their parents aren't even married yet!" Rainbow Dash pointed out. "I know, but I just can't help think of baby dragons, griffons, hippogriffs and all sorts of creatures!" Fluttershy said. "But there won't even be any of those if creatures don't marry the opposite gender and reproduce!" Nature Bloom pointed out. "Every reason we're acting now and not when it's too late." Luster declared. "So, as you know, the first step of the event for the participants is to register themselves." Evergreen calmly stated. "By filling in their names, before going through a security check to check if they were imposters or not," Yellow Bright added. "After the check, the females will get a table," Nature Bloom continued. "And the males will soon enter, and each get a ten minutes period of time with a female." Buffer resumed. "And, they get to leave when they found their special some creature!" Krona declared. "Correction, it's their 'possible special some creature'! Meeting is just the first step! The second step is..." Sunshine Rays began, before Alkali cut her off. "Fun couple games for the couples to get along!" "Right," Sunshine Rays responded, before continuing her explanation, "After that, they must learn to make decisions on how they will spend their time together, as in, for example, which restaurant would they go to. They only have two hours to make the decision and do as they decided. After that, all that is left for them is to have good communication as they must learn to plan their meetings with one another, Then they can leave." "That sounds so...romantically divine!" Rarity commented, "Oh why didn't we ever thought of making such a good event?" "It's not just an event, it is meant to ensure that Equestria populations will not decrease!" Luster explained. "Basically, it is to ensure that the future generation will have enough young adults to serve every creature." Falcon Dive added. "And no creatures' kind is endangered, as in, close to becoming extinct because of lack of births and numbers," Nature Bloom stated. "Speaking of future generation and young adults, I have been doing some calculations to check on the population numbers, depending on how many couples we have in the present." Volcano told every creature, doing some workings on his chalkboard. "Thank you for putting so much effort in this every creature," Princess Twilight Sparkle told the Heroic Ten, "I cannot thank you enough for what you always have been doing for every creature, and I will let every creature know about the event you planned. As soon as preparations are underway." A few days later, Canterlot was all set up for the occasion, with Luster watching over the area from the balcony, alongside Princess Twilight Sparkle. "Everything is going so well!" Luster said her thoughts out loud. "And hopefully no disasters this time," the Ruler of Equestrian added, causing Luster to nervous chuckle. "Don't worry, your Majesty. Lessons are learnt from mistakes, I'm sure the same mistakes won't repeat." "Apple cider for her royal highness, Princess Twilight Sparkle!" Applejack announced, causing the alicorn to laugh. "Applejack, you don't need to address me like that." "I know, sugarcube, it's just what friends do to each other at times, a little playful teasing once in a while." Applejack replied. "My Best Friend Nature Bloom doesn't like teasing, she thinks that it's awful! I advise no such behaviours like this," Luster told the two mares. "Don't worry Luster, I'm sure we wouldn't go too far," Princess Twilight Sparkle assured, before Discord created a portal to send his wife Fluttershy to the scene. "My bird choir is ready to perform, and Discord will handle the most romantic part of all: The Tunnel of Love at the end of the event." Fluttershy explained. "Great! Hopefully it won't be too romantic, because too much of something is not good, no matter what it is." Luster commented. "Your Majesty, the event's starting in five minutes!" Gallus told the princess. "Thanks for the alert, Gallus." Twilight responded, before telling every creature else, "Come on, every creature, we got to get going." A crowd of creatures waited for the appearance of their princess, chattering amongst themselves before the Royal Guards blew the trumpets. "Every creature in this crowd, please make way for our princess, the Ruler of Equestria, Princess Twilight Sparkle!" Spike announced, before his adoptive sister made her appearance. "Thank you all for supporting this event, every creature. As you all should know, this event is our newest heroes, the Heroic Ten's idea, and it means a lot more than finding a special some creature for every creature: The future depends on our decisions and actions, and we all know that the future generation will be the children and grandchildren of ours, but they won't even exist if we never became biological parents! Just like how we ourselves won't exist if it weren't for our biological parents! The true reason behind wanting you all to find a special some creature is because we hope that you can become family with children, so the future generation will have enough young adults to work for every creature!" After the speech was over, the creatures cheered, before their ruler cleared her throat, "You all may proceed to the event, after queuing up to do security checks." Watching from above, Sunshine Rays let out a breath, telling herself, "I hope that this works out." "Hey, Sunshine!" Falcon Dive greeted his pegasus Best Friend, flying up to her, "So, are you happy? Not only did the Council of Friendship support your idea, but now it's happening for real! It's epic!" "Yes, Falcon Dive. It is really good to have royalty and the leaders of a kingdom approving your idea, and then seeing it...happen for every creature to know." Sunshine Rays replied, in an obviously not happy tone. "That is not the expression I was expecting from you," Falcon Dive told her. "It's just that, there is more behind this whole idea than finding boyfriends for females, and girlfriends for males: I am against something that Equestria doesn't ban. But never told any creature about it, especially after how I upset the smokers of Ponyville before making it up to them, not so long ago..." Sunshine Rays answered. "I'm guessing it's something to do with relationships, am I right?" Falcon Dive asked. "Yes. A kind of relationship that I just cannot believe is real! I mean, I thought that every creature knows that they have biological parents, one mother and one father. I just can't believe some were even willing to go against such a basic fact, blinded by...affection." Sunshine Rays tried her best to indirectly mention what she dislike and was talking about. "I get it, Sunshine. It will be hard to just convince them, every reason why we are using encouraging!" Falcon Dive pointed out, "Setting up activities, increasing the chances of them finding something better and alright to love! In this case, some creature that is alright for them to love, I mean, we don't want them loving villains, am I right?" Falcon Dive jokingly ask. "I would never like villain-lovers!" Sunshine Rays furiously roared, shocking the griffon. "Sorry, I haven't mastered patience yet, so I still have a tendency to act like that upon thinking of such things." the pegasus apologised. "Don't worry Sunshine, a tough griffon like me could use something like your ferocity to train and test courage." Falcon Dive assured. "I will love to test your courage, but we got an event to oversee right now." Sunshine Rays replied, before diving down with her Best Friend. After all the males diffused throughout the area, each being a female on a small table, Volcano started a ten minutes stop watch, announcing, "Let the Speed Dating event begin!" From afar, Spike watched the creatures talk, making him express a bit of sadness. "Is everything alright, Spikey-Wikey?" the dragon's wife asked. "No," Spike sadly replied, "I can't help but wish that we can be one of those couples down there, going through the Speed Dating, all of its romantic festivities, improve our relationship..." "But it is clear that it is for creatures who don't have their special some creatures! We can't be selfish and just join because we want the experience," Rarity pointed out. "I get it, Rarity. But the main point is, I can't even live with you, until I am free from Royal Advisor duties, which probably will happen...in a distant future. We may be able to see each other once a moon, and Ponyville and Canterlot aren't that far apart, just a long walking distance away! But still...not living with you and our kids...my family...I can't help but think that this event is something we have to participate in, to improve our relationship!" Spike explained. "I'm so terribly sorry, Spikey-Wikey, but I'm sure we don't need an experience as romantic as what those creatures will have! We still have our own romantic experience this evening, that I have planned for my beloved dragon husband, Spike!" Rarity declared, "Just like every moon after Council of Friendship meeting!" "Thanks Rarity, knowing that we still get to spend some time together is great, only, too bad we don't do it with our children because our daughter doesn't like too romantic stuff." Spike sadly stated. "I'm sure she will change one day, I mean, even tomboys like Rainbow Dash accepted falling in love with a gentle creature!" Rarity pointed out, just as the mentioned pegasus flew by from above. With nothing much to do, Rainbow joined her husband Soarin in the clouds in the Canterlot skies, watching over the creatures. "You alright, Rainbow Dash? I thought you'd be with your friends down there," Soarin told his wife. "I'm totally fine! They just don't really need me right now, as in, Applejack and Caramel are taking good care of the apple products here, Pinkie and Cheese will have all the games perfectly fine! And don't worry, they may be party ponies, but they've thrown wedding receptions before, they won't treat such romance-center occasions like this like some creature's birthday!" Rainbow Dash assured. "Alright.." Soarin responded, "So since we're both free, why don't try to have our own speed dating experience by talking to each other like the creatures below us?" "Sure! I don't know what I will be doing right now," Rainbow Dash answered. "That kind of reminds me of when you said that you wouldn't know who you'd be talking to that day, while you were talking to your friend Rarity." Soarin commented. "Oh yeah, then you came down and told me that I would be talking to you," Rainbow Dash recalled. "Yeah, I remember that, and...the events of that day..." Soarin started to express uncomfortable feelings. "They are still...clear in your head, aren't they?" Rainbow Dash asked. "They are." Soarin answered, "I just can't believe I fell for that nasty Wind Rider's tricks! Accusing you, threatening to ban you, after everything good that I knew you have done! Saving me twice when no creature else would..." "I don't blame you, you were just doing your duty, saying that you had no choice," Rainbow Dash assured. "But...you never deserved to be accused that easily by the Wonderbolts, especially after saving the team's commanders along with Misty Fly before, encouraged Ponyville to create that tornado to deliver water to Cloudsdale despite knowing that your chances of success aren't high, and...chose to reject my spot in a team that will surely win the Equestria Games, even though it meant giving up one of your greatest desires of all time: winning. I saw you abandon your own wishes for the sake of others, I should have known you would never do the opposite of that, but I still thought that...you could be the culprit." "I know it was awful, but you made up for it!" Rainbow Dash pointed out. "With some help. Making up to you was the only thing I ever wanted after the performance, I would just apologise, but since you saved my life more times than you have saved other Wonderbolts' lives, I figured that it will take more than that, so I went to Princess Celestia for advice. She advised me that actions speak louder than words, so I must do something to prove I'm sorry, not just say so." Soarin explained. "And, your make-amends gift was everything I could ever hope for! Besides being a Wonderbolt," Rainbow Dash excitedly said. Soarin chuckled, "Yeah, I figured that instead of just a Wonderbolt, you should be known as a more special Wonderbolt, even though you still got stuck with a nickname like the rest of the team. Back to the point, my apology make-amends gift for accusing and threatening you was..." "Making my history of saving the Wonderbolts before I became one known to all members and the future members as it was all written down in a book!" Rainbow Dash finished for him. "And decided to help you with endurance training because you said that you did not have the endurance to go long distances, at the dinner the night before the Royal Garden Opening." Soarin added one final detail. "Even though it did not go so well, I'm glad that it developed our relationship for the better," Rainbow responded, just as she and her husband heard Alkali announcing to the creatures. "Time's up, creatures! Now move on and proceed!" "Alkali, 'proceed' and 'move on' have the same meanings!" Volcano told his Best Friend. "Doesn't matter, they're going fine!" the hippogriff replied. "Hold up, every creature!" Luster suddenly stopped the crowd. "Figured that every creature could get hungry and thirsty," Krona announced. "So we're giving out these fruit snack packets and bottled drinks for you to bring along with you throughout the event!" Buffer added, as he, Luster and Krona distributed the food. "Why didn't we think of that before?" Sunshine Rays asked, watching from behind a corner. "Sunshine, try to look on the bright side, like Yellow Bright use to say. At least late is better than never!" Falcon Dive pointed out. "I'm sorry, I just don't want this event to be a disaster!" the pegasus explained. "Neither do any of us, especially when there's a very good reason behind it," Falcon Dive responded, "Don't worry, we have the support of royalty, I'm sure everything will be fine." After Luster gave out the last bottle, every creature automatically moved, causing the unicorn to be overwhelmed in a crowd (like her mentor did in the human world), stumbling her way out. Once she was finally out of the mess, she winded up bumping into a deer with a black coat, white antlers and underbelly, and green eyes. "Are you alright, Luster Dawn?" the deer asked, responding to the bump by extending his hoof out to her, pulling her up. "Thanks for the lift..." Luster thanked, before pausing as she did not know the deer's name. "No need to thank me, Luster. I'm meant to help other creatures, as a Canterlot Castle servant, and musician. By the way, I'm Nightfall Dusk, and it was nice meeting you," the deer responded, walking away to resume his work. "Nice to meet you, too..." Luster blushed, before her mentor came landing beside her. "Having feelings for some creature you bump into, my faithful student?" Twilight asked. "What?! I...well, maybe a little..." Luster struggled to respond, before the Alicorn chuckled. "Don't worry, Luster. Even your mentor developed such feelings; bumping into somebo...some creature when first met, then bumped into each other the next day at a cafe, then bumped again the the day on a stage, basically, lots of times." Twilight tried to hide blushed as she described, luckily for her, her student never saw it. "Really?" Luster asked, "How can I never know that?! I read a lot of books about your adventures when I was a student at the School of Friendship! None of them said something like that! Did I mis something..." Luster panicked, before Twilight assured. "Don't worry, my faithful student, not even your mentor knows everything about you, nor her mentor." After Twilight walked away, Luster got hit by a small pebble that was not even the size of a centimetre square. She turned to see two creatures trying to catch her attention. "Eclipse? Shapeshifter?" Luster asked, trotting towards them, "What are you two doing here? Shouldn't you be going around Equestria to let creatures know that you're no longer...immoral?" "We are, but we just finished on another area recently, Manehattan, the big city!" Shapeshifter answered. "And since our work there is done, we came here, to convince Canterlot residents that we are reformed." Eclipse nervously added. "But, Manehattan is so far from here! Why didn't you go to the areas near it before you come back here?" Luster asked. Eclipse took a deep breath and admitted, "Well, we heard about this Speed Dating event that you and your best friends came up with, that the Council of Friendship are helping with. Knowing that means you will be here, we came looking for you, because I have something I need hep with." "But, if you did have something you need help with, why didn't you just send a letter to me?" Luster asked. "We...I figured that now's the most comfortable time, since you and Princess Twilight are at the same place today, with all of your friends," Eclipse nervously chuckled, "But the point is, I am hoping that you can improve my relationship with Princess Twilight, especially when you organised this relationship-centred event and all..." "Wait, slow down, would you?!" Luster responded, "Now, this event is most likely trying to build romantic relationships between creatures, not just any relationships, but I'm sure I can make some time to help you." "Good, because I really could need some creature who...has never been evil...or something like that, to help me with improving my relationship with some creature I...double-crossed...three years ago..." Eclipse sadly stated, as a flashback began. In the flashback... "Alright unicorns," Twilight instructed the students of the School of Magic, "As