Chapters “Winter Wrap-Up! Winter Wrap-Up!” Snare Trap merrily sang as she pulled her cart full of twigs and ribbons along. Beside her, Olivine Facet grumbled as she pulled her own, smaller cart full of material.
“I still don’t get why there’s so much singing involved with this,” Olive huffed, looking around at the likewise similarly singing ponies, busy with cleaning the town of the remains of winter.
“Oh right, I forgot there’s not many random musical numbers in the Crystal Empire,” Trap remarked.
“Or this ‘Winter Wrap-Up’ thing. It never snows inside the Empire because of the Crystal Heart!” Olive exclaimed.
“Well, here in Equestria we need to clean up the rest of winter so spring can begin. Help the animals, clear the snow, plant seeds, stuff like that,” Trap replied.
“A lot more tedious than that ‘Running of the Leaves’ thing,” Olive said. “And we can’t even use magic!”
“Afraid not.” Trap flashed a sheepish smile. “I think they use magic up in Canterlot though. They surely must, with all the unicorns that live there.”
“This is so dumb! A good spell would fix all of this right up,” Olive complained. “And just what are we supposed to do after we deliver this nesting material?”
“We’re supposed to be looking for critters on the western side of town, making sure they wake up for the coming spring and get them fed,” Trap explained.
Olive sighed. “Well, at least this job’s not a total loss.”
As they rounded a bend, they came across two figures: a kirin dressed simply in a scarf and an earth pony bundled up in a coat, a thick scarf, and a wooly hat. The latter was visibly shaking and chattering his teeth.
“Hey Creek Shine, Hey Pile,” Trap said with a friendly wave. “I didn’t know you two were in town.”
“Just dropped by for a visit after the holidays,” Creek said.
“You alright there, Pile?” Olive asked with a raised eyebrow.
“C-Changelings… n-not meant for… c-cold weather,” Leaf Pile stuttered, followed by a pathetic sniffle. Creek wrapped a foreleg around his shoulders and pulled him close, and his shaking subsided somewhat.
“So what’s going on around here? Everypony seems busy,” Creek said.
“It’s Winter Wrap-Up, where we ponies clean up the last of winter to make things ready for spring,” Trap explained. “You can help, if you want.”
“Can’t use magic though,” Olive grumbled.
“Sure! The sooner things warm up, the sooner my snuggle bug warms up!” Creek exclaimed.
Pile blushed bright red and buried his muzzle further into his scarf.
“So, what jobs are there?” Creek asked, grinning eagerly and tail swishing.
“Well, there’s tilling the soil and planting seeds, there’s helping the animals—which is what Olive and I are doing—and there’s clearing up the snow and ice—” Trap explained, before Creek gave an exclamation.
“Aha! Clearing snow! That should be easy as a kirin falling off a log,” Creek said with a smirk. She used her magic to unwrap her scarf and drape it around Pile’s neck. The disguised changeling snuggled into the warmth. “Alright – someone make me angry!”
Trap and Olive shared an apprehensive look.
“Ah, I don’t know if…” Trap muttered.
“Come on, I won’t take it personally, promise!”
Olive sighed. “You have a poor taste in scarves, and I honestly don’t know why you bothered to wear one, seeing as you’re a walking fireball waiting to happen,” she said flatly.
The three of them stepped away from Creek as she erupted in pink-blue flames. “Perfect!” she growled. “Look out snow, here I come!”
Creek barreled past them, the snow already vanishing in her wake. The three watched her vanish into town.
“You think that counts as magic?” Trap asked with a hesitant wince.
“You think anypony is going to try and stop her?” Olive replied with a smirk.
Author's Note
Fun fact: Headcanon: Kirin are both fireproof and too warm to feel winter. Conversely, changelings, unfortunately, are not well insulated.
Pile and Creek Shine trudged their way to the Canterlot Train Station. As par for the course for the night they had gone through, the next train to Ponyville would be due in an hour, meaning they had a while to wait.
The two plopped down on a bench with their tickets as Pile reminisced on what should’ve been the best night ever.
It was so simple in Pile’s head: a date night with Creek out on the town of Canterlot. He didn’t dislike Olive or Trap, but it was nice to spend some along time with his marefriend. And she always enjoyed time abroad from the Kirin Village.
It had started when they were nearly late for the train to Canterlot, only just making it on board as it was starting to pull out. It had taken a while to find a seat in the packed passenger cars, and even then, it was hardly comfortable.
When they arrived at the Canterlot Train Station, a group of snobbish unicorn nobles had pushed their way past them, irritating Creek. She had little tolerance for anyone pushing anyone else around—and there was a certain extra irritation of a royal being treated in such a way.
When she confronted the group, they brushed her off until they noticed her tiara (something she only wore for special occasions)—and the literal fire in her eyes. They profusely apologized as they fled with their tails between their legs. It had taken a minute for Pile to calm her down.
They made their way to the restaurant Pile had made reservations at. It’d taken him a few weeks-worth of salary to be able to afford it, but he was hoping it would all pay off in romantic value.
He was nervous due to him being out of his disguise, but Creek reassured him she wanted him as he was. It was flattering and warmed his heart, but Pile couldn’t shake the feeling of eyes watching him as he went. He never voiced it to Creek—no sense in spoiling the evening.
Things were going fine until they ordered their appetizers—two chef’s salads. When they arrived, Creek asked for extra ground pepper on hers. She was a fan of spicier cuisine after all. And this being a higher end establishment, they cracked pepper at the table at the customer’s discretion.
In hindsight, Pile should have advised against it, but before it even came to mind to do so, the waiter was back with a wooden pepper mill. Creek watched eagerly as he started cracking pepper onto her salad, her tail swishing.
The next thing Pile knew, she was gasping and inhaling, and he instinctively knew to dive for cover. A second later, there came a loud sneeze—and a jet of nirikfire that torched both of their salads and most of the table.
Creek promised to reimburse the restaurant and they asked for the check.
Deciding to try and conclude the evening with a calming stroll through one of Canterlot’s parks, the couple found one close to the restaurant. Unfortunately, they didn’t understand park maintenance procedures in Canterlot—fresh rain was brought in to water the grounds at night, and the two were quickly caught in the downpour.
Fleeing, they decided to cut their losses and head back for the train station.
Creek noticed Pile’s dejected look and scooted up next to him on the bench. “Sad the night didn’t go to plan?” she asked.
“A little. This was supposed to be the best night ever. A romantic date, just the two of us,” Pile replied.
“Well, I still enjoyed it,” Creek said. “It was just the two of us, after all.”
She nuzzled up against him, and he leaned into her warm floof.
It might not have been according to plan, but at least they were alone together—and drying off would be easy and enjoyable.
Author's Note
Fun fact: Hey, the prompt said "Best Night Ever." Didn't mean it had to go perfectly.
Day 29 - Friendship Report
“You want me to do what exactly?” Olive Facet frowned as she held up the roll of paper in her magic, then looked to her marefriend.
“It’s a ‘Friendship Report,’” Snare Trap said gently, giving a sheepish smile to Olive. “Princess Twilight talks about them in her Friendship Journal book.” Trap grinned and floated it beside her in her magic.
Olive snorted. “And what exactly does this entail?”
“Well, you write a letter like you would to Princess Celestia, detailing all the things you learned about friendship on a given day,” Trap explained. “It’s an exercise in learning about friendship—after all, friendship is magic!”
Olive gave another snort. “And why am I doing this, Snare?” she asked. “I’m a repair pony, not a student of Princess Celestia.”
Trap’s smile became strained. “Well, Olive, hun, uh… you’re not exactly the most friendly when it comes to others.”
“What are you talking about? Creek and Pile have never complained,” Olive retorted.
“I mean, other others. Like customers, or ponies on the street,” Trap elaborated. “Like that pony who came in yesterday. You were rather short with him.”
Olive growled. “Because he was trying to shortchange us! We fixed that clod’s grandfather clock for crying out loud—do you have any idea how many gears that was?”
“It doesn’t mean you should’ve tried to shock him,” Trap said gently. “It’s easy! You just write down what you learned about friendship daily. Princess Twilight recommends you start with a week and see how you feel after that.”
“This is stupid, Snare,” Olive said flatly.
“C’mon, do it for me?” Trap batted her eyelashes, caushing Olive’s cheeks to darken.
“Alright,” Olive muttered, looking down. “I guess so.”
“Great! I’ll give you some privacy to get thinking and writing for today’s lesson.” Trap trotted past her, stopping briefly to give Olive a peck on the cheek before leaving and shutting their bedroom door behind her.
Olive huffed at the paper, frowning at the blankness staring back at her as she magically grabbed a quill and ink bottle.
“Let’s see… ‘Dear Princess Celestia,’” Olive began, scribbling it down. She grumbled under her breath as she paused.
This was incredibly stupid. She already had friends, what did she need this report for? It was true, she had a temper as about as tall as she was, but was a friendship report really necessary?
Her ears drooped. Maybe her other friends had noticed too. And maybe there wasn’t a chance she wouldn’t get any others. She nibbled her lower lip as she looked back to the paper. She couldn’t let Trap down—if she thought it would help, Olive would give it a shot.
Olive wracked her brain for a few moments before inspiration struck her and she continued: “’Today I learned that friends forgive one another when they act out or act rude towards others, and try to understand how each other feel. A true friend sticks with you, no matter what you’re going through.’”
Finishing, Olive scanned over her work. Maybe it was a little bit of a loophole to use Snare Trap to base her friendship report off of when Trap was her marefriend, but friendship was friendship, right?
Beaming, proud of herself, Olive took up the friendship report and hurried to go show Trap.
Author's Note
Fun fact: Snare Trap is definitely the pony pony of their repair shop. Olive is a little short-tempered to go with her height.
Snare Trap bounced giddily on her hooves, grinning from ear to ear as she turned to face her audience. Sure, it was only her co-worker/marefriend and their mutual changeling friend, but it was more than what she usually had.
“You’re going to love this,” she said, igniting her horn.
She pulled the cloth from the covered object on the table, revealing a large, cylindrical object with numerous boxes and wires covering it. It stood partially on a pair of small wheels, while the other end of it was rigged with a towing harness.