you all know, for today's test, you all will be showing me and the rest of your friends the spells that you are confident of to show and impress us!" The unicorns cheered for a few seconds before their mentor cleared her throat, "Eclipse Instant, my star student, why don't you be the first candidate?" "Of course, your Majesty. Prepare to be amazed at what I can do!" Eclipse stepped forward and casted a spell to create a pony-sized sun that shone like the real sun, before creating a moon that was slightly smaller. She then levitated the sun to the top of the ceiling, followed by brining the moon slightly below it, and slowly moving it in front of the sun, creating an artificial solar eclipse, and a cheering crowd. "Spectacular performance, Eclipse! Now, shall we see the next student..." Princes Twilight commented, before calling the other students up. After every student had their turn, class was dismissed, with some of the students approaching Eclipse, "Hey, Eclipse! Your performance was a lot better than ours!" "It's about time some more creatures comment it, other than my mentor, of course!" Eclipse proudly declared/ "Do you think you can teach us how to do it? As in, how to perform the performance ou performed?" another unicorn asked. "It can be my surprise gift for my family and friends' birthdays! Even better, I can teach them how to do it!" a female unicorn exclaimed. "What?! Sorry, unicorns, but only the star student can know a spell like this," Eclipse arrogantly refused to teach the other students, trotting off, making them forget about their interest in learning her spells. Nearby, Princess Twilight Sparkle witnessed everything, and decided to confront Eclipse. As she was close to her star student's room, Twilight overheard Eclipse's voice angrily saying, "This tastes awful! You're fired!" A zap could be heard after the sentence was finished, making Twilight figure that it was best for her to use a splll that allowed the caster to see the other side of opaque objects. To the Alicorn's horror, she could see Eclipse on a golden throne, and serving the unicorn was small soldiers whom she treated as minions and servants. "Now where shall I put this statue of me? Probably somewhere every last one of my subjects can see it like the middle of Canterlot!" Eclipse told herself, levitating a miniature statue of herself to the middle of a model version of Canterlot. "I can feel it, as soon as I take on the throne, I will be the one and only creature with a relaxing life of getting everything I want!" Eclipse declared, a second before there was a knock on her door, as she could hear her mentor's voice. Quickly casing a spell to hide the throne, soldiers, and model of Canterlot, Eclipse had everything ready for her guest to see. Opening the door, she vowed, "Your Majesty," "Eclipse, there is no need to bow before me this moment, because there is something I have to talk to you about." Twilight insisted. "Anything, Princess Twilight," Eclipse responded. "Eclipse, did you create your own toy kingdom to rule over?" Twilight asked. "Sort of?" Eclipse answered, before the next question came. "Did you say something about taking the throne?" "What?! How can you think..." Eclipse protested, but her mentor asked one final question. "Did you say that you can be free to relax and get whatever you want?" "What are you saying?! Where did you get all those ridiculous ideas?!" Eclipse played innocent, but the alicorn knew everything. "Eclipse. I saw you act arrogantly towards the other unicorns, and came to confront you about such behaviour. I cannot have a star student like this, and was hoping that you can be a good example, but today, I am disappointed to see your true, impure heart. I saw and overheard wha you were doing in this room! I'm giving you a decision: change for the better and make friends. with others, or forever be alone." "Or maybe...option three, I can take you down!" Eclipse smiled wickedly, before sending a huge fireball at Twilight, causing the Alicorn to teleport herself out. Using a spell, Eclipse quickly located her mentor, and teleported herself to the same location the alicorn was. Eclipse then used her magic to teleport both herself and Twilight to the Everfree Forest, the one place no creature would be around to witness what they were doing. The unicorn constantly tried to destroy her mentor, but their duel caught Rainbow Dash's attention, who was leading the Wonderbolts on a journey to Appleloosa. Curious, Rainbow led her team to the commotion, and the pegasus gasped to see what she was seeing. "Twilight!" Eclipse shot dark magic fire out from her horn, that began burning the trees, distracting Twilight, who struggled to put the fire out. Eclipse took advantage and attempted to cast a spell on her mentor, shooting a beam at her. Fortunately, Rainbow Dash pushed Twilight down, and to safety, resulting in a tree to get hit by the beam, and turned to stone. The Wonderbolts surrounded Eclipse, causing her to furiously vanish within a flash of white. "Twilight, are you okay?" Rainbow asked with concern. Twilight was not alright at all, expressing sadness as all she could say was, "Eclipse..." The flashback ended, with Luster commenting, "I can't believe that happened a few weeks before I enrolled in the School!" "That's just half of the story you heard, now for the remaining half..." Eclipse sadly said, before another flashback began... In the flashback... "Really, Twilight? A day off, for me?" Spike asked his adoptive sister. "Yes indeed, Spike. After all, tomorrow is the Special Rainboom Connection Anniversary, the celebration that celebrates the anniversary of Rainbow's first-ever Sonic Rainboom, which happened on the day you were born! So it's the Special Rainboom Connection Anniversary, and your birthday. I can't think of any way to make you happier on the eve of the event, other than giving you a day of freedom from your Royal Advisor duties!" Twilight confirmed. "Yes! I can't wait to see Rarity and our kids, then go hangout with Big Mac and Discord, and experience a day in Ponyville!" Spike listed. "Better stop saying and get doing," Twilight told the dragon. "Oh right, goodbye Twilight, see you tonight!" Spike waved. "See you, Spike!" Twilight replied. Spike went out the door and left, but did not know that an invisible figure passed him and went through the door he opened before it was closed. As soon as Twilight was alone, she suddenly got zapped by a beam of magic, getting a shock as she felt herself shrinking and her alicorn wings vanishing. After the transformation finished within a few seconds, Twilight looked at her hooves, which turned greyish phthalo blue, and her mane was very light azure. "Royal Guards!" a voice commanded, catching Twilight's attention, as the voice was completely similar to hers. She turned and saw some creature with her actual appearance and voice. "It's Eclipse Instant! My treacherous former student! Seize her and lock her in the dungeon!" Eclipse Instant, in Twilight's body, commanded. Fooled by Eclipse's appearance and voice, the guards believed that she was their princess whom they had to obey, and seized the real Twilight, who was stuck with Eclipse's appearance and voice. "What?! No! You're making a mistake! Things are not what you think they are!" Twilight cried to the guards as they surrounded her, unfortunately, they did not listen to any of her words, as Eclipse subdued her(Twilight's) magic. "No! Let go of me! I'm telling you, I'm the real Twilight..." was the last thing Eclipse heard her former mentor say, before the guards took the real princess out of the Throne Room. "Lock her up real tight and deep inside the dungeon! We can't have any creature believing her lies!" Eclipsepse called, before turning back to the thrones and smirking evilly to herself. The flashback ended with Eclipse feeling even worse than before, while Luster responding, "Alright, I know that was not good, but look on the bright side, Princess Twilight must have forgiven you! She did help my Mum reform, even after what my Mum did! And helped Miss Sunset Shimmer reform, and helped Stygain reform...and most importantly, she forgave them all!" "I know she never locked me up when she could have after I was defeated, but how are you sure that she has forgiven me, and she no longer views me as...an enemy?" Eclipse sobbed. "Well, there is one way to find out your current relationship with her and its status..." Luster pointed out, "Which is none other than going up to her and talk it out." "What?! I never really had a good conversation with her ever since my betrayal! Most importantly, I wasn't so close to her anymore! I never dared to go near her, nor her family in the Crystal empire...so Shapeshifter and I never went to the empire nor Canterlot, because I am scared that Princess Twilight..." "Wouldn't want to see you ever again?" Luster asked. "Or even worse, never wanted to treat me as a friend ever again," Eclipse voiced out her thoughts. "What?! How can the Princess of Friendship want to remain enemies with some creature?" Luster asked. "Now that you put it that way, I...figured that...at least I can give facing her again, a try..." Eclipse responded, before Krona began calling, "Luster!" "Krona? Is something wrong?" Luster asked. "More than that! Every creature is still at stage one: No creature moved onto the second!" Krona explained. Luster gasped, "That can't be possible! Thirty minutes passed! At least one pair could have moved on, unless there's something wrong." "That's exactly what Krona is saying! There's something wrong because no creature is moving," Krona plainly reminded. "Sorry, Eclipse, I can't help you right now, but I will try as soon as I can!" Luster told the reformed villainess, before teleporting herself and Krona away. Meanwhile, Pinkie Pie and her husband Cheese Sandwich were chidishly playing with the games that were for the participants of the event. "Be careful, Madam Pinkie and Mr. Cheese!" Yellow Bright told the party ponies, "Don't forget that these games aren't yours to play with! It's for the participants! Who strangely haven't come to this part of the event," "Come on, Yellow Bright! They aren't even fragile!" Pinkie pointed out. "But Sunshine wouldn't want anything to go wrong, being the creature who started the whole idea..." Yellow Bright reminded. "Oh Sunshine Rays...." Cheese Sandwich slowly said, before immediately changing his tone and exclaimed,"that creature really needs to come here and join her own party!" "This 'party' is for the good of every creature with a huge meaning behind it! Don't you two know that, especially when you're party ponies?" Yellow Bright asked. "Sorry, Yellow. We just couldn't help but feel sorry for all these game equipments, not being played..." Cheese Sandwich apologised. "Maybe you two should find something else to entertain yourselves? I mean, perhaps...your relationship?" Yellow Bright suggested. "Oh! Right..." Pinkie Pie responded, before turning to her husband, "So, Cheesy, what should we talk about? All the good things? My family being alright to see me interested in you, our wedding going fine despite my mistake, having Lil'Cheese..." "How about the time we finally met in pony, Pinkamena Diane Pie?" Cheese Sandwich dramatically asked his wife in a romantic tone. Pinkie Pie gasped in delight before squealing, "Oh, Cheesy! That is what I was missing! I would love to talk about that!" "Even though things didn't go so well between us when you challenged me to a Goof-Off, that led to your poor friend Rainbow Dash not being happy, and you yourself deciding to quit." These Sandwich gradually got sadder as he recalled the day he and his wife physically met each other. "Yeah," Pinkie replied in a somewhat sad tone, before gradually changing her tone to a more positive one, "But look on the bright side! At least everything worked out good and well in the end! We made up, I figured out that you were never trying to steal my party pony job, we threw the party together, and you gave me Boneless, which was my Key of Laughter that helped defeat Tirek and grew the amazing Castle of Friendship!" "That is good to know and remember, Pinkamena Diane Pie," Cheese Sandwich dramatically told his wife in a romantic tone, making them both laugh. Yellow Bright watched the party pony couple from afar, happy to see them loving each other's company, a second before Evergreen called to him. "Yellow Bright! We have a problem! No participant is moving up the stages of the event! The rest of our best friends are waiting for us at the Balcony!" The scene changed to show most of the creatures and Princess Twilight at the balcony, looking at the crowd, just as the ten minutes timer went off. "Another ten minutes up! Please move onto the next table, gentle creatures and colts!" Volcano instructed, speaking through a megaphone. "Still no creatures going onto the next stage?" Sunshine Rays asked. "Sorry, Sunshine. I'm...we're afraid not." Buffer answered. "It's already been one hour! This is the sixth time in a row! What can be going on?!" the pegasus asked. "Maybe the creatures are too afraid to tell each other their love for each other," Yellow Bright suggested, upon arriving with Evergreen. "Actually...I can't disagree with Yellow Bright's statement! Maybe the creatures are too afraid to tell each other that they love each other!" Luster figured. "Like most times, creatures will fear being rejected by who they love!" Volcano opined out. "Even my parents are like that!" Alkali commented, "They told me and Acid about their love story of liking each other, but were too afraid to tell each other for years before they married." The mentioned example made Sunshine Rays panic, "Years?! We can't wait for years! We need births every year! Or the future will be in danger!" "Where is Sunshine going?" Krona asked. "To tell those creatures that they must not be such scary-creatures and tell the truth!" Sunshine answered, but she was stopped by Princess Twilight. "Sunshine, I understand how seriously you take this, but you can't just go forcing creatures into doing what you want them to do, that will make you..." "Immoral, I know. But how else am I going to get them to go forward and tell some creature that they love them?" Sunshine Rays asked. "All, as far as I read my books, declaring romantic feelings for some creature is a great step in a relationship development, so maybe they aren't ready for it," Luster explained. "And many are scared that doing that will risk their relationship with the creature they love," Buffer pointed out. "And going through really romantic things on the day they first met?" Nature Bloom added, "That's like taking an exam on the day they first studied!" "In other words, you're putting them a rate that is too fast for them," Evergreen explained. "I can't believe I never thought of it that way," Sunshine Rays sadly said. "And we can't believe we never thought of it that way until now!" Falcon Dive commented. "But it's still not too late, maybe we can change the rules and things for the better?" Nature Bloom suggested. "Like, tell the participants that they can go on to the next stage as soon as they found some creature they are good at communicating with, or some creature they are able to quickly befriend?" Yellow Bright suggested. "And maybe take the romantic settings down," Volcano contributed, "So no creature will feel uncomfortable." "Worth to try," Sunshine Rays replied, agreeing with her best friends. In the Canterlot Castle kitchen, Applejack and Caramel finished their cooking and covered the last meal with a silver lid. "That's the last of them!" Applejack announced, "And now we finally can take a break." "Good to finally stop working for a while, apple of my eye," Caramel told his wife, "We may not be able to participate in the Speed Dating since we are already married, but we still have each other, our daughter, and our happy Apple Family." Applejack chuckled, "Oh, Caramel, I'm so glad that we're an apple pie after all the unfortunate things we had in the beggining when we finally physically interacted and met each other." "Yes, Applejack, I remember all those events, and how hard it was for us to treat each other warmly when I stayed at your place until my house was rebuilt, but when we warmed up, it felt like we were together forever." "And when you comforted me, sacrificed and was willing to sacrifice yourself to save me, I knew you did care for me, for real." Applejack warmly said, looking at her husband with a grateful expression. "And I'm glad that we have a perfect family," Caramel responded, returning the expression, just before he and his wife heard some creatures galloping pass the kitchen. "Hey, Heroic Ten! What's the rush here? Shouldn't you be outside overseeing your event?" Applejack asked. "Long story and we can't explain it now, Applejack!" Buffer answered, before he and the others were out of sight. Outside of Canterlot, Eclipse was preparing her speech for when she finally interact with her former mentor again, with Shapeshifter disguising himself as the Ruler of Equestria, to help his friend practise. Stepping forward to her disguised friend, Eclipse said, what she was meant to say for her actual meeting, "Princess Twilight Sparkle, I am terribly sorry I turned on you and attacked you, three years ago, and this year, returned and imprisoned you for no good reasons. I am no longe the power-hungry creature I used to be, and I hope you can understand and forgive me completely." Shapeshifter transformed back to his regular form and praised his friend, "Well done, Eclipse. I think you have trained long enough, without Luster's help." A smile spread across the unicorn's face, as she just accomplished something without the aid of her talented heroine friend, a second before the smile disappeared when the doors nearby burst open and the Heroic Ten noticed the reformed villains. "Eclipse? Shapeshifter?" all of the creatures except for Luster asked in shock, before Princess Twilight Sparkle was heard calling, "Eclipse Instant." The unicorn gulped as her former mentor landed in front of her, towering over her. Summoning her courage, Eclipse spoke up, "Princess Twilight Sparkle, I'm so sorry for double-crossing you three years ago, and wrongfully imprisoning you, and switching bodies with you. I was awfully power-hungry, but now that I have friends that satisfy me, I'm no longer after power, and I will never do any of the things I used to do, I hope for your forgiveness," Princess Twilight Sparkle walked towards her former student, casting her shadow over the unicorn, before replying, "Eclipse, I have already forgave you the very instant you accepted friendship. I actually wanted to talk to you, but you were not in sight. If you did not hide from me, I would have already assured you that we are friends again." "I'm so sorry...Princess Twilight Sparkle, I was actually afraid of what our relationship will become, after what I did to you..." Eclipse apologised. "Eclipse, how will you know what your relationship with some creature will become, if you hide from them and not interact with them anymore? Relationships need interacting to develop, and the story of a relationship always moves on." "So...you are saying...that I have to move on and continue interacting with you, to develop our relationship?" Eclipse asked. "To help our relationship develop," Princess Twilight corrected, "So you shouldn't be afraid of facing some creature again, when you already have interacted with them, and relationships with them like you have with every creature." "Wait a second," Luster, who heard the conversation alongside her best friends, said her thoughts out loud, "move on, interact, face, helping relationships develop...that's what every creature needs!" "Say what now?" Falcon Dive asked. "We need to tell them that they can't fear their relationships ending because of one bad move, they have to move on, and continue interacting with the creatures whom they have relationships with! Just like we do," Luster explained. "Great! So we're just going to encourage them!" Alkali exclaimed. "Actually, there's more than that..." Sunshine Rays told every creature. The ten minutes timer went off once again, but this time, Luster made the announcement, "Every creature, we have some news! Since my best friends and I figured that you may feel uncomfortable going through something romantic so soon, we decided to make some changes: Instead of love at first sight, we decided that you should find some creature that you can get along with, in the first stage, before you make it to the second." "Don't worry, the games in the second stage are actually teamwork games, and not competitions," Yellow Bright added. "And instead of going to a restaurant together, we decided that you should choose which Buffet you would like to take food from, since you can only choose one among the two, a decision that two must make. In other words, th creatures must agree to go to the same buffet, as they are meant to go through the event together." Sunshine Rays explained. "And last but not least, a relaxing musical concert to listen to music. And not to worry, instead of sweetly romantic, the pieces will be happy, light, harmonious, or jazz, or, basically, anything except for extremely romantic for your comfort." Evergreen finished the description of the chances. "And one more information..." Alkali began, before being hushed by Volcano. "You mean, 'one more piece of information'! Information is uncountable!" the dragon explained. "One more piece of information: We also have decided, that to be moe friendly, we're allowing all creatures, married or not to participate in the event! And stage one will only be necessary for those looking for some creature of the opposite gender to get along with," Alkali announced. "But the main point is: You must not be afraid to ask your new friend to the next stage, nor be afraid to move on. If you made a mistake, you still can make up for it and continue interacting, moving on and helping your relationship develop, and not easily shunning out creatures because of bad things happening." Luster pointed out, "There are many examples of relationship stories that develop despite setbacks and tensions, as far as we go, there most likely never had been a couple with a perfect, no tensions, no setbacks, relationship. So you must not try to be so perfect, as it will just make you scared. And shunning out creatures might really put an end to your relationships with them, so you shouldn't do that as well." "And, because it is late morning, we have plenty of time to go back to the start and have you re-meet with all the creatures you previously encountered, so you can have a second shot." Volcano added. The sun was soon crossing the horizon and was about to set, making the sky orange-yellow. The Council of Friendship and the Heroic Ten listened to the musical performances, that was the final stage of the event. "Great music, isn't it every creature?" Krona asked her best friends. "Indeed," Buffer agreed. "The nicest I heard for the day," Nature Bloom commented. "I'm just glad that we can finally relax and enjoy the event after all we went through, right Luster?" Sunshine Rays asked, turning to the unicorn. To every creature's surprise, Luster was in a daze, staring at the performers and blushing. "Is she alright?" Fluttershy asked in a concerned tone. "Fear not every creature!" Discord told the creatures he was sitting with, "I, Discord, shall make Luster all fine again..." "No need, Discord, I believe I know what got Luster to be like this," Twilight told the draconneques. "Fine," Discord replied, before his wife assured him, "It's alright, Discord, I know that you wanted to help in a good way, and not the way you did before Twilight's coronation." "And I can assure you that I will never do such thing like that, ever again, every creature," Discord told his friends, before whispering to his wife, "Especially, you, my lovely Fluttershy." Fluttershy giggled before the performance ended, with every creature exiting the performance ground. On the way out, Luster bumped into Nightfall Dusk, by accident, again. "I'm so sorry,..." Luster began apologising, before noticing who she bumped into, "Nightfall Dusk, I'm sorry I bumped into you, again." Nightfall Dusk chuckled, "Luster Dawn, it's alright. We just got to stop bumping into each other like this. And, you can just call me Nightfall." "And you can just call me Luster," Luster Dawn replied, slightly blushing, before Thye parted ways. "That was so adorable!" Rarity squealed, making Luster blush in embarrassment. "You...all saw that?" Luster asked her best friends and the Council of Friendship. "The whole entire thing!" Falcon Dive confirmed. "But don't worry, we are not the teasing kind." Nature Bloom reassured. "I may not feel so comfortable about all of you knowing my feelings right now, but, as you all know, since we just talked about moving on, I'm going to move on, and not shun any creature out because of embarrassing situations," Luster told every creature. "Wonderful to hear that, my faithful student." Twilight responded, "And since it is clear to me that we all have learnt the lesson of moving on, continue interacting with others, and not shunning them out in fear of what your relationship will become after a mistake or unpleasant situation, I am certain that I don't need a letter from you today." "You may not need a letter, but a valuable lesson like this, is sure to go into the friendship journal my best friends and I keep and write!" Luster announced. The two groups of creatures walked pass Gallus, who was still in his guard attire, just before his wife Silverstream landed beside him. "I'm finally here, Gallus. And, sorry I had to miss the speed dating, since I got some errands. I'm really sorry I couldn't afford to be with you on a non-weekday like this." Silverstream apologised. "That's alright, Silverstream," Gallus placed his wing on his wife's shoulder, "Because no matter what unpleasant situation occurs, we have to move on." "And we love each other, and still love each other," Silverstream said in a quick, optimistic tone. "And it's only because of us allowing our relationship to develop," Gallus stated. "And as long as we interact, our relationship will be here..." Silverstream stated, before saying in unison with her husband as they held claws, "Forever." The couple then gazed up at the night sky, as the stars twinkle.
14. Find and ResolveAuthor's Note Find and Resolve serves as the fourteenth episode of the series. Summary: When Volcano's fury and words made Falcon Dive go missing, the heroes must search all over the skies to find their Best Friend, and resolve the problem. Featured Song: The Only Thing That I Would Ever Wish For Featured Characters: Amplitude, a pegasus named after the word amplitude, from Physics. Wavelength, an Earth Pony, the husband of Amplitude, and her working companion. Crest, a preteen pegasus, one of Amplitude and Wavelength's sons, named after after the highest point of a transverse wave. Trough, a preteen Earth Pony, one of Amplitude and Wavelength's sons, named after the lowest point of a transverse wave. Frequency, a teenage pegasus, the oldest child and only daughter of Amplitude and Wavelength. 14. Find and Resolve The sun was setting as seen outside of the Castle of Friendship. Many of its residents were returning from their work for dinner as usual. "Krona and Buffer home!" Krona announced, as she and her buffalo Best Friend returned from their delivering. "Came back from delivering, as always," Buffer added. "I'm back from helping Madam Fluttershy with some animals, again," Nature Bloom stated. "And I am back from Meditation Teaching," Evergreen contributed. "And I am back from helping Madam Pinkie Pie and her husband Mr. Cheese Sandwich with some...party things, obviously," Yellow Bright declared as he trotted in. Volcano then entered, looking around the area with carefulness, as he held an invention of his up close to him. But as soon as he was assured that the coast was safe and clear, he could hear Falcon Dive's voice calling, "Look out!" The next thing that happened, was Falcon Dive crashing into Volcano, destroying half of the dragon's invention, releasing a gas that was trapped in it, making the griffon's voice become high-pitched. "Falcon Dive!" Volcano angrily scolded. "I'm alright!" Falcon Dive replied in a very high-pitched voice, before asking, "Wait, why is my voice so high-pitched?" After the series' theme song intro played, Volcano resumed scolding the griffon, "Falcon Dive, do you know what the gas you just released by breaking the tank is?!" "Some very weird one that makes my voice squeaky?" Falcon answered, before noticing something, "Hey wait, my voice is back to normal!" "It's Helium! That gas is helium! And you're lucky that it is one of the stable, unreactive noble gas! Otherwise, it could be very harmful and hurt you with one of its reactions!" Volcano explained as he scolded the griffon, "But at the same time, you aren't very lucky...because that helium is collected by me! Through months of hard work! And you just ruined it by releasing it into the atmosphere, where it will float all the way up, until it reaches its limit as the second least dense gas currently known behind hydrogen." "Oh come on, we learn in Physics that helium may float all the way up to its limit and never sink back down, but it can never leave the atmosphere: It just floats up above all the gases denser than it, like when immiscible liquids are in the same container, less dense will be on top, denser at the bottom." Falcon Dive reminded in a calm tone, as if the loss of the helium was no big deal. "But...it's very difficult to gather helium! Especially from the atmosphere where I collected 999 moles of it! You got to fly several thousands of metres high to get it from the atmosphere! And I am exhausted from doing that every time I do so!" Volcano complained. "You can always get helium from helium tanks at party stores..." Falcon Dive stated. "If you have read the news, we are running out of helium here!" Volcano reminded, "Which is why I invented this Gas Collector to collect it as soon as it is sucked into the tank..." Volcano explained, before furiously roaring, "that you just broke!" Falcon Dive backed down a bit and realised why his dragon Best Friend was making a big fuss about the lost helium, responding, "I'm so sorry Volcano! I never knew that you take these things so seriously, and I obviously won't just destroy your things! I didn't know you and your invention were there! If I did, I wouldn't dive in like that! The point is: I'm sorry for the accident!" "Saying sorry doesn't fix the damage!" Volcano angrily stated. "Then what do you want me to do?!" Falcon Dive asked. "Probably use the Gas Collector, attached to a new, not-spoiled tank, to collect all the helium particles you've lost. Each and every last one of it! Number of moles times six times ten to the power of twenty-three, and that is number of moles times the number with six, followed by twenty-three zeroes behind it! And unless you can get them all back, never let me see you ever again! AND I MEAN IT!" Volcano roared. Falcon Dive gasped in shock before furiously huffing as he replied, "Fine! I need to go off to do something, anyway..." the griffon took the remaining, not destroyed half of the invention and flew off, leaving Volcano annoyed. Volcano then entered the Dining Room, and found that all of his best friends, with the exception of a certain griffon, was there, chit-chatting away. "Hey every creature, what are you all talking about?" the dragon asked. "We were talking about Falcon Dive!" Alkali answered. "Falcon Dive?" Volcano asked, confused. "Yeah! You know, your own Best Friend?" Yellow Bright reminded, "One of your best friends, that is." "He just wolfed down his dinner and flew off before you came," Evergreen added. "Saying that he has something to do," Krona remembered. "But he never said what it is, he just told us that he will be back soon," Buffer contributed. "I just hope whatever he's doing, he will finish it and put an end to our worries," Nature Bloom said her thoughts out loud. "I'm a bit more than worried; Falcon Dive barely does something like this! Do you guys think something's up?" Sunshine Rays asked. "He probably just figured to help one of his fellow creatures with something. You know him, Element of Selflessness, always caring about others more than he cares about himself, willing to abandon his own things to help them..." Volcano responded, as he inserted his spoon into his bowl of dinner and ate. "Are you sure?" Luster asked him. "Sure I'm sure! I'm the last creature to be alone with him today!" Volcano stated. "You better be friends or best friends or more basically, just friends!" Sunshine Rays pointed out. "Don't worry Sunshine, I know that morality, righteousness, ethics and all those virtues are important, so I'm never going against any facts, especially the ones learnt in Science, Math...but the main point is, I'm never going to go against those facts!" Volcano assured. "You better," Sunshine Rays responded. The outside of Castle of Friendship was shown as night turned into the next day MORNING. Alkali visited Volcano's bedroom to wake him up. "Volcano, Volcano! Volcano, wake up!" "Alkali, what are you doing? Today's a Saturday! We don't have to go to work!" Volcano reminded. "It's not work, Volcano. It's a crisis! Falcon Dive is nowhere to be found!" Alkali exclaimed in a panicked tone. "WHAT?!" Volcano asked as he got up. All around the Castle, the rest of the creatures were trying to look for the missing griffon. "Falcon Dive!" Sunshine Rays called as she flew through the hallway. "Falcon Dive!" Evergreen called by the stairs. "Let Krona try," Krona announced, before yelling like a yak, "FALCON DIVE!" Krona's voice echoed throughout then entire castle, the the creatures outside could hear it. "Does Krona's best friends think Falcon Dive heard it?" Krona turned to ask her friends, who were covering their ears. "If you didn't deafen him!" Luster could not help but say. "This is no use!" Nature Bloom sadly cried out. "Can you use your scan spell again?" Yellow Bright asked. "Yellow Bright? Remember? The spell can't last long without making the caster feel exhausted," Buffer reminded. "Well, one thing for sure of, I don't think Falcon Dive is here in the Castle," Evergreen stated "I looked all over Ponyville, but no Falcon Dive!" Nature Bloom added. "So Falcon Dive is missing?" Volcano asked. "We're afraid so," Alkali replied. "But we still have no idea why he wouldn't tell us where he's going. He should have known we will get worried!" Sunshine Rays stated. "And as some creature selfless," Krona began, before Buffer ended the sentence for her. "He will never do something like that!" "And since you were the last creature to have private time with him yesterday, you may know something that we all don't," Luster informed the dragon. "Like what?" Volcano asked. "You know, something about Falcon Dive?" Sunshine Rays replied. "As in, where he might be going?" Nature Bloom added. "Or what he's doing right now?" Evergreen contributed. "Or basically, what he will be doing today!" Yellow Bright clarified. "Because you're the last creature to be alone with him?" Buffer reminded. "So what did you two do?" Sunshine Rays asked. Volcano then stayed still for a moment as the events of the day before flashed through his mind: In the flashback... "Probably use the Gas Collector, attached to a new, not-spoiled tank, to collect all the helium