“So, uh…” Pile rubbed his chitin chin. “What exactly is it?”
“It’s a thaumatic triangulation and location device,” Trap said proudly, puffing out her chest.
The shorter crystal pony’s eyes lit up and she let out an “ooh” as she eyed the device in full. “How’s it work, Snare?” Olivine asked.
“Well, it’s very simple,” Trap said, teleporting a pointer rod into her forehoof and starting with a glowing box near the front of the machine—or at least, the side of the machine facing her audience.
“It starts here, where I have a 500 megawatt-grade power crystal that powers the assembly. Had to put some thaumatic sterilizers in there to make sure it didn’t confuse any of the readings.
“The crystal powers a series of particularly cut crystal lens assemblies attached to thaumatic readers here.” Trap pointed to a series of boxes along the cylinder’s exterior. “Each one is angled differently to provide a 360-degree range of scanning.
“The thaumatic readers emit through the crystals in a sonar wave-like pattern when then reverberates on any thaumatic frequencies that might exist. The return waves will have traces of whatever thaumatic energy they picked up, and it’ll be fed through here: a spell-consistency matrix.” Snare pointed to a larger box on the wheeled-end of the cylinder.
“The energy signature is then fed through the matrix to identify the parts of the thaumatic energy that was picked up and what its use is. After assembling together enough data, it will then determine how the framework—if any—is laid out.”
“Hold up,” Pile said, raising a foreleg. “’Framework?’”
Trap nodded, glancing away. “Well, yes. Thaumatic energy is often organized into intricate lattices and frameworks—more commonly known as ‘spells’—and this device helps narrow down what the potential frameworks are that have been detected.
“Then we come over here…” Trap trapped another large box at the wheeled-end of the device. The front hissed open, revealing a green screen, along with a small console with a hoofful of buttons. A big red one was labeled as “power.”
“Once the machine is done, it will provide a readout of the various potential frameworks identified. Hopefully, with trial and error, I will be able to fine tune the spell consistency matrix to provide faster, more accurate readings.”
“Impressive!” Olivine said, stamping her hooves in applause. Pile quickly joined in.
“Thank you, thank you,” Trap said, bowing to both of her audience members.
“So, wait…” Pile squinted at the machine. “So that machine picks up spells and identifies them? Isn’t that just a… magic detector?”
“Well… if you want to put it in laypony turns… yes!” Trap beamed.
Pile chuckled and shook his head. “You two can be such eggheads sometimes.”
Author's Note
Snare Trap: Female, Unicorn
About: Snare Trap is a unicorn with a talent for tinkering and repairing machines. Known as "Trap" to most creatures, her most unique accomplishment was enchanting her oversized pigtails and tail so she could control them like limbs. Inspired by Princess Entrapta of Netflix's She-Ra and the Princesses of Power .
Appearances: Daring Do and the Crimson Conspiracy (upcoming)
Olivine Facet: Female, Crystal Unicorn
About: Shorter than the average pony and a rare Crystal Unicorn to boot, Olivine "Olive" Facet left the Crystal Empire to make a name for herself. She met Snare Trap while searching for a place to stay and convinced her to open a repair shop together. Inspried by Peridot from Steven Universe .
Appearances: Daring Do and the Crimson Conspiracy (upcoming)
Leaf Pile/Pile: Male, Earth Pony (Disguise), Changeling
About: Pile was an expert tunnel digger during Chrysalis's reign until he fled. It was a long time before he returned to the Hive. Pile assumes the identity of "Leaf Pile" while disguised, and his experience of being a tunnel excavator has helped with his job as a landscaper.
Appearances: Daring Do and the Crimson Conspiracy (upcoming), "Meeting the Family"
As Leaf Pile trotted down the street, he smiled and waved at the ponies he passed. They smiled and waved back, none the wiser of his disguise. He’d been among them for years, long before the queen was overthrown and the changelings reformed.
Still, as he trotted, he felt the faux hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. He couldn’t shake the feeling he was being watched, but every glance over his shoulder revealed nothing. With a huff, he picked up the pace.
His trot through downtown transformed ever slowly with every glance—from bright, sunny day with the streets bustling with ponies to an increasing foggy gloom settling all around him. The ponies became shadows, lost in the fog.
Pile frowned, as he slowed to a stop. The fog was so dense he couldn’t see the street ahead of him, nor behind him. But he was becoming very much aware that the shadows in the fog had stopped moving—and were starting to encircle him.
“Changeling!”
“He’s a changeling!”
“Monster!”
Pile blinked in confusion, until he looked down at his own foreleg. No longer was it the green of his disguise, but the black of a hungry changeling, ravenous for love.
“Wait! No! Please!” he exclaimed to the crowd, shrinking away at the growing candor of their accusatory voices. He covered his ears as he fell back on his haunches, shutting his compound eyes tightly as the shadows began to close all around him…
And then, all at once, silence.
Pile risked opening an eye and then the other, looking around. The crowd was gone, but the shadows were still there. They slid past him like rushing water, forming a dense blot of darkness in the gloom behind him.