particles you've lost. Each and every last one of it! Number of moles times six times ten to the power of twenty-three, and that is number of moles times the number with six, followed by twenty-three zeroes behind it! And unless you can get them all back, never let me see you ever again! AND I MEAN IT!" Volcano roared. Falcon Dive gasped in shock before furiously huffing as he replied, "Fine! I need to go off to do something, anyway..." the griffon took the remaining, not destroyed half of the invention and flew off, leaving Volcano annoyed. In the present moment after the flashback ended, Alkali called the dragon. "Volcano! Volcano, why were you still as a statue? We were only asking about what you and Falcon Dive did yesterday while you two were alone, nothing to be scared of." "Unless you're hiding something," Sunshine Rays figured, looking at Volcano as she expressed her suspicions. "You can just tell us! We're your best friends, we can help with whatever that's troubling you!" Yellow Bright cheered. "And don't worry, we will never make fun of you, nor any creature," Nature Bloom continued. "Although, Sunshine Rays can go mad if that secret is a bad one..." Krona honestly stated. "Not to discourage you..." Evergreen nervously responded after Krona's statement. "Well...I do have...some admitting to do..." Volcano answered, sounding nervous. "Don't worry, we will listen to every last word," Luster assured. "If you say so..." Volcano then began, "Yesterday...Falcon Dive flew in and crashed into half of my invention, destroying it. He released the helium stored in the destroyed half, and made me furious, because I spent months collecting that helium from the atmosphere! Falcon ruined my hard work in the process! I then snapped at him and told him to..." Volcano then finished the final part super quickly, "Go find and get back all the number of mols times six times ten to the power of twenty-three helium particles and never let me see him ever again if he does not. And ended with saying that I meant it." The scene immediately changed to show the outside of the Castle of Friendship, and a few creatures passing by as usual, until they heard Sunshsine Rays' voice booming like an explosion from inside the Castle, resulting their eyes to turn oval as they showed shock expressions, turning to look at where the noise came from. "YOU WHAT?!" The scene then changed back to inside the Castle, where Sunshine Rays could be seen shaking Volcano's body by pulling him back and forth towards her and away from her with her front hooves, while roaring at him, "YOU MONSTER! YOU MADE FALCON DIVE FLY AWAY! TO LOOK FOR A RIDICULOUS AMOUNT OF PARTICLES THAT CANNOT EVEN BE COUNTED?!" "I's number of moles, times six, times ten to the power of twenty three particles. Scientists made it possible, even though the mole number most likely is an estimation. Plus, my device that was handed to Falcon Dive would probably be able to detect a mol of helium." Volcano scientifically responded. "But still, MADE FALCON DIVE FLY AWAY?!" Sunshine Rays furiously shouted. "Sunshine! Going insane doesn't help!" Evergreen reminded. "Plus, it is already bad enough that we lost one of our best friends through a tension, we don't want any more lost best friends here..." Buffer stated. "And I'm sorry I snapped at Falcon for something like helium particles, and said such an awful thing to him! I didn't even think that my sentence can do this! I mean, make him fly away!" Volcano stated. "Well one thing now is you got to make it up to Falcon Dive!" Luster informed. "And get him to come back!" Alkali added, in a somewhat cheerful and encouraging tone, unlike Sunshine Rays. "But where do we start looking?" Nature Bloom asked. "Well, I did tell Falcon Dive that helium does not leave the atmosphere, it just floats up to its limit," Volcano recalled. "And its limit is..." Krona began, causing Volcano to finish the sentence for her. "About a few thousand metres up?" Volcano nervously responded, causing Sunshine Rays to react. "WHAT?! A few thousand metres up! You've gone too far!" "Sunshine, calm down remember?" Evergreen tried to convince the mad pegasus to stop the latter's rage, but it was interrupted and ended by Luster. "Every creature, let's just stop fighting and arguing and focus on finding Falcon Dive!" "But not all of us can fly!" Nature Bloom stated. "And we currently have lesser flyers than non-flyers, thanks to a certain creature..." Sunshine Rays added, as she angrily stared at Volcano. "Maybe we should take a hot-air balloon?" Yellow Bright suggested. "That's a great idea, Yellow Bright!" Luster complimented, before instructing, "And since I'm tired from casting those scan spells earlier, I'm going to ask my Mum to cast the spell that will enable us non-pegasi to walk on clouds like one." "And since you're too tired to cast the spell you used to find the author we were looking for, and Gloss Semblance the last times, I'm afraid that we're going to just spread out and find Falcon Dive," Sunshine Rays stated. "But cheer up! At least our best friends who can't fly are finally going to see the view from somewhere they can never go without flight!" Alkali pointed out. "You'd totally spent lots of time learning from Yellow Bright," Buffer could not help but comment. "Not to rush any creature, but can't we just go before Falcon Dive becomes even farther away?" Nature Bloom asked. "Or even harder to find?" Krona added. "Oh, right! Thanks for the reminder Krona and Nature!" Luster responded, before commanding every creature, "Come on, every creature! Let's go!" Soon, the creatures were in a hot-air balloon, attached to their flyers, Sunshine Rays, Volcano, Nature Bloom and Alkali, who wee pulling it like horses pulling a carriage. "Any sign of Falcon Dive?" Sunshine Rays asked. "Not yet, we got to keep looking," Evergreen relied. "But at least we're on the right level if we want to find Falcon Dive. I mean, this exactly where the less dense helium particles can be found!" Volcano stated, "I've came up here to collect helium, thousands out of times!" "But it's really...high!" Krona complained. "Don't worry Krona, we will go back down as soon as we can," Buffer reassured. "But first things first, as always!" Luster reminded. "And that is finding Falcon Dive," Sunshine Rays contributed. "Maybe we can ask the Pegasi for help!" Nature Bloom suddenly suggested. "What?!" Alkali asked. "Ask the Pegasi up here for help! We are around Cloudsdale," Nature Bloom explained. Every creature looked around and were amazed by their surroundings. "You're right Nature Bloom! Right about Cloudsdale and Pegasi being around us, and all kinds of other creatures," Luster stated. "I'll ask them," Sunshine Rays plainly declared. "Or maybe Alkali should do it, she is pretty cheerful and good at encouraging, there are more chances of her succeeding in getting every creature's help than the rest of us! No offence to any creature, really." Luster figured. "I am not offended!" Sunshine Rays replied. "Neither am I!" Evergreen added. "Nor I!" Yellow Bright contributed. "Krona's alright with it!" Krona declared. "So am I!" Buffer continued. "We are all mostly alright," Volcano pointed out. "And I know that we all would usually never want to offend each other," Nature Bloom informed. "Then Alkali, do your thing!" Luster commanded. "Sure would!" Alkali replied, stopping in the middle of the skies as she announced to the public, "Attention every creature! We need help finding Falcon Dive..." "Falcon Dive? Do you mean the griffon from the Heroic Ten?" Hoops, a pegasus and one of the bullies from Rainbow Dash's Flight School, asked. "Yup, that's him alright," Sunshine Rays answered. "He went missing..." Alkali began, before getting cut off by every creature's gasping. "He is missing?!" shrieked Dumbell, another one of Rainbow Dash's former enemies. "Well, he did not tell any creature where he is going..." Alkali stated, before being interrupted once again. "Why would he do that?!" Score, an old friend of Hoops and Dumbell, asked. Volcano nervously chuckled, "It's kind of a long story..." "And we figured that he will be up here at this level of the skies looking for helium," Alkali explained, "And he is probably most likely going to be using an invention Volcano made to collect the helium, so he might not be too difficult to recognise." "We know what he looks like!" Score stated. "Anyway, we the main point is, if you have free, available time, please help us find Falcon Dive and convince him to come home to Ponyville!" Alkali pleaded. "Don't worry, Falcon Dive and the Heroic Ten helped us lots of times, it's our turn to help him!" Hoops declared. "And we will not make fun of him, we salute," Dumbell promised. "I sure hope so..." Nature Bloom replied. "Anyway, thanks for the help! And please spread the word until Falcon Dive is found!" Alkali added. "We will!" the three stallions called in unison, as the heroes took off. After the conversation, Luster complimented Alkali, "Well done, Alkali! That was easier than I thought!" "That's probably why I'm the Element of Encouraging among us!" Alkali proudly declared. "I just hope we can knock some sense into our Element of Selflessness," Volcano sadly said his thoughts out loud. "And I hope that our Element of Diligence will be more careful with his words! Plus, be more concerned for living creatures than science particles!" Sunshine Rays angrily opined. "And I'm actually hoping that our Element of Morality can be more patient and calm," Evergreen contributed in a simple tone. "Oh, right. Sorry about that every creature, I just want to find Falcon Dive and have him back home," Sunshine Rays informed. "We all do," Luster pointed out. "So do I, despite that fight with him yesterday..." Volcano could not help but say. "What?! But Volcano...didn't Falcon Dive..." Krona began, before being cut off by the said dragon. "I know. But I never really meant what I said to him that made him fly away, I mean, he's one of my best friends!" Volcano stated. "We all are!" Yellow Bright reminded. "Yes, Yellow Bright," Volcano replied, slightly annoyed in his tone, before driving the focus back to the current situation about Falcon Dive, "Back to the main point, I can't believe all it took was those words to make him fly away!" "He must have really thought you meant it for real!" Buffer figured. "And you were really mad when you said those words!" Evergreen recalled. "And said, 'AND I MEAN IT!' to him!" Krona quoted. "Therefore he thought that you did mean what you said!" Luster contributed. "As some creature selfless, Falcon Dive probably wouldn't want to hurt nor upset any creature, even if his ideas aren't the best..." Nature Bloom pointed out. "And...he flew away...just to get the one thing he thinks that can please me after making me angry at him..." Volcano sadly said. "Falcon Dive does have the willingness to do whatever he can for the sake of others..." Alkali reminded. "Saving us from that rockslide before we saved all of Equestria and Beyond..." Yellow Bright remembered. "Tried to stop you from hurting every creature when you were blinded by your jealousy and rage, not to offend, really," Alkali stated, "And still, that is actually kind of my fault you got so jealous..." "I'm still the creature to blame, not telling any creature the truth, bottling up my emotions...then they really exploded like a real volcano..." Volcano reminded, "But the point is, Falcon Dive was really brave and selfless back there, willing to go close to me to stop me from hurting others, even though I'm bigger than him in size." "And...he saved me from a mob of creatures I enraged before I made it up to them with a nicer speech," Sunshine Rays added. "He always have a lot of good in him," Krona sadly commented. "Not to make you feel even worse, Volcano," Buffer assured. "I know, but I still regret what I did to Falcon Dive, and now, I don't even care about all those helium particles, I just want my Best Friend back," Volcano sadly told the other creatures, before singing. "After all this time that we have been together, being the best of best friends forever. But now, what I really cannot believe, is all it took was words to make him leave... How can this be?! It was that easy for him to think, that those nasty sentences I said were true? Doesn't he see?! That it makes our friendship shrink, him taking off to do what he actually doesn't need to do. Now the only thing that I would ever wish for, is his return, and our friendship being restored." In an instrumental verse, Krona suddenly shouted, "Look, every creature! Krona sees something! And it's black!" Sunshine Rays took a closer look in the direction Krona was facing and pointing at, the left side of the balloon, before telling every creature, "Sorry, but that is just a pegasus stallion with a black coat." "Oh...Krona sorry, every creature, she's just trying to help!" "It's alright, Krona, we know that," Buffer assured. "I think I can see the silhouette of a griffon with something in their claws! Up ahead!" Nature Bloom informed. The flyers pulled the balloon forward to take a look, but instead found a griffon whom they did not know, holding a pipe, causing them to sadly sigh. "Apologies, every creature," Nature Bloom apologised. "That's alright, we'll just have to keep looking," Luster stated, as the heroes continued their search, and Volcano resumed singing. "No matter how long we will take, I'm not going to stop for a break, finding him is all that matters to me now, and we're going to accomplish it somehow! How can this be?! It was that easy for him to think, that those nasty sentences I said were true? Doesn't he see?! That it makes our friendship shrink, him taking off to do what he actually doesn't need to do. Now the only thing that I would ever wish for, is his return, and our friendship being restored." After the song ended, Alkali comforted Volcano, "Don't worry, the Heroic Ten never failed! We'll find Falcon and get him to come back!" "And since you know that what you did is wrong and regret it, I can really identify your wishes to make amends for it, just like a moral creature would! So I'm totally starting to get warmed up with you, and will do as much as I can to help you make things right!" Sunshine Rays saluted. "We all will help," Nature Bloom added. "Both flyers and non-flyers!" Luster contributed. "Uh, every creature?! Building!!" Krona suddenly screamed. "What building?!" Yellow Bright asked, before he looked at what Krona was pointing at right in front of them. Since the creatures were too busy looking at Luster during the last conversation, no creature was watching where they were going! Every creature screamed as Volcano and Alkali called in unison, "Hang on!" The larger flyers flew the balloon down towards the cloud the building was on, and every creature was safe. "Well done, Volcano and Alkali!" Evergreen praised. "You two saved us!" Buffer added. "With your flying skills!" Yellow Bright added. "What can we say?" Alkali responded. "I guess that's what happens when you fly with Falcon Dive so often, doing all sorts of fling tricks and stunts that he knows, and sharing techniques with him..." Volcano said, missing the mentioned griffon. Luster hopped off the balloon and onto the cloud, trotting towards the building to take a look. "Uh, where's Luster going?" Krona asked. "Maybe some creature in this building can help. After all this building is a Lookout in the sky, the sign on top of the doors said so," Luster informed, as every creature looked at what she was talking about. "Oh, you're right," Evergreen responded. "Maybe just one of the non-flyers should go, rest of them stay here," Krona figured, ducking in the balloon. "You're still scared of what happened to your distant relative when Cozy Glow made all the magic in Equestria disappear within three days, aren't you Krona?" Buffer asked. "Krona admits that she doesn't want what happened to her distant relative Yona to happen to any more creatures!" Krona shrieked. "Alright, I will be the only non-flyer going in," Luster stated. "And in case those creatures need some encouraging, I'll go with you," Alkali added. "And I'll just stay here to keep our non-flyers company, as you can see, bigger flyers can carry more than little flyers, especially during an emergency..." Volcano nervously chuckled. "Volcano, you're very good in science, your knowledge can really be useful here! Come on, we need you!" Luster pleaded. "Can't Nature Bloom just transform and disguise herself as..." Volcano began to ask, before haling as he remembered something. "Sorry Volcano, but the rules say that changelings are not supposed to transform unless it is an emergency, a job, or a play," Nature Bloom reminded. "And I really don't like it when creatures go breaking the rules! Especially when they break the rules and deceive!" Sunshine Rays huffed. "Alright, every creature, I'll go..." Volcano gave in. "And don't forget to be positive! You need it!" Yellow Bright reminded. Luster knocked on the door, which was quickly answered by a female pegasus wearing a white lab coat. "Luster Dawn, isn't it?!" the pegasus squealed. "Yes it is," Luster somewhat nervously replied. "So that means your hippogriff and dragon friends here are Alkali and Volcano, right?" the pegasus asked once more. "Yup! As you know, most likely, I'm Alkali," the hippogriff declared, placing her front left claw on her chest. "And I'm Volcano, the dragon," Volcano added in a somewhat sarcastic tone. "I am pleased to meet all of you!" the pegasus exclaimed, before introducing herself to them, "By the way, I am Amplitude, named after the word, amplitude, meaning the maximum extent of a vibration or oscillation, measured from the position of equilibrium." "That is the amplitude learnt in the Physics Chapter Waves!" Volcano said his thoughts out loud. "Indeed it is! By the way, my family members all have something to do with waves, probably because they all have been named after something from that chapter in Physics..." Amplitude began, before being interrupted by Alkali. "No way! My family all have something to do with one common thing because of their names, too! And that common thing is water! Although, my little brother and I have names that might not be so obviously related to water, named after acids and alkalis respectively, and those only display their properties when dissolved in water, pls, mix and neutralise to form a salt depending on the type of acid and alkali, and water!" "Right, Alkali..." Amplitude responded, "Anyway, meet my family who works with me here!" The three heroes were shocked to see some of the creatures, as it was quite a rare sight. "Earth Ponies?! Up here working in a lookout in the middle of a sky, no where close to a station nor a lift?" Luster asked out loud. "Well, there is a secret vehicle that we use to take the non-flyers down and back up again, but we only use it when necessary," Amplitude explained. "I don't think we might need it," Volcano informed. "Alright, back to introducing you to my family," Amplitude returned to the topic, "Meet my husband, Wavelength, named after the word, wavelength and in Physics, the word means the distance between successive crests of a wave, especially points in a sound wave or electromagnetic wave. Our preteen sons, Crest, named after the highest point of a wave, and Trough, named after the lowest point of a wave. And our teenaged daughter, Frequency, named after the frequency that means the number of waves completed and produced in a second." "I know all that," Volcano commented. "Nice to meet you, Heroic Ten," Wavelength the Earth Pony greeted. "The Heroic Ten?!" the preteens asked, before racing over to the three heroes. Alkali giggled, "Yes kids, it is us, the Heroic Ten, even if not exactly all of us are here," "Aw, I was actually hoping to see Falcon Dive!" Crest wailed. "Falcon Dive?!" Volcano said out loud as he received a shiver. "Yeah, you know? Falcon Dive, the griffon from the Heroic Ten?" Trough clarified. "He's so selfless! Always willing to dive in and help others!" Crest stated. "Where is he anyway?" Trough added. "Well, all we can say is, he is currently not here, nor with us," Volcano answered, earning a glare from Alkali as she cleared her throat. Volcano gave a nervous smile expression, knowing what she was unhappy with, as Luster had a conversation with the children's parents. "So this lookout uses waves to detect things?" the unicorn asked. "It sure does," Wavelength explained, "Using both the transverse waves of light, and the longitudinal waves of sound, we detect things in the sky, mostly dangers, just in case." "I was hoping that you can detect creatures and inventions around here," Luster told the adults. "Of course we can detect those!" the teenaged pegasus, Frequency, uttered, "But why are you asking for something like that? Are you looking for some creature?" Volcano gave a shocked expression as he overheard the conversation, before asking the kids, "Can you please excuse me? I got to be with the adults right now!" After Volcano left, Alkali cheerfully announced to Crest and Trough, "Don't worry, boys! I got plenty of ideas we can try, to keep ourselves occupied!" Volcano approached the ponies and joined their conversation, "Alright, we need to find some creature whom we expect to be up here, at this level of the sky, looking for helium to collect from the atmosphere." "Um, wouldn't that be you, Volcano?" Amplitude asked. "What?!" Volcano asked in sock. "Yeah our scanners, radars and sonars keep detecting you up around this level in the sky, collecting helium particles from he atmosphere," Wavelength informed. "Well, I do it for a certain reason, and had invented a Gas Collector to do the trick. That invention basically sucks up the gas, and filters out the denser gases so only helium will remain, and store the helium in a tank attached to it," Volcano explained. "You ar very talented to be able to invent such thing!" Amplitude complimented. "Thank you for the acknowledgement, but we still got to find..." Volcano began, as his eyeballs slid to his right side, looking at the kids behind him playing with Alkali nearby, before continuing, "whoever has the Gas Collector! My Gas Collector! Or most likely, the half of it that sucks up the gas and has the filter to separate helium from any other gas like hydrogen?" "Volcano! Why didn't you say who you're looking for?! I mean, who we're looking for?" Luster asked in a somewhat annoyed tone, before Volcano hushed her. "Well, our radars and scanners have gotten used to picking up your invention's presence because of your visits to this level of the skies, Volcano," Wavelength informed. "I'm sure it can recognise it, even if some creature else has it," Amplitude added before asking, "But, who else can have it?" Volcano responded with a nervous chuckle, leading to Frequency to make a guess, gasping, "Could it be a thief who stole your invention?" "What?! No! No thief stole it! A friend of mine went off using it to collect helium particles, and I just came up here to check on his progress!" Volcano answered, manipulating the story. Luster looked annoyed when her dragon Best Friend lied, but the other ponies did not seem to mind. "Well, in that case, we suppose that you can wait long enough for our radars and scanners to detect him, like how they detect creatures and objects here, that we keep track," Amplitude told the heroes. "What?! Wait?! For how long?!" Volcano asked. "You can wait, can't you?" Frequency asked. "Well..." Volcano paused, trying to think of the right words to use for this scenario, "Well I can wait, but not for too long, because I don't have all day!" Outside the building, a bored Krona said out loud, "They're taking all day!" "And I'm starting to get tired of Yellow Bright's jokes!" Sunshine Rays added, before turning to the mentioned Earth Pony, "Sorry if I was offending you!" "That's alright!" Yellow Bright replied, "Even I'm starting to get tired from telling jokes, anyway." "I suggest that we can try to think of a game," Evergreen figured. "Like what?" Buffer asked. "A game that doesn't need running or moving around, I hope," Nature Bloom pointed out. The next second, the door opened, revealing Alkali, Volcano and Luster Dawn. "Guess what, every creature?!" Alkali began, before answering her own question in a sing-song tone, "We know where to look for Falcon Dive!" "Really?!" Sunshine Rays asked, with her face lighting up, "That's great news!" "Thanks to the sound waves, because they don't get absorbed by dull, black or dark colours, unlike light waves do! And what is really interesting is..." Volcano started, before he was cut off by Luster. "Volcano! If we don't move now, Falcon Dive can get even further away!" "Of, right! I almost forgot about that..." Volcano nervously chuckled as he scratched the back of his head with a claw. "We don't have a second to lose!" Alkali stated. "Let's go, every creature!" Luster announced. After a long journey, the flyers had flown the balloon to their destination, the skies of the Crystal Mountains. "I can't believe that Falcon Dive came all the way here!" Sunshine Rays told every creature out loud, as she struggled to fly through the snow storm. "How in Equestria and Beyond does helium particles get here?!" Yellow Bright asked. "Or maybe Falcon Dive just flew here to take a break from flying!" Alkali suddenly said. "What gives you such an idea?" Buffer asked the hippogriff. "Because there he is!" Alkali pointed her front right claw down to where she saw the creature they were looking for. "Are you sure that that's really him?!" Nature Bloom asked. "We don't want it to be another mistake!" Luster informed. "And that means not another creature with a black coat, nor another griffon!" Evergreen clarified. "Let's just go down and take a look," Luster figured, causing the flyers to fly the balloon down towards the mountain to land. Landing the balloon, the creatures got off, with Krona relieved. "Ground! Land! Sweet, sweet ground and land! Krona miss you so much!" the yak happily exclaimed. "With all this snow, you can barely see!" Volcano said his thoughts out loud. "I don't know if we can even recognise Falcon Dive," Buffer added. "Guys?!" a familiar voice asked. "What?! Who said that?!" Alkali asked. "If you can't see, it's your only griffon..." the figure emerged as he approached the nine creatures, "Falcon Dive!" "Falcon Dive!" Sunshine Rays exclaimed, with her face lighting up. She then rushed to hug the griffon, "There you are! We've been looking all over the skies for you! And were so worried!" "Wait, with changelings around Equestria and Beyond, we have to make sure that you're not an imposter," Luster stated, before asking, "So, name us some information that we will know about you!" Falcon Dive answered, "Well, I do know that the Map just recently had called you and Gloss Semblance, a friend of our younger siblings' friends, except for you, as an only child...but by the way, back to the main point, the Map called you and Gloss to solve a problem! Which turned out to be Gloss's lack of courage problem! And I know that yesterday I broke Volcano's tank and released the 999 moles of helium he had collected for months, and he told me that he meant it, and unless I can find them all, he never wants to see me ever again..." Every creature except for Falcon Dive glared at Volcano, just before turning back to the griffon. "Well, all that matters now is that we have finally found you!" Evergreen informed. "Even if it's in a really cold place!" Sunshine Rays added, shivering. "And Falcon Dive," Volcano said, walking towards the griffon, "I am really sorry that I got so angry at you over something like helium particles! And even said that I meant what I said when what I said was really awful! I actually never meant that! Can you please come back home with us right now?" Falcon Dive answered, "Thanks for telling me this, but I'm not so sure if I can just believe what you said completely, I mean, how will I know if you really do care about me more than your helium particles? Getting so mad at me over their loss and using such words like 'all' and 'never' back there? It's not that I don't trust you, I just have to know if you really do care about others, more than just...stuff." "So...you're not coming back?!" Volcano asked. "Not until I'm convinced," the griffon replied. "But, we really do mean it that we want you back!" Sunshine Rays told Falcon Dive. "We came all this way to find you!" Buffer contributed. "All day!" Krona added. "Told creatures to spread the word!" Yellow Bright added. "Went on for several hours," Evergreen continued. "Ever since Volcano told us what happened yesterday," Nature Bloom ended. "I already said that I really didn't mean it now, and I was the creature who said those harsh words! It was only because of me, that you're here! I want you back home, regardless of whether you can retrieve the helium particles or not," Volcano explained. "Sorry, every creature, but I have made my decision that I'm going to get back all the helium particles I have lost, and more, to make it up to Volcano for destroying his long-time hard work!" Falcon Dive declared. Sunshine Rays was about to get furious, which Luster quickly took notice and responded by telling Falcon Dive, "Well, Falcon Dive just give us a few minutes and we'll be back! Can you give us a few minutes?" "Sure! But I'm going to resume looking for particles!" Falcon Dive replied. "Wow, I have never seen Falcon Dive so unwilling to listen and believe us before," Buffer commented. "But that's not good!" Krona implied. "We got to do something, the day will be over soon!" Sunshine Rays added. "And the spell that enables non-pegasi to walk on clouds won't last for a long time!" Luster contributed. "Calm down, every creature, we need to think calmly," Evergreen advised. "Maybe we can ask Princess Twilight Sparkle for help! Since Falcon Dive won't listen to us, maybe he will listen to her Majesty, the Ruler of Equestria!" Yellow Bright suggested. "But Yellow Bright, Princess Twilight Sparkle and her Royal Advisor Spike are currently away at the Crystal Empire for a quick stay for two days, to spend time with their family!" Luster reminded. The scene quickly shifted to show what was currently happening in the Crystal Empire: Princess Twilight and Spike having a walk with Shining Armor, Cadence and Flurry Heart. "The Empire is still amazing and beautiful even without Mistmane doing her job for all this time!" Twilight could not help but comment. Shining Armor chuckled, "Well, Mistmane really does know how to ensure beauty can remind, Twily." "And the empire will still remember all you and your friends had done for it during Celestia's reign," Cadence added, before turning to Spike, "And of course, they will still remember how you saved it twice, Spike the Brave and Glorious." Spike turned to look at the alicorn, nervously chuckling, "So sorry, I was too busy looking around to listen!" "Well, here's something to listen to!" Flurry Heart flew to the dragon, "Family conversation and time is waiting for you!" "Alright, alright, I'm coming!" Spike responded, rushing over. "Come on Spike, you don't want to be like the dragon you were when I was Celestia's pupil after all these years, would you?" Princess Twilight asked in a somewhat jokingly manner. "What do you mean?" Spike asked, catching up. "We can talk about it somewhere where there is more privacy," Princess Twilight Sparkle figured. The scene zoomed back to focusing on the heroes and their current situation. "But the Crystal Empire isn't far from here! We can just go over and ask her!" Yellow Bright argued. "I don't think we should bother the princess when she's having time with her family, especially when it is so hard to get that time to do so!" Luster figured. "But the Council of Friendship will be in charge whenever both Princess Twilight and her Royal Advisor are out! Shouldn't we ask them?" Sunshine Rays asked. "I just hope that it's not too much pressure," Nature Bloom commented. "Why would we feel pressure?" Evergreen asked. "Well, not us, but the Council of Friendship themselves. I mean, running a kingdom must be a lot to do! We don't want them to have more problems, do we?!" Nature Bloom questioned. "Now that Nature Bloom mentions it, Krona and her best friends probably will try some other way!" Krona responded. "What are we going to do?! The day's about to end!" Buffer asked. "So is the time Falcon Dive will be here before taking off!" Alkali stated. "If only he can be convinced that I do mean it that I want him back, regardless if he can get the helium particles back or not," Volcano said his thoughts out loud. "We got to think of something!" Evergreen announced. "Too bad we can't make Falcon Dive see that he's more than important than helium particles!" Alkali commented. The hippogriff's comment gave Volcano an idea, "That's it! I have to sow Falcon Dive that he's more important to me than my Har work! And that means more important to me than helium particles!" "But, how are you going to show that?!" Sunshine Rays asked. "Saying something is one thing!" Krona reminded. "Showing is another!" Buffer contributed. Volcano thought for a while, before announcing his decision, "I have an idea, I'm going to destroy the Gas Collector, to truly prove to Falcon Dive that I do not value it like I value him!" The other creatures gasped to hear what they just heard from him. "But, Volcano! That's your own invention!" Alkali argued. "Seeing me destroy it without being upset is the only way I can think of, to prove to Falcon Dive that it is unimportant to me!" Volcano declared. "Are you sure you want to do this?!" Yellow Bright asked. Volcano stayed silent for a moment, before announcing, "The only thing that I would want, is my Best Friend back." Falcon Dive was about to take off, as he spread his wings. He stopped when he heard a disturbance. "Falcon Dive!" Volcano called, racing towards the griffon, alongside the rest of their best friends. "What do you want?" the griffon asked. "I would like to know how your progress is really going. Can I please have my Gas Collector invention or a second?" Volcano asked. "Sure, as your machine says, it is storing 50 moles of helium right now!" Falcon Dive informed. Once the invention was in his claws, Volcano quicklyused his fire breath to destroy it, giving Falcon Dive a shock. "Your invention!" the griffon shouted. After the burning was completed, Volcano said, "It's gone, for real." "But, the helium particles, they are gone! And you..." Falcon Dive began, before he was cut off by Volcano. "Those particles mean nothing to me, compared to my Best Friend." Falcon Dive smiled as he understood what his friend meant and did, "You sacrificed your things for me, to show me hat you do care about me more than anything else." Volcano chuckled, "Well, I should be showing the most concern about other creatures than things, like a real hero, and a friend should. By the way, I'm so sorry about yesterday, I promise that I will clean your room and things for you for as long as you want me to! To show you that making it up to you is what truly matters to me!" "I appreciate the offer, but I really don't need something as good as that. I'm already convinced that you do want me back more than those helium particles, and I'm goging home with you and all of our best friends!" Falcon Dive declared, causing every creature to cheer. "And I believe I got something to write to Princess Twilight," Volcano stated. "You can do that once we get home," Alkali informed. "And after we convince every creature who is looking for Falcon Dive hat they don't need to look anymore!" Sunshine Rays added. "Oh, right," Volcano responded. The scene then changed to show Volcano writing the letter on a scroll in his room in the Castle of Friendship, some time after everything unfolded. Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle, Recently, I got into a fight with one of my best friends, Falcon Dive, and made him think that I meant the harshful things I said to him. It took a long time to resolve the problem I caused, and convince Falcon Dive to come home. I eventually managed to show him that I do care about him more than I care about what caused me to get mad at him in the first place, through an action that can be as tough as a sacrifice. I have learnt from this experience that words may not be actions, but they can bring strong impacts, so we have to be careful what we say, otherwise we might cause such an unpleasant situation that might take such an action to fix. And, you can let every creature know that the problem is solved, Falcon Dive is back where he belongs, and a valuable friendship lesson is learnt. Signed, one of your faithful students, Luster Dawn's best friends, Volcano After the letter was completed, Volcano gave it to Luster, who used her magic to send to Princess Twilight Sparkle. "So, now that that's letter is sent, who's up for a game of Buck Ball in one of the empty rooms?" Falcon Dive asked, holding up the required ball for the mentioned game. "I may not be an athlete, but my best friends and other creatures are surely more important!" Volcano declared, "I am totally up!" "Oh, I actually can understand if you can't make it!" Falcon Dive assured. "I got time, and I don't care win or lose, as long as my best friends are there!" Volcano saluted. "That's he spirit!" Falcon Dive exclaimed, "Now let's go!" The griffon took off with Luster and Volcano following from behind.