Pile’s jaw hung agape and he backed away slowly as the growing mass towered over him. It soon took shape—slender, sleek, with a twisted horn and a faux crown-like protrusion atop its head. Green eyes with slit pupils opened, and a fanged grin slid across the shadow’s muzzle.
“Hello, Pile ,” hissed a familiar, oily voice. Sweet as tainted honey, abuzz with power.
“No… no! It can’t be!” Pile exclaimed, backing away further.
The shadow loomed over him with a hissing snarl. “Traitor! ” it bellowed, rattling Pile’s carapace with the volume.
“No! Stay away!” Pile screamed, his transparent wings buzzing to life as he fled the shadow. But as he checked over his shoulder, he found the shadow ever looming.
In an instant, it pounced.
“Pile! Wake up!”
Creek Shine shook the flailing changeling, gripping him tightly with her cloven hooves. The restless buzzing and twitching had woken her in the first place, but when he had started contorting and flailing, she was by him in an instant.
Slowly, the flailing and shouting died down and Pile blinked open his compound eyes. The first sight he saw was that of his relieved kirin mate, smiling at him. The second was his foreleg, held aloft so he could see it.
Still it’s natural gold with black streaks.
With a huff of relief, Pile flopped back onto his pillow, staring at the ceiling as his chest heaved.
“Was it a nightmare?” Creek asked, gently holding one of his hooves.
Pile swallowed and nodded. “Being outed as a changeling and… and… Chrysalis, she…”
Creek quietly shushed him, wrapping her forelegs around him and gently pulling him against her. “It’s alright, love. She’s gone. You’re safe. I’m here,” she murmured, one hoof gently stroking his head.
Pile’s sense of smell flooded with the comforting scent of fresh wood and cinnamon, and relief slowly washed over him. Within moments, he was drifting off back to sleep, warm thoughts of love and his friends slipping into his dreams.
Author's Note
Creek Shine: Female, Kirin
About: Creek Shine is the daughter of Queen Rain Shine, and thus considered the princess of the kirin. She hasn't let the title go to her head, however. She has an interest in digging up the history of the kirin, and her interest in Equestria outside of the Peaks of Peril has led her to meet Pile and a few friends.
Appearances: Daring Do and the Legend of the Kirinstone
Day 3 - Grand Galloping Gala
“I can’t believe you dragged me along to this, Shining,” Beacon huffed, still smoothing out the skirt of her dress. Whoever had made it was most certainly a talented seamstress, but she detested dresses. Too snug, especially on the hind legs.
Before her and Shining was the hottest event of the year—if you were a snobby Canterlot noble looking for brownie points with your peers and the princess, anyway. To Beacon Fire, the Grand Galloping Gala was a colossal waste of time.
Shining Armor chuckled, looking smartly dressed in a suit that Beacon would’ve traded her dress for in a heartbeat. “Believe me, that’s how I felt about it the first time I was invited too, Bea. But I found it was important experience to have, especially operating in Canterlot.”
Beacon snorted. “And if I don’t want to marry a princess?” she asked with a raised eyebrow.
Shining gave a laugh. “Alright, fair enough. But these are who we protect, Bea. The citizens of Canterlot… at least some of them, anyway. It’d be good to get to know them.”
“Who’s ‘we,’ Prince Charming?” Beacon asked with a smirk. “You’ve got a kingdom to help rule, remember?”
“Maybe so, but I was a captain of the guard once too.” Shining set a hoof on her shoulder. “I need to go find Cadance, you go have fun, alright?”
“As much fun as I could possibly have,” Beacon said with a sigh.
Shining gave her a parting pat before disappearing into the throng of ponies. Beacon stood by the entrance, rubbing one foreleg with her forehoof as she looked around for something to do.
There was the dance floor, but not only did she not feel like dancing in the confinements of her dress, the music wasn’t to her liking. She couldn’t slow dance without a partner, and she’d rather not do it with a stranger, no matter what Shining’s advice was.
Turning to her right, she could see a line of ponies that led into the adjourning hall to the ballroom of the castle. Beacon shook her head firmly—she was well-acquainted with Princess Celestia as she was, considering the princess was essentially her boss. She saw no need in waiting in line for potential hours just to say hello when she could say hello to her tomorrow.
Deciding it was better to look around for herself than stay in one place, Beacon made her way into the crowd.
Beacon made her way to the balcony adjacent to the ballroom, glad to have the cool night air as opposed to the stuffy, noisy air inside. To her surprise, she found she wasn’t alone on the balcony.
Another mare was there—a unicorn with a dark green coat and pine green mane and tail. She was dressed in a black dress and, surprisingly, a black Reiner-creased cowboy hat. She was too busy looking out over the Canterlot skyline to notice Beacon until she was next to her.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to disturb you,” Beacon said. “Not your kind of party either?”
“Not particularly,” the mare said with a country drawl. “My ma and pa dragged me and my brother here. Ma’s the one singin’ in there.”
“Your mother is Siren Song? She’s very talented,” Beacon said, nodding appreciatively.
“Thank ya,” the mare replied. “Name’s Ghost Pepper, most folks call me Pepper.”
“Captain Beacon Fire of the Royal Guard, but seeing as I’m off duty, Beacon’s fine,” Beacon said with a sigh as she turned to look out over the skyline.