21. Neurotic SituationAuthor's Note Neurotic Situation is the twenty-first episode of the series. Summary: Yellow Bright's younger sister had recently been obsessed with cleanliness to the point of becoming neurotic, being too scared to get herself dirty to some serious extent. Featured Characters: Rose Red, a red-coated Earth Pony mare, the mother of Yellow Bright and Purple Blend. Orange Fall, an orange-coated Earth Pony stallion, the father of Yellow Bright and Purple Blend. Acknowledgements: Definition of neurotic Google definitions: The definition of obsessed The definition of sure The definition of crisis 21. Neurotic Situation One fine day, Luster and her parents, Starlight and Sunburst, were enjoying the view and breeze on the Castle balcony in the daytime. "I'm so glad that we could spend at least a few minutes relaxing here, Mum and Dad." Luster told her parents. "We're glad, too." Starlight replied. "It's not even every week that we do something like this." Sunburst added, just before the family heard the delivery pony, Derpy Whooves, shouting, "Incoming!" The pegasus was about to crash land into the unicorns, but Luster managed to use her magic to freeze Derpy in a similar way to how Twilight froze her friends in 'Castle mania', but without freezing any creature else. "Phew, that was a close one." Sunburst heaved a sigh of relief. "That's our daughter! Talented in good ways as always!" Starlight praised. "Thanks Mum, but I don't really needed to be complimented all the time." Luster modestly replied, before turning to Derpy, "So, what do we have?" "A few letters..." was the reply, as Derpy took out a stack of them and placed it right in front of Luster. "You know what a few means, don't you?" Luster asked, before Derpy nodded and flew off. "Looks like the one on the top is for Yellow Bright." Sunburst pointed out, using his magic to levitate the later on the top of the stack towards him, before showing its cover to his family. "It is for Yellow Bright! And it looks like it's urgent!" Luster exclaimed. After the series' theme song played, the scene showed what happened that evening when all of the Castle residents returned home for dinner. "An urgent letter?! For me?!" Yellow Bright asked. "Don't get too excited. Because when it's urgent, it probably isn't something good..." Volcano apprised. "How are you so sure?" Buffer asked. "Why else will it be urgent?" Volcano responded. "What?! My little sister is obsessed with cleanliness?!" Yellow Bright could be heard shrieking as he looked at the letter. "Obsessed?!" Krona asked. "That is so not good." Sunshine Rays informed. "Indeed. Obsessed means preoccupy or fill the mind of someone continually and to a troubling extent." Volcano defined. "Huh?" Krona asked, confused. "Could you please give a more basic definition?" Nature Bloom asked. "Well...as basic as I can go, is when you're obsessed with something, like obsessed with cleanliness, you like cleanliness so much, that it becomes the thing that you love and care about the most, in not a good way, most likely." Volcano explained. "Take it from me, when you're obsessed with something, no matter what it is, being obsessed cannot be good." Sunshine Rays notified. "My parents said that my little sister is obviously obsessed with beauty recently, spending lots of time bathing in the bathroom everyday for a start!" Yellow Bright announced. "That isn't so bad, it's important to bathe at least once a day so you can clean yourself of all the bacteria you get while you are outdoors and...indoors." Nature Bloom stated. "Unlike a certain some creature I know. Who bathes so fast that I don't think he washed himself properly." Sunshine Rays said, glaring at Falcon Dive who nervously laughed at her comment. "Consuming 45 minutes to take a bath that is!" Yellow Bright read, immediately changing the others' positive views. "Alright...that is not so good..." Nature Bloom commented. "45 minutes?! Every creature should just take up a maximum of 30 minutes!" Sunshine Rays declared. "What about yaks?" Krona asked. "Alright, maybe yaks and creatures with longer manes, or hair, or larger in size, should take a bit more than 30 minutes..." Sunshine Rays figured. "She always wipes the table with table cloth and table cleaner alkaline solution..." Yellow Bright read on. "Alkaline solution?! I love alkaline solutions!" Alkali exclaimed uncontrollably. "You love anything that's alkaline..." Volcano responded. "She cleans her table, once every hour?!" Yellow Bright read in shock. "What?! That will consume loads of table cleaner alkaline solution per day!" Alkali cried. "Subtracting the time she isn't around, and taking only the hours that she can afford to do that...according to my calculations, that will be...8 times of cleaning the table for weekdays...and 14 or 15 times for weekends, if she never went out on weekends, that is." Volcano told every creature. "Cleaning tables many times is a good thing...but not that many times!" Sunshine Rays claimed. "The School of Friendship only cleans the table after school and before! Not as many times as once an hour!" Luster added. "She doesn't want to get her soft, smooth, comfy pillows, blankets and bed dirty so easily, so she bathes before bed, meaning that she bathes twice a day!" Yellow Bright went on. "Twice a day?! Doesn't she know how much water she will consume?!" Falcon Dive asked. "And the fact that water is a very valuable need to even creature that should not be wasted that way?" Sunshine Rays added. "While you're worrying about water, I'm worried about how bathing before sleep can affect her. I mean, isn't it difficult to fall asleep after a bath because getting your face wet make you less sleepy, which is why teachers tell sleepy students to wash their faces?" Nature Bloom asked. "Not underwater, obviously..." Alkali commented. "But in most cases, washing faces do make you less sleepy." Volcano notified. "But when it's bedtime! Creatures got to be sleepy!" Krona exclaimed. "Not sleepy, not easy to sleep." Buffer added. "And if it isn't easy to sleep, she might wind up sleeping even later at night!" Evergreen apprised. "I know I like cleanliness, but not obsession with it that takes some creature too far!" Sunshine Rays informed. "And she washes the dishes with a lot of detergent, consuming lots of water to wash off the soap..." Yellow Bright continued. "That will cost lots of bits!" Nature Bloom gasped. "Is that all?! I cannot take all this hearing that some creature is wasting things out of wanting to do so!" Falcon Dive complained. "Well, for short, it's obvious that my little sister is obsessed with cleanliness." Yellow Bright stated. "To a serious point that has got to be stopped!" Volcano pointed out. "And we are the creatures who will stop it!" Luster announced. The scene changed to showing the train on its way to Manehattan, Yellow Bright's hometown. "We're almost at your hometown, Yellow Bright!" Evergreen told her earth pony Best Friend. "I know, it's been a while since I last came home!" Yellow Bright responded. "You are not the only creature who hasn't visited home in a while!" Falcon Dive reminded, hang heard Yellow Bright and Evergeen's conversation since he was sitting right in front of them with Sunshine Rays. "Anyway, I love the Hayburgers and breakfast specials in one of the restraints here! And the yoghurt, and the donuts..." Yellow Bright listed. "We get it, there's so many delicious food to love here!" Sunshine Rays responded. "Food! Yaks love food! And smashing! And music! And..." Krona started listing. "Back to talking about Manehattan, I'm sure it's as great as we last saw it, Yellow Bright!" Evergreen commented. "Are you sure you're sure? Because when you are sure, you are completely confident that you are right. In other words, without a doubt!" Volcano defined from behind with Alkali. "Thanks for the definition, Volcano." Evergreen responded. "We're here, every creature!" Luster announced, when the train stopped at the Train Station. "Manehattan, the famous big city in Equestrian!" Buffer exclaimed. "Madam Rarity loves this place, as much as she loves Canterlot, I assume." Luster recalled. "Especially when she got her Key of Generosity from a friend here." Nature Bloom added. "Let's not forget why we're here, every creature." Volcano reminded. "Yeah, my sister's obsessed with cleanliness!" Yellow Bright informed. "And it's not good!" Sunshine Rays added. "And we came here to stop the obsession!" Luster declared. "But which way to her home?" Krona asked. "Allow me to lead the way, every creature. I may not have visited for a months, but I am sure I haven't lost my memory that I gained for more than 1 and a half decade!" Yellow Bright claimed. "More than 1 and a half decade?! Yellow Bright, saying that means that you remembered things since you were 0!" Volcano apprised. "In that case...more than a decade..." Yellow Bright corrected. The scene changed to show Yellow Bright knocking at a rainbow-coloured door. "Love the door, it's very colourful." Krona commented. "Thanks for the compliment, even though many other creatures say that when they visited." Yellow Bright responded. "I think your family is quite fortunate to have members with the colours of the rainbow." Nature Bloom informed. "You mean the colours of regular rainbows and not the one we made when we defeated Eclipse. I mean, regular rainbows do not have peach nor gold! While cyan is just a lighter version of blue, so it'd probably be in a rainbow that is zoomed in to pay closer attention to its tones and shades and..." Volcano began explaining, before the door opened. "Yellow Bright! It's so good to see you again!" an orange-coated Earth Pony stallion greeted. "And it's great to see that you've brought all of your friends!" a red-coated earth pony mare added. "It's a pleasure to see that you welcome us, Mr. Orange Fall and Madam Rose Red." Evergreen greeted her earth pony best friend's parents. "Evergreen! We never remembered you being the most respectful out of Yellow's friends." Yellow Bright's mother responded. "You got to thank Nature Bloom for that, because I learnt respectful words from her!" Evergreen apprised. Nature Bloom nervously laughed as the older ones approached her. "Nature Bloom! you're still as sweet and nice as we last saw you!" Yellow Bright's father commented. "Yes...I am..." Nature Bloom softly answered. "Can you please teach us how to use respectful words, too?" Rose Red asked, before an impatient Falcon Dive interrupted. "Enough on the small talk! We came here because of urgent crisis!" "I don't think 'crisis' is the word to use in this situation. It means a time of intense difficulty or danger or a time when a difficult or important decision must be made..." Volcano began defining, to the other creatures' annoyance. "Maybe you could tell us more about the word later?" Alkali suggested. "I believe you should use 'can', as in 'you can tell us more about the word later'." Volcano corrected. "Don't mind Volcano, he loves correcting things, defining words, calculating, telling us science information..." Luster told Yellow Bright's parents before the Earth Pony mare laughed in a friendly manner. "Don't worry, we hard that he's a teacher who teaches all subjects, so correcting mistakes must be a habit of his." "It sure is." Krona responded, looking at Volcano. "Anyway, let's continue the chatting inside." Orange Fall figured, allowing all ten creatures indoors. "Wow, this place is a lot cleaner than I last came here." Yellow Bright commented, looking around. "Which is a good thing, because it's better to be clean and hygienic, than the opposite, which is dirty and unhygienic!" Sunshine Rays notified. "But it isn't so good, I mean, not as good as you think," Orange Fall apprised. "It is because of Purple Blend, her fear of dirtiness gave us no choice." Rose Red added. "Fear of dirtiness? That is so not her! I mean, she's an artist! he loves drawing, colouring and painting since little! And she usually gets herself covered with paint before a bath!" Yellow Bright recalled. "But isn't that still cleaning herself?" Krona asked. "I believe that is cleaning herself, but also not afraid to get dirty, as she was alright with the possibilities of getting covered in paint." Volcano explained. "If she's afraid of getting herself dirty..." Evergreen began, before Alkali finished for her. "Does that mean she doesn't paint anymore?!" The Earth Pony couple did not say anything, but their nodding meant something the creatures could not believe was happening. "She doesn't paint anymore!" Buffer gasped. "This is obviously not good." Luster added. "Taking cleanliness too far to the point of becoming neurotic!" Volcano added, causing every creature to look at him in confusion. "That means afflicted by neurosis, describing mental, emotional, or physical reactions that are drastic and irrational. Some common traits are basically negative thinking, resulting in negative emotions..." Volcano began explaining, making Yellow Bright more uncomfortable as the explanation went on. Evergreen quickly noticed the impact Volcano's explanation brought on her Earth Pony Best Friend, quickly responding by telling the dragon, "Volcano, stop! I don't think Yellow Bright is comfortable hearing your explanation!" "Sorry about that, I was just defining and explaining what every creature else doesn't know!" Volcano apologised. "Because he couldn't help himself but do so!" Alkali added. "That's what happens when you diligently read books and try all sorts of things!" Volcano finished. "I'm sorry, I just can't stand the thought of a family member of mine being so...negative..." Yellow Bright admitted. "Just like I can't stand the thought of immorality or anything that isn't good!" Sunshine Rays could not help but comment, before correcting herself, "Except...you don't go crazy like I do." "And don't go on making loads of rules and strict measures to ensure no creature breaks those rules?" Falcon Dive added, as he turned to look at Sunshine Rays. "Should we go back to the main subject?" Buffer asked. "Sorry about the interruption," Nature Bloom apologised. "My sister may not be as positive as I am, but I never thought that she'd become this negative. Before I left, I remember her helping to take out the trash." Yellow Bright informed. "That means she wasn't afraid to get dirt back then." Evergreen figured. "That's very obvious from the description!" Krona responded. "And after taking out the trash, she would wash up, knowing that when you can get clean, you shouldn't be afraid of getting dirty...And when you are dirty, wash up and get clean, that's something positive I taught her..." Yellow Bright went on. "We get it, you're disappointed that what you taught her faded away." Sunshine Rays responded. "Don't worry, we'll just teach her again, and hopefully the lesson will remain a permanent influence," Evergreen assured. "Are you sure permanent is what you want? Because permanent means..." Volcano was about to define the word, but Falcon Dive beat the dragon to finishing the sentence. "Forever. We know!" "Actually, it means last a long time." Luster stated. "Right..." the boys said in unison. "So, where do we start?" Alkali asked. "Probably finding where the creature in need of our help is. You can't help some creature without being in the same place." Luster figured. "Actually, there are cases when creatures can help other creatures without being in the same place. Like substitute them when they cannot do what they are supposed to do?" Krona pointed out. "Krona does have a point, but that's another case." Buffer told the others. "Alright, in some cases we have to be in the same place as who we are helping." Luster corrected her last sentence. "You're in luck, because Purple Blend is at home right now!" Yellow Bright announced. "That's odd. I remember you said that she likes hanging out with her best friends from school!" Evergreen commented. "And once in a month or an occasion, hang out with our younger siblings." Nature Bloom added. "Plus Gloss Semblance, the younger sibling of one of our former schoolmates!" Falcon Dive contributed. "Maybe I should check on her before the rest of you come into her room, or go close to her...because..." Yellow Bright began, before Volcano interrupted. "Ten biologically in young adult ages creatures can be overwhelming to just one preteen? We probably know that." "That's right..." Yellow Bright responded. "Alright, Yellow Bright. You can go first, if it doesn't work out, we all will come in." Luster informed. "But if it does, what do we do?" Alkali asked Luster. "Better not say go home. I don't like trips that are not worth it! Especially when we spent bits and time!" Sunshine Rays complained. "Can't believe I'm saying this, but maybe we could spend spare time looking around at the sales." Falcon Dive suggested. "Or meet the members of Yellow Bright's family that didn't attend the latest birthday parties this year!" Krona added. "Sorry, but other than Yellow Bright's parents and little sister Purple Blend, the rest of his family don't live here anymore. They moved out to their final schools and got jobs in other parts of Equestria!" Evergreen apprised. "That's what happens in a society like this!" Buffer stated, "Growing up, leaving home to get a job after finishing school." "Can you all just quiet down and give me a little support here?" Yellow Bright asked. "Sorry, just got...distracted..." Nature Bloom apologised. Pushing the door open, Yellow Bright stepped into his sister's room. But when he step hoof onto the floor... "Yellow Bright! Did you take a bath?!" Purple Blend asked in a shriek. "Aah! Purple Blend!" Yellow Bright screamed, being startled from hearing his little sister shriek. "Sorry, big brother, but didn't Mum and Dad tell you that I like being clean? And having my room clean?" Purple Blend asked. "Yes, they did..." Yellow Bright responded. "Then did they tell you that I don't allow any creature, not even myself, step into the room or enter it without bathing here first?" Purple Blend went on. "I don't want any of those bacteria from outside in here!" Purple Blend shrieked, scaring her brother out of the room. "Alright, alright, I'm out of here!" Yellow Bright told his sister, retreating and closing the door once he was out. Once the older Earth Pony was out, Purple Blend took out an anti-bacteria spray and spayed it around the area Yellow Bright stepped on. "She did what?!" Yellow Bright's best friends asked him in unison. "Chase me out because I didn't bathe using the showers here, before stepping into her room. And, shrieked at me to get me to back off." Yellow Bright explained. "That is so not her!" Luster claimed. "She's usually nice like I am!" Nature Bloom added. "Not to mention that the reason behind it was she did not want any bacteria from outside to get into her room." Yellow Bright went on. "What?! Doesn't she know that bacteria can move?! So even if the bacteria was outside her room on the walls, it can move onto the door and into her room." Volcano explained. "Volcano, don't talk so loudly that clean-lover and bacteria-disliker can hear you!" Alkali hushed. "Sorry, I was jus explaining what I know! I teach science!" Volcano responded. "Purple Blend isn't like this the last time I saw her, she really changed a lot." Luster commented. "In a matter of time!" Nature Bloom contributed. "What could have caused this?" Yellow Bright asked, before the ten creatures could hear Yellow Bright's father suddenly saying out loud, "WHAT?! Water shortage?!" "Water shortage?!" Krona repeated, as the Heroic Ten rushed to the living room where Orange Fall was reading a newspaper. "What is it, Dad?" Yellow Bright asked, galloping over to his father. "Appleloosa is running out of water! The reservoir water level is going down!" Orange Fall informed, showing them the newspaper cover page. "My family depends on that water! It's their water source!" Buffer gasped. "And not just Buffer's family depends on that water, all the creatures living in that area, too!" Falcon Dive added. "We got to do something!" Luster declared. "But what about my little sister?!" Yellow Bright asked. "Alright, half of us will go to Appleloosa, and the other half will stay and try to fix Purple Blend." Luster instructed. "Fix Purple Blend?" Krona asked. "As in, try to stop her new neurotic character and change her back to the way she was before becoming neurotic?" Luster clarified. "That makes more sense!" Krona responded. "So, who's going and who's staying?" Sunshine Rays asked. "Krona, Buffer, Volcano, Alkali and Falcon Dive's help could be used in Appleloosa, so they should go, while every creature else stays. "Alright, we'll go!" Buffer replied. "Race you to the Train Station!" Falcon Dive called. "Be careful!" the four other creatures that were selected to go to Appleloosa told the griffon in unison, as they rushed off. "Do you think we can handle Purple Blend?" Nature Bloom asked. "Don't worry, with some creature moral, nice, patient, positive and a great leader, we can do it!" Luster assured. "Or maybe it is safer to say that our chances of success are not slim, because when you say we can do it, it's like you're confirming that we can by a hundred percent." Sunshine Rays apprised. "Sunshine, are you checking vocabulary like Volcano would?" Luster asked. "What?! As some creature moral, I have to be careful what I say, and be careful what others say." Sunshine Rays responded, just before they got another interruption from hearing Orange Fall's voice. "Rose Red! We should start watching out how much water we are using!" "Wow, just learning the news that Appleloosa is facing water shortage immediately got him to change." Evergreen commented. The comment made Sunshine Rays get an idea. "Wait, did you just say 'made him change'?" the pegasus asked. "Yes, I said that the news made him change as he said that they should start watching out how much water they use, which mostly meant that they never did so before..." Evergreen replied. "The newspaper influenced him! It affected him to change!" Sunshine Rays exclaimed. "What does that have to do with the problem with my little sister?!" Yellow Bright asked. "Don't you get it?! She must have been influenced to care about cleanliness so much, that she doesn't want to get dirty at all! What else can be the reason she changed?!" Sunshine Rays explained. "You're right, Sunshine! Usually other than maturing, creatures won't change to become so different from themselves before the change, naturally. They must have been influenced by something! Like how the comprehension in your exam influenced you to become moral, when you were fourteen!" Luster exclaimed. "Right...and every creature is kind of lucky that I had been moral ever since, although I still haven't been moral for longer than how long I was immoral...fourteen years..." Sunshine Rays answered. "So, my little sister had been influenced by something to become the neurotic creature she is right now, but what?" Yellow Bright asked. "Don't ask us, Yellow Bright. We know that Purple Blend is old enough to go around the neighbourhood without a grown-up accompanying her, and we have been letting her visit the shops and public places without us, so she can be influenced by anything!" Rose Red informed, walking into the living room. "So we have too...search the entire neighbourhood for the influence?" Nature Bloom gulped. "That can take ages! Even if the other half of the Heroic Ten were still with us!" Sunshine Rays dramatically exclaimed. "Calm down, every creature, let's not just jump to something big, especially when it can be unnecessary." Luster told the others, before turning to asking Rose Red, "Since when did Purple Blend started to show signs of becoming neurotic as she is scared of getting dirty?" "Since last Monday." Rose Red answered. "I get what you're doing, you are looking for more details!" Nature Bloom figured. "So you don't have to search so far!" Yellow Bright added. "And do so many things you could have not do if you went on a huge search!" Evergreen went on. "Exactly!" Luster responded to her best friends, before turning back to Rose Red, "Did she go anywhere after school?" "Well, she did go to the Cafe near the school to spend some free time with her best friends at school, like she usually would before going home." Rose Red explained. "Anything else?" Sunshine Rays questioned. "She did take a little longer than usual to come home for a bath. And after that, she started cleaning up." Rose Red answered. "Is that all?" Luster asked. "That's all I can recall," the earth pony mare nodded. "Alright, so this is all we know; whatever influenced Purple Blend must be encountered last Monday, before she reached home." Luster explained. "Are you sure 'must' is the word to use? Because if you're wrong, or still have chances to be wrong, then the correct words to use is 'most likely' as in 'whatever influenced Purple Blend most likely was encountered last Monday before she reached home." Sunshine Rays corrected. "Wow, you really are becoming like Volcano, so careful and concerned about vocabulary," Nature Bloom told the pegasus. "I do it because of being moral." Sunshine Rays stated. "Alright, so the influence was most likely encountered last Monday. So we have to search the cafe, and the area around, and the places along and around the trail from the school to the cafe, to home." Luster figured. "That is still a lot to search!" Nature Bloom commented. "Look on the bright side, it's still a lot lesser than all of Manehattan!" Yellow Bright pointed out. "Yellow Bright, Evergreen and Nature Bloom, you all stay here and try to help Purple Blend, plus examine the apartment, just in case the influence is here." Luste instructed. "Alright." Evergreen replied. "Sure thing!" Yellow Bright saluted. "Indeed," Nature Bloom nodded. "Sunshine, you know influences as well as you know morality, you are undoubtedly fit for searching the streets for the influence with me." Luster declared. "My pleasure Luster." the pegasus replied. "I'm going too, you mares haven't been to Manhattan much, you might get lost!" Rose Red apprised. "Alright, you can come too, just please don't go far from us." Luster informed. "Uh, Luster? I know that you are 10 years older than your chronological age, but Yellow Bright's Mum is still older than you, by both biological and chronological ages! So I figure that the ones that shouldn't go far away from who is..."Sunshine Rays hushed. "Oh, right..." Luster responded, before correcting her sentences, "I mean, don't worry, we'll stay close to you..." After the three mares left,Nature Bloom asked, "What are we going to do to help Purple Blend?" "Well...we can try to reason with her." Evergreen figured. "But I already told you, she won't let any creature who didn't bathe here enter her room!" Yellow Bright cried. "So we all have to bathe here?" Nature Bloom asked. "Or maybe we instead of trying to go inside her room to get to her, let's try to get her to come outside her room to get to us..." Evergreen suggested. In the streets of Manehattan, the mares were on their way to the Cafe, using the shortest route since it was the route that Purple Blend always used unless she had to take another path. "Manehattan is actually very amazing, you and your family must be so lucky to live here, Madam Rose Red." Luster said, looking around. "Indeed, Manehattan is unique in its own way of being a big, busy city." Rose Red replied. "Wait a second, if we want to find the influence, we shouldn't just walk pass the stores! We should look inside them! In case Purple Blend went in to take a look and encountered the influence!" Sunshine Rays claimed. "But, not all of us are expects like you, Sunshine! What if we did see the influence, but not know that it is the influence, and leave it?" Rose Red asked. "You have to think. That's one of the most important parts of being moral, and helps you identify right and wrong." Sunshine Rays answered. "But, Sunshine, it isn't right or wrong, but what can be the influence, that we're trying to identify!" Luster reminded. "I'm just telling her that we have to think to identify what the influence is, or can be! Like, if Purple Blend is influenced to become so scared of bacteria and getting dirty, then whatever influenced her is most likely something related to dirtiness, or bacteria, or even them themselves!" Sunshine Rays explained. "Sunshine, we cannot even see bacteria unless we have a microscope or cast a very difficult spell. And I haven't mastered that super difficult one..." Luster informed. "True, but maybe Purple Blend read, or got a peek in a book or saw a poster that described bacteria in a super scary way that scared her into being neurotic!" Sunshine Rays pointed out. "Are you sure you didn't write or make such things as the creature who scares immoral beings into stopping their wrongdoings by becoming Moonshade Fright?" Luster asked. "WHAT?! I didn't do that! I actually haven't thought of hygiene situations, but that's not important right now! Let's just find the influence or whatever we think that can be the influence!" Sunshine Rays responded. "That's what we'll do. And don't forget to ask the creatures who work there for information. Number one question should be asking them if they saw a preteen female purple-coated Earth Pony last Monday afternoon." Luster reminded. "But wouldn't it take a long time to go into every store along the way and around the area and ask?" Rose Red asked. "It will, but not when we split up and get it done in one third of the time!" Luster figured. "But, what about not getting too far away?" Rose Red asked. "We won't be far if we keep checking the stalls that surround this road, and meet up at the Cafe." Sunshine Rays assured. "And to make sure that we really do cover more stores by not have two or all three of us going into the same store, we should plan out who goes to what store, and I already got it worked out: I will check the first store, which is the first one on the left, Sunshine will check the second store, which is the first one on the right, and Madam Rose Red, you will check the third store, which is second on the left." Luster explained. "In case you didn't see the pattern, it goes horizontally and diagonally across the road. Odd number positions on the left, even number positions on the right, you cross the road horizontally to get from odd to the even number that's 1 more, and go diagonally across from even to the odd that is just 1 more." Sunshine Rays stated. "And another pattern, but I think I'll just tell you your part so you won't get confused, or have to risk messing up calculations. Madam Rose Red, since you will start with the third store, which is the second on the left, your next store will be the sixth, which is third on the right, and then the ninth store which is the fifth on the left. We left you with the perfect multiples of 3 to check." Luster explained. "Thanks, mares, but are you sure you can handle this?" Rose Red asked with concern. "Of course we can! We've been through a lot of challenges in new, unfamiliar places like this! Just go on!" Sunshine Rays assured. "Alright, see you mares at the cafe!" Rose Red replied, walking away. "Alright, so you understand the pattern?" Luster asked. "Sure thing! Since I start with the second store, my next store will be the fifth, then eighth! I will go in the pattern of multiples of 3 then minus 1." Sunshine Rays stated. "Good. That leaves me checking out the first, fourth, seventh, tenth and so on in the multiples of 3, then minus 2!" Luster declared. Meanwhile, in her room, Purple Blend was cleaning her table when she heard her brother calling, "Little sister! Guess what's outside your room waiting for you? Your favourite piece of Blueberry cake from your favourite Bakery in Manehattan!" In the living room, the three creatures were waiting for the bait the yellow-coated Earth Pony bought to lure their target. "Are you sure this will work?" Nature Bloom asked. "Most likely will, I know my little sister, she loves this cake more than any other dessert!" Yellow Bright claimed. "And you took a trip to get it!" Evergreen added. "Thank you big brother..." Purple Blend began, as she galloped towards her older sibling, before screeching to a halt, asking, "Did you wash the hoof you are holding the cake on?" "Of course I did! And washed the plate with the cake on it that I'm holding!" Yellow Bright replied. "Because he's being a thoughtful big brother, knowing that his little sister couldn't stand any dirt or bacteria from outdoors..." Evergreen went on. "Right..." Purple Blend replied, before walking off to the sink in the kitchen, while telling her older brother and his best friends, "Well, none of your not washed hooves or body parts should touch the cake nor the plate not even for a millisecond, while I wash my hooves before consuming that!" "A millisecond? Is she that serious?" Nature Bloom asked. "Maybe it's just an expression so she doesn't literally mean it?" Yellow Bright asked. "I sure hope so." Evergreen added. "I literally mean it!" Purple Blend announced, as she returned from the kitchen, walking with three hooves as she came, leaving her front left hoof available for lifting the plate with the cake on it. Once she got the plate and the dessert from her older brother, she continued, "Don't even think about touching the table with your not washed body parts!" "Don't worry, we won't do that!" Evergreen assured. "We probably won't do that to any creature's table." Nature Bloom added. "So, little sister, now that you got your favourite treat, would you please talk to us while we're not so physically close to you, and not so far away?" Yellow Bright