“So if yer off duty, why are you at a fancy party like this?” Pepper asked.
“I deeply suspect my old friend Shining is trying to matchmake me,” Beacon said with a small smile. “Now that he’s married to the Princess of Love herself, I can only be doubly sure.”
Pepper chuckled. “Ma’s the same way. She’s kinda hopin’ I meet a noble or somethin’, like how she and pa met. Can’t really force somethin’ like that.”
“Yeah, unfortunately,” Beacon said, glancing at her. “So, what exactly is it that you do?”
“Farmer out in Paxton Junction, whole family is. Grow cactus peppers and raise cows, stuff like that,” Pepper said with a shrug.
“Paxton Junction, that’s a ways away,” Beacon said. “Can’t say I’ve ever left Canterlot. Kinda hard to with the job I have.”
“Get some paid time off,” Pepper replied. “I’m sure even the guard has that. Lot of Equestria to see.”
Beacon opened her mouth to speak, but her rumbling stomach answered instead. She gave a sheepish smile.
“Want to carry on this conversation at the buffet table?” Beacon asked.
“Sure, beats anything else at this party,” Pepper said with a chuckle.
The two made their way inside, chatting about their lives, and happy to finally have something to do.
Author's Note
Beacon Fire: Female, Unicorn
About: The Fire of Hope, the Flaming Shield, Wielder of Ignis. Beacon is a noble soul who does her best to try and help others. Much like Link and the Master Sword are fated to meet, so too does she find herself with Ignis very often. Beacon's knight-like moral compass stems from her love of reading fantasy as a filly, especially the works of Token
Appearances: "The Fire of Hope," Ponyville Noire: Frost and Fire Shadows Over Equestria: Ignis Reignited (upcoming), A Kirin's Quest (upcoming)
Ghost Pepper: Female, Unicorn
About: Ghost Pepper lives out in the desert on a farm with her family outside of the sleepy town of Paxton Junction. Pepper's talent is mainly the fact that she can handle spicy heat as well as a kirin can, though she's pretty good with a slingshot. She's also been seen with a ghostly dagger with supernatural powers...
Appearances: "The Good, the Bad, and the Shy" (cameo)
Pineapple Pizza tossed the dough over his head with his forehooves, spinning it just so so it flattened into the ideal shape. At a nearby table, Beacon Fire and Frost Glide watched on with interest.
“You sure your family is going to be fine with you borrowing their kitchen for lunch?” Beacon asked, watching the dough spiral up and fall back down.
“Of course! I think they’re happy I still kept the family talent for this stuff,” Pineapple replied. He set the dough on a wooden pizza peel on the counter. He set to work pouring and then smoothing oil across the crust.
Frost snorted. “I thought the only thing you got from your family was your nose?” she asked. Beacon snickered.
“Very funny,” Pineapple replied, pouring sauce across the pizza. “I mean that, even for a munitions expert, I can still cook a mean pizza.”
“Sure hope so, I’m starving,” Beacon remarked.
“How long does it usually take?” Frost asked.
“Ten minutes if the oven is good and hot,” Pineapple said, adding freshly grated mozzarella over the sauce. After almost none of the sauce was visible, he used the wooden peel to carry the pizza over and set it into the waiting brick oven.
Setting a timer atop the oven, he dusted his hooves off on his apron and went to join his friends.
“Let’s hope the oven is good and hot then,” Frost remarked.
The trio sat waiting, talking amongst themselves. After a few minutes, Beacon sniffed the air and sighed.
“Oh yeah, I think you still got it,” she said.
“Smells great, Pineapple,” Frost agreed.
As the timer rang out, Pineapple hopped to his hooves and went to fetch the peel. Then, after some proper slicing and dicing, it would be lunchtime!
Creek Shine sat on the sofa, eyes wandering the pages of her book eagerly. It was something a friend of a friend had recommended to her, and she had to admit she was hooked.
Aptly titled “Daring Do,” it chronicled the adventures of a Pegasus who, for some reason or another, was always in a bind after pursuing some ancient treasure. And, for whatever reason (Creek mostly thought it was to amp up the danger level) Daring Do was often without the aid of her wings. Not the end of the world for most Pegasi, but rather pesky when on an adventure.
Her ear flicked as she heard the door open and close. She glanced up to see it was Pile, and she flashed him a smile. “Good day at work?” she asked.
“Tough jobs, but we got it done,” Pile replied with a sigh.
Creek went back to reading, but she felt the sofa shift next to her. She didn’t glance up until she felt a chitin muzzle nuzzling her neck floof. She let out a small giggle as the muzzle trailed up and planted a light kiss against her cheek.
“Need a pick-me-up?” she asked, smirking at him.
“I could use a top off, yes,” Pile said with a chuckle.
Creek set down her book, turned to her coltfriend (lingfriend?) and pulled him in closer with her magic. The kirin planted a firm kiss against his lips, and Pile leaned into it. As much as he could without wrapping his forelegs around her, anyway.
When she pulled away, she giggled at the slightly flushed changeling. “Better?”
Pile smacked his lips and grinned. “My favorite snack.”