asked. "Sure, but be quick." Purple Blend answered. "Be quick? What's the rush?" Nature Bloom asked. "Nothing's the rush, I just wanted to get back into my clean room as fast as possible." Purple Blend answered. "Volcano would have corrected that 'fast' into 'soon', as in 'I wanted to get back into my clean room as soon as possible'." Yellow Bright imitated Volcano. "Oh wonderful, when Volcano isn't here, the other Heroic Ten members correct sentences that used the wrong words?" Evergreen asked. "Well, the more is usually the merrier." Nature Bloom figured. "So, Purple Blend, little sister, don't you remember that you can always clean yourself up after getting dirty?" Yellow Bright asked. "Sure, but it still isn't so good getting dirty out of wanting too!" Purple Blend argued. "Yellow Bright's point isn't to encourage you to get yourself dirty on purpose! He's just telling you that you can't expect yourself to stay clean all the time! There are certain activities that you have to do, with no escape from getting dirty!" Evergreen tried to reason with the preteen Earth Pony. "Well I'll just tell whoever tries to get me to participate in such activities that I'm not going to participate because I got an illness!" Purple Blend snapped. "Maybe I should handle this, I'm usually the one creature who knows the nicest and least hurtful words." Nature Bloom suggested. "Anything that can help!" Yellow Bright pleaded. "Alright, Purple Blend, can you please reconsider and think of all the water, soap and resources that you are consuming because you are always cleaning once every now and then?" Nature Bloom asked in a soft-spoken tone that was very similar to Fluttershy's. "I'm sorry, I just don't want to get dirty..." Purple Blend responded in a normal tone, unlike the tones that she used earlier that day around the visitors. "I know how much we all like being clean, but there's a line between enough and too far. So will you please cut down your excessive cleaning and go back to a routine of cleaning once a day?" Nature Bloom asked. "Uh, Nature? There are a few things that needed to be cleaned more than once everyday..." Yellow Bright reminded. "Like the Dining Table, it needs to be cleaned before and after usage!" Evergreen stated an example. "You heard them, just clean whenever there's a need to, not a desire to!" Nature Bloom turned back to Purple Blend. "But, what if the bacteria multiplies before the next cleaning? And, forms...germs?" Purple Blend asked as she shivered when she was saying her last sentence out loud. "I kind of wish Volcano was here, maybe he knows how germs and bacteria work." Yellow Bright stated. "And tell us with one of his full of details explanations." Evergreen added. "Purple Blend, will you please tell us what made you so scared of germs, bacteria, and dirtiness?" Nature Bloom asked in a concerned tone. "I actually...am too afraid to even say it!" Purple Blend cried, running into her room after she finished her cake. "Well, at least we talked a little sense into her, didn't we?" Yellow Bright commented after watching his little sister race off. At the cafe, the three mares regrouped to tell each other the latest thing they knew. "I checked all the stores on my list, and nothing can be the influence, because Purple Blend never went in last Monday, nor any other day that's close!" Luster reported. "Asked, checked and looked all around, but nothing can be responsible for the neurotic behaviour!" Sunshine Rays informed. "I got nothing too, and I'm thirsty!" Rose Red said, wiping her forehead with her front right hoof. "Did you wash your hoof before you wipe your forehead like that?" Sunshine Rays asked. "Sunshine! Not you too!" Luster cried. "What?! I'm not affected! I advise that we all should wash our hooves whenever we want to wipe sweat off our faces and foreheads! Claws and wings are also the same story as in, using to wipe off sweat from faces and foreheads! It's good hygiene, not obsessed with cleanliness, nor neurotic." Sunshine Rays explained. "Tell you what mares, I'm buying some tea from the Cafe for a little while, do you want a drink, too?" Rose Red asked. "Well...I could use some liquid like healthy tea." Luster responded. "I guess I'll have the same thing, because I am not very picky, and can't think of anything else." Sunshine Rays added. "Alright, then three cups of healthy tea it is!" Rose Red said, walking to the counter. "Quick, examine the place! Maybe the influence is around here!" Luster told Sunshine Rays. "There's nothing here that can be the influence, I mean, it's usually very clean thanks to the 3 cleaners that work around here..." Sunshine Rays stated, looking around, "Except for that shelf full of magazines! Maybe Purple Blend saw something that scared her into being neurotic!" "Let's check it out!" Luster declared, galloping to the shelf and using her magic to levitate the magazines. "You sure are lucky that they haven't ordered magic-sealing defence system here, or you might not be able to levitate the magazines." Sunshine Rays stated. "Very funny, Sunshine. Just help me look through these magazines, do any of them have something related to dirtiness, bacteria and germs enough to be the influence?" Luster asked. "Not any so far through these pages...hold on, what's this?" Sunshine Rays asked as she stopped at one of the pages in a magazine, reading the title out loud, "Zombie Outbreak?! All begins in a very dirty place that isn't the dump nor the sewers. Thanks to a careless scientist, who threw his useless potion out the window and into the area full of germs and bacteria, the germs and bacteria were mutated into a living germ that the eyes can see without a microscope.The germ made a pony sick, then the pony, losing control of his own body and mind, sneezed on others to spread the disease...as they become...zombies..." "That sounds extremely scary!" Luster cried. "I may find scaring immoral creatures into stopping their wrongdoings somewhat amusing, but this kind of scare is not the kind I like! Plus, even though I do like fantasy, there's no way I'd like to write something like zombie outbreaks or vampire invasion or...anything like those!" Sunshine Rays exclaimed. "And look, this story is in a cartoon magazine! According to Yellow Bright, his little sister is still a fan of cartoons despite her age." Luster added. "So there are very high chances that this magazine was what she looked in last Monday, and saw that outbreak story which scared her!" Sunshine Rays figured. "I'll ask her, and will be right back!" Luster declared, teleporting herself away. "Where did Luster go? I thought she wanted healthy tea." Rose Red asked, approaching Sunshine Rays. "Don't worry, Luster will be back. And the tea is obviously still hot because you can see steam coming out of them! It's probably just served, and too hot for drinking! We might just as well wait for Luster to come back before drinking, the tea probably would have cooled when that happens!" Sunshine Rays suggested. "Come on Purple, there's nothing to be afraid of! Even when the micro-organisms multiply, it won't be as dirty as obvious when you clean it once a week or every 5 days!" Yellow Bright called through the closed door to his little sister's room. The next second, Luster teleported herself right behind her best friends. "Luster, you're back!" Evergreen responded. "Yes, and I think Sunshine found out what the influence was, and I came back to make sure." Luster answered, before calling through the door, "Purple Blend, did you read a cartoon magazine last Monday at the cafe?" "Yes! Like I always do!" Purple Blend answered. "Did you read anything about a scary outbreak caused by a scientist who carelessly threw a useless potion into a dirt area with germs and bacteria?" Lusetr asked. "DON'T ASK THAT!" was the response. "Where did you get that idea?" Nature Bloom asked. "It's not an idea, there's a story about that in a cartoon magazine that Sunshine Rays found on a shelf full of magazines for the customers of the cafe to read." Luster explained. "And Purple Blend's reaction does support the theory that what you found in that magazine was the influence." Evergreen stated. "Then it's got to be it! That magazine's story is the influence!" Yellow Bright exclaimed. "Maybe we can write a letter to the writers of this magazine, and tell them to not put this kind of scary thing in magazines that youth most likely will read." Luster suggested. "That sounds like a good idea to stop such things from happening again." Nature Bloom commented. "But what about Purple Blend? She's still affected!" Evergreen asked. "And train to take us home will be here in less than an hour!" Yellow Bright cried. "I'll get Sunshine and Yellow Bright's Mum! We'll be back in a flash!" Luster declared, teleporting herself away. Luster returned with Sunshine Rays and Rose Red after a few seconds, causing Yellow Bright to comment, "That was fast." "How are we going to convince Purple Blend to stop being neurotic?" Rose Red asked. "I remember a technique I used to prevent myself from getting affected by things that aren't good influences after becoming moral. Maybe that can help." Sunshine Rays stated. "What is the technique?" Luster asked. "It's zero!" Sunshine ays answered. "Zero?!" every creature else asked in unison. "You know, when you have zero of something, you have none! And if Purple Blend tells herself that there are zero outbreaks like the one she read about in that magazine, she might calm down, because zero means not a single one!" Sunshine Rays explained. "Do you think it will work?" Nature Bloom asked. "It better, because we're running out of time!" Yellow Bright cried. "Quick! Get Purple Blend to talk to us!" Luster instructed the yellow-coated Earth Pony. "Purple Blend!" Yellow Bright called as he knocked on her door. "What do you want?!" Purple Blend asked. "Just answer this question for a stat; what is the number for nothing?!" Yellow Bright responded. "It's zero!" was the answer. "Then whenever you are scared of something in a story that's not real, just remind yourself, there are zero of that thing in reality!" Yellow Bright called. "You don't need to be afraid, the Heroic Ten will be writing some letters to the writers of that magazine!" Evergreen added. "To tell them not to put such a scary thing in such magazines ever again!" Nature Bloom went on. "And you got loads of heroes to protect you; the Council of Friendship, their graduated top six students at the School of Friendship who helped defeat Lord Tirek, Queen Chrysalis and Cozy Glow, and the newest heroes, the Heroic Ten, including your own older brother!" Luster contributed. "And good always triumphs over evil, some way!" Sunshine Rays ended. "Purple Blend, just think of all the needs and bits you are consuming out of being neurotic! Don't you want to save more and spend less because you want to be selfless and care about others? Don't you want to do what has to be done like some creature moral? Don't you want to cooperate with others and listen? Don't you want to be positive like your big brother? Be the Element of Positivity in your own group of friends?" Yellow Bright asked, starting to get through to his younger sister. "Remind her what you used to say about getting cleaned after getting dirty!" Luster whispered. "And if you want to be positive, here's a quote that you probably need right now; If you get dirty, you can get clean, and it makes more sense to clean yourself after you are dirty, instead of all the time!" Yellow Bright called through the door. "But you still got to clean yourself with a bath, once a day minimum!" Sunshine Rays reminded. "And think about all the things you won't do if you continue being neurotic!" Evergreen contributed. "No more painting, for a start..." Nature Bloom began. "No more going out because you're scared of the germs and bacteria out there!" Luster went on. "No more playing, not getting to see any of your friends, not go to your favourite places..." Sunshine Rays listed. "And you'll be very bored, it's not worth it staying in your room, nor your apartment and never leaving. If you continued being neurotic, all those not so good things might happen! So will you please think again and stop being neurotic? There's actually nothing to be scared of!" Yellow Bright called one last time, before the door opened. "Yellow Bright, I'm so glad that you're here." Purple Blend said, hugging her brother. "What? But, little sis, I went out and didn't bathe here!" Yellow Bright cried. "Now that you mentioned it, Purple Blend sure didn't touch any of us this whole time!" Evergreen recalled. "Only because I was neurotic like what you all were saying, and I'm really sorry about how I acted, and what I did all because I was scared." Purple Blend apologised. "That's alright, we forgive you." Nature Bloom assured. "But, what made you change and get over your neurosis?" Luster asked. "My brother!" Purple Blend happily answered. "What?!" Yellow Bright asked. "You never gave up on me, and I could sense how upset you were to know that I was neurotic by hearing your voice, and your speech was very convincing." Purple Blend commented. "aw...thanks little sis..." Yellow Bright responded, warmed up by his success. "I know this sounds a little extreme, but maybe we should write a letter to Princess Twilight Sparkle, telling her that it might be a lot better if she gave more cleaning jobs out to creatures who needed jobs, and had them to mop the floors and scrub the walls to make sure that they're even cleaner, because it is good to be hygienic and clean, but not too much of it." Sunshine Rays suggested. "Are you sure reading that outbreak story really didn't affect you?" Luster asked. "Of course not! Just thinking that maybe that way, Purple Blend will feel a lot safer, and the same goes for any creature else who was affected like her!" Sunshine Rays stated. "Maybe we should do some research and double check whether we have those or not before we write. Anyway, I believe some creature learnt something about cleanliness, neurosis and positivity." Luster responded before turning to Purple Blend upon referring to the preteen Earth Pony. "Write a letter to Princess Twilight Sparkle, the Ruler of Equestria?" Purple Blend asked. "Don't worry, trust heroes are right around you!" Yellow Bright assured. "Tell you what, I will write what you learnt today." Luster assured the purple Earth Pony, before saying out what she was writing on the scroll she was levitating, "Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle, one of my best friends, Yellow Bright, has a family member who learnt something valuable today. She learnt that..." "It is good to be clean and hygienic, but not to the point that you clean yourself countless times in a short period of time, as you will be consuming needs unnecessarily! Another thing that was learnt was, it really isn't good to be neurotic, as it will prevent you from doing lots of things, and could make you very bored! Last but not least, one more thing learnt was how amazing positivity can be, as it might be enough to convince some creature neurotic to change, especially when you show concern for them at the same time. That's all I got for now, hopefully I will learn more valuable lessons to share with you." Purple Blend said out loud. "Signed, your faithful student, Luster Dawn." Luster ended, before sending the letter away with her magic. "I hope that you can completely recover from that scary outbreak thing's effects, Purple Blend." Yellow Bright told his younger sister. "Don't worry, I've already started recovering, thanks to you and your best friends." Purple Blend replied, hugging her brother once more. "Maybe in just a few more days, she'll recover and get over completely!" Nature Bloom figured. "Depends," Evergreen reminded. "Thanks for getting Purple back to her regular self," Rose Red thanked the Heroic Ten members that were there. "We're just doing what we should have done upon knowing what was happening." Luster answered. "And you've really saved our water supply. I mean, I can't take how much water we've been using to clean this place recently!" Orange Fall said, walking towards every creature. "Dad! Where have you been this whole time?" Yellow Bright asked. "Trying to save our water, and find out how much we have been using! Can you believe how much we used?" was the response. "No thanks, we got to catch a train!" Sunshine Rays informed. Just then, a scroll from Princess Twilight Sparkle arrived, delivered by magic. "Dear Luster Dawn, the last letter told me something good to know, and here's something good for you to know; your best friends Falcon Dive, Alkali, Volcano, Buffer and Krona helped every creature in Appleloosa solve the water problem, and taught us all to think twice, and taught us how every one of us counts and makes a difference. With the problem in Appleloosa solved, you and your best friends visiting Manhattan can just return to Ponyville." Luster read out loud. "Really? They solved the problem?" Sunshine Rays asked in disbelief. "Without us?" Nature Bloom added. "But how?" Evergreen asked. "We'll ask them once we're home." Luster announced, walking towards the door to exit the apartment. "Goodbye!" Yellow Bright's family waved, as the visitors left. After closing the door, the five creatures headed to the Train Station. Along the way, they had a conversation stated by Yellow Bright. "So, once we're home, what are we going to do when we see the others?" the yellow Earth Pony asked. "Tell them that your sister is alright now?" Sunshine Rays asked. "And ask them how they solved the water shortage problem?" Evergreen went on. "Whichever way it is." Luster figured. "And any chance we'll come back here and visit my favourite places with all of you?" Yellow Bright went on, as the scene faded black.