Author's Note
Pineapple Pizza: Male, Earth pony
About: A munitions specialist in the Royal Guard. A close friend and comrade of Beacon Fire, who hails from a family of chefs. His talented nose comes in handy when smelling out explosives.
Appearances: Ponyville Noire: Frost and Fire Plastic Mare Volume Two (Upcoming)
Frost Glide: Female, Thestral (Batpony)/Pegasus (Tomorrowverse Continuity)
About: A reconnaissance specialist in the Royal Guard. A close friend and comrade of Beacon Fire, who specializes in silent flight and nighttime reconnaissance. Her keen sense of hearing comes in handy.
Appearances: Ponyville Noire: Frost and Fire Plastic Mare Volume Two (Upcoming)
“Did you get everything?” Rune Glare asked her brother as they snuck through the bushes just outside the Kirin Village.
“Two specially carved masks from Zebrica,” Dust Glint said with a grin, holding up a sack.
“Perfect,” Rune said, darting into a bush and followed by her brother. “Creek and Pile should be coming back from their hike any moment. We’ll put these masks on and jump from the bushes and scare them.”
“You’re sure it’s alright?” Dust asked as he reached into the bag. “Won’t we get in trouble with Rain Shine?”
“It’s just a harmless prank, Dusty,” Rune replied, waving a dismissive cloven forehoof. “Besides, remember last year when Creek got both of us?”
“Pure lemon juice instead of lemonade, yuck,” Dust replied, briefly sticking out his tongue. “I don’t think my muzzle has ever scrunched so hard before in my life.”
“Exactly! This is just returning the favor. After this, we’ll be even.” Rune peeked out of the bush. “Now, you’re sure you weren’t spotted with the masks?”
“Pretty sure,” Dust replied, pulling out the first mask. He admired the craftsmanship, running a hoof over the brightly painted face and the Cheshire grin. “You know, this mask is actually supposed to mean ‘hello’ in Zebrican culture.”
Rune took the mask and raised an eyebrow at it. It was a questionable design choice, in her opinion, but expertly made. “Funny way to say ‘hello.’ What’s the other one look like?”
Dust pulled out the second mask. While the first had been slender and tall, this one was squat and square. The mask’s eyes were shutting in grinning glee, a series of warm colors used to paint this mask’s face.
“I think this one was meant to be a ‘wishing you well’ sort of mask,” Dust explained, taking it for himself.
“Are you sure you can wear these?” Rune asked, slipping hers on and frowning behind the wood. “Marvelous smelling wood, but… where’s the eye holes?”
“I think they’re just meant for decoration. It would, ah, explain the strange look Zecora gave me when I asked for the straps,” Dust admitted sheepishly.
“No matter, we’ll just jump out in front of them and make spooky noises, and take them off. Should be easy.” Rune shrugged, taking hers off for the moment and shaking out her floof.
“I think I hear hoofsteps,” Dust hissed, ears pivoting towards the forest.
“Hide!” his sister whispered, the two of them ducking back into their bush and donning their masks.
They waited with baited breath as the hoofsteps approached, and when they seemed to almost be next to them, they jumped from the bush and waved their arms, howling and screeching.
Creek Shine let out a scream and jumped back, before her face contorted into a scowl as her two friends took off their masks and laughed.
“Rune Glare! Dust Glint! What was that for?” she snapped.
“The ‘lemonade’ last year,” Rune said, sticking her tongue out at Creek.
“Hoof-crafted Zebrican masks,” Dust said with a grin, holding his up proudly. He soon frowned as he looked around. “Hey, where’s Pile at?”
The bushes nearby rustled, and out jumped a massive Usra Minor, snarling and roaring at the two kirin. Rune and Dust both screamed in horror, tripping over themselves as they ran back to the village.
Creek giggled and patted the bear on one of its front legs. In a burst of green flame, Pile transformed back to normal, snickering.
“Thanks love,” she said.
“Had a feeling they were up to something when I saw Dust sneaking through the village with his bag,” Pile remarked.
“Although, now I wonder what they’re going to try next year,” Creek sighed.
Author's Note
Rune Glare: Female, Kirin
About: A friend of Creek Shine's with a shared interest in kirin history and the sister of Dust Glint. Rune Glare still lives in the Kirin Village, where she attempts to locate historical kirin sites in the jungles of the Peaks of Peril.
Appearances: Daring Do and the Legend of the Kirinstone
Dust Glint: Male, Kirin
About: A friend of Creek Shine's with a shared interest in ancient things and the brother of Rune Glare. Often called "Dusty," he's since moved to Klugetown and opened an antiques shop there, always eager to see what might come through his door next.
Appearances: Daring Do and the Legend of the Kirinstone
“From everything I’ve heard, this sounds like a pretty neat show,” Beacon said, scooting down a row of seats with her friends close behind.
“A dance routine and a puppet show, Bea?” Frost Glide remarked. “I dunno.”
“Could be worse,” Pineapple Pizza said with a shrug. “There’s this great and powerful unicorn I keep hearing about who nearly sets her stages on fire.”
“Here we are.” Beacon plopped down in a section of three empty seats, followed by her two friends. Frost munched on a bag of popcorn she had brought, raising a skeptical eyebrow towards the stage.
The lights in the theater began to dim, and a series of spotlights illuminated the stage. There was the low hum, and a light fog began to cover the stage.
“Mares and gentlecolts,” boomed a male announcer. “Introducing the one, the only, Silly String!”
A light grey unicorn burst through the curtains and onto the stage. She had a flowing grey mane and tail with pastel stripes streaked through them. She grinned at the stage and her sky blue eyes sparkled. Colorful strands of strings adorned her flank as her cutie mark.
On her hooves were a set of roller skates, which she used to glide across the stage with ease. She did several spins, seeming to jump higher than a normal pony could without wings. The crowd murmured in wonder as they watched, and even Frost Glide was hooked.
Silly’s horn ignited, and as she twirled and pirouetted, brilliant, multi-colroed sparkles and streaks shot out like fireworks. The crowd gasped as the rainbow bursts illuminated the dark theater, leaving behind minute sparkles in their wake.
This went on for twenty minutes, with Silly String seemingly not even breaking a sweat, despite the magic and physical prowess on display. With one final, giant leaping spin, she shot a firework of magic into the air that cascaded into a series of prismatic explosions. She landed before the crowd, skidding to a halt, and giving them a bow.
As the popping of the explosions died down, the theater erupted in thunderous applause and the stamping of hooves. Beacon and her friends stood up, stamping their hooves in approval. Frost even threw in a whistle for good measure.
“Thank you, thank you!” Silly String announced from the stage, barely audible over the applause. She wiped her brow as the audience quieted to hear what she had to say. “We will now have a brief intermission while we set up our next act. I hope you all enjoy it.”
With a final bow, Silly String rolled backstage with the audience’s applause trailing her.
Behind the stage, another unicorn wiped her brow as the green glow of her horn died away. She had a strikingly black, with a black and white flowing mane and tail. Aside from her piercing green eyes, her other most unusual feature was the white stripes on her legs. Her cutie mark was a wooden puppet control.
“Brilliant!” a male unicorn said as he approached. He was shorter than the mare, with a pale yellow coat, mint green mane and tail, and brown eyes. His cutie mark was a pair of comedy and tragedy masks. “You were fantastic love!”
The mare gave only a small smile as he kissed her cheek. “Silly was the fantastic one,” she huffed.
“Do you need a minute?” The stallion looked her over.
“Just a breather, I’ll be ready soon. Make sure the puppets are ready.”
“Righto!”
Anne Marionette watched her husband Showstopper walk back to where they stored their props and sighed. “I can do this,” she muttered to herself, steadying her breathing.
After all, the show must go on.
Author's Note
Silly String: Female, Half-Zebra Half-Unicorn
About: The younger sister of Anne Marionette. Silly is more upbeat than her sister, and loves taking the stage to perform her favorite dances.
Appearances: None so far.
Anne Marionette: Female, Half-Zebra Half-Unicorn
About: The older sister of Silly String. Due to the unusual striping of her forelegs and mane, she endured a lot of teasing when she was younger, which she strived to protect Silly from. She's quiet, reserved, and often very serious. Inspired by the Puppet from Five Nights at Freddy's .
Appearances: None so far.
Showstopper: Male, Unicorn
About: The husband of Anne Marionette. He's a jovial fellow who's always looking after Anne, despite her protests. His hopeful, happy demeanor is what drew her to him.
Appearances: None so far.
“Why did we agree to do this?” Dazzlehoof grumbled as she and her co-worker Airlift trudged across the Dragon Lands. Towing along behind her was the biggest moving wagon that the Slap and Stick Moving Company had.
“Huge bonuses?” Airlift offered with a shrug. The Pegasus’s oversized wings were tucked at her sides, saving her immense wing power for the hard job ahead. “Static said the bosses got paid in gold, enough that they were very insistent on somepony doing this job.”
“We’d better get a cut,” the unicorn grunted, squinting at the smoggy skies overhead. The air was acrid, with no sign of any greenery around for miles. The earth shook to the rumbling of the area’s volcanoes.
The two ponies made their way up to one of the caves. Airlift checked a map she had been given back at the office and looked around. “This looks like the place. Do we knock or—”
“HEY! IS ANYONE HOME?” Dazzlehoof bellowed into the cave, causing the Pegasus to stumble back. Dazzle had never mentioned being from Canterlot, but that sure could’ve passed for the Royal Canterlot Voice.
The ground shook as heavy footsteps approached the cave entrance. Dazzlehoof and Airlift took a few steps back as a large, purple dragon stomped out of the cave. She had magenta scales down her stomach and aquamarine eyes. She squinted as she looked around the area, before a pointed cough from Airlift made her look down.
“Oh! You must be the movers!” the dragon said in a cheerful voice. “Thank you so much for coming on such short notice.”
“Right, Miss… uh…” Dazzle gestured for the dragon to continue.
“Call me Cinder,” the dragon replied. “Come in, come in.”
Cinder made her way back inside the cave. Dazzle and Airlift looked to one another and shrugged, before Dazzle unhooked herself from the moving wagon. She and her co-worker followed the dragon down into her cave.
“So what do you need moved, Cinder?” Airlift asked.
“Well, it’s sort of silly, I suppose, but I can’t really be too careful with those other greedy dragons around here,” Cinder huffed. “You see, I’m planning on going on a vacation.”
“I can see why you’d need one, living around here,” Dazzlehoof muttered.
“So, what, we talking some furniture here? I didn’t know dragons even had furniture,” Airlift said.
“Oh no, it’s nothing like that. It’s—oh! Here we are!” Cinder clapped her claws together.
Dazzlehoof and Airlift stepped into a large, cavernous room deep into the cave, stopping alongside Cinder. Before them was a mountain of golden coins and gemstones, piled almost halfway up to the ceiling.
“You see, I don’t want to leave my hoard unguarded. I’ve spent years getting it all together just the way I want it, and I don’t want any of those ruffians out there taking anything or messing with it,” Cinder explained.
“So, wait… you want us to move all this to where you’re going on vacation?” Airlift asked.
Cinder nodded. “I’ve already put a sizeable down payment down on the move,” she said. “It’s just to Quartz Cove.”
“Quartz Cove is on the eastern coast of Equestria!” Airlift squawked. “That’s hundreds of miles!”
“Well you wouldn’t have to go all the way,” Cinder said. “Just escort it to the nearest train station and take a train there. I heard there’s a train line that runs to Quartz Cove.”
Airlift’s jaw went slack as she went to the giant pile of treasure. “I sure hope we have a big enough wagon…”
“Oh we are definitely getting a cut,” Dazzlehoof growled, her horn sparking to life.
Author's Note
Dazzlehoof: Female, Unicorn
About: A mover at Slap and Stick Moving Company. She often has a dour, sarcastic demeanor, especially before she's had her coffee. She's the counterbalance to her co-worker Airlift's can-do demeanor. Inspired by and based off of a playable avatar of the same name from Moving Out.
Appearances: None so far.
Airlift: Female, Pegasus
About: A mover at Slap and Stick Moving Company. She has a lot of bravado and believes she can do anything--even if it's not the best idea. She's often partnered with Dazzlehoof during jobs.
Appearances: None so far.
Cinder was just made for the prompt, but can be fleshed out if necessary.
Olivine Facet trudged her way downstairs. Slipping through the office of the repair shop she owned with her partner, Snare Trap, she made her way into the actual garage bays where they did their work.
It was tedious business, but every night, Olive would make sure that all the tools were in their proper place. Then she would ensure that all of their machines were off and unplugged. She would then check on their part inventory, making sure everything was still in its rightful place. And then, after all that, she would ensure all the doors and entrances were locked snug.
Olive made her way back upstairs, dragging considerably slower than she had going down. Her ear flicked towards the shut door to the guest bedroom, but when she didn’t hear any sounds from inside, she turned back to her and Trap’s bedroom for a good night’s rest.
She found Trap already under the covers. The unicorn sat up and magically pulled back the covers for her tired crystal unicorn marefriend, and gave her a warm smile as she climbed in beside her.
“Is everything alright?” Trap asked.
“Everything’s locked up, Snare,” Olive said with a yawn. “Everything’s off and put away.”
“And how are Creek and Pile?” Trap glanced at the door.
“Didn’t hear a peep from them,” Olive said. “Hopefully we don’t until morning, I’m tired.”
Trap smiled, leaning over and kissing Olive’s cheek. “Then let’s get some rest, hon.”
Olive gratefully nodded. She and Trap both plugged their horns with tennis balls—a safety precaution for both the bedding and each other—and laid down to sleep. Olive felt Trap’s legs embrace her close, and the crystal pony nuzzled into the larger mare’s chest, letting the warmth carry her off to sleep.
It couldn’t have been more than a few minutes into their restful slumber when a noise started rattling the walls. It sounded like a revving engine, cycling up and then back down. Trap blinked awake with a groan, squinting at the sound.
“Olive?” she asked hoarsely.
Olive merely hummed in reply. She heard the noise, but was set on sleeping through it.
“Are you sure you turned everything off?” Trap asked.
“Yes, I’m sure,” Olive murmured.
“Can you go check again? I think something got switched on,” Trap replied, nudging her gently.
With much grumbling in protest, Olive left the warm comfort of her marefriend’s embrace and scooted out of bed. Begrudgingly, she made her way back down the hall, back down the stairs, and into their shop.
Once again, she checked the tools—nothing. Once again she checked all of the equipment, this time twice—again, nothing. Glancing into the part inventory, she could see nothing amiss.
Scratching her tired head with a forehoof, Olive grumbled as she trudged back upstairs. She was about to return to their bedroom when she realized the door to the guest room was rattling. Focusing her ears, she realized the noise was coming from within.
Grumbling under her breath, Olive firmly knocked on the guest bedroom door.
It opened a moment later, a sheepish Pile peering out. Once open, the revving noise was more recognizable: snoring.
“What is going on?” Olive huffed.
“Sorry. Creek snores when she sleeps in a foreign bed,” Pile said with an apologetic smile. “I know it sounds weird, but that’s what she told me. I’ve sort of gotten used to it when she stays over at my place.”
“Knowing that sooner could’ve been helpful,” Olive said flatly. “Goodnight.”
She stomped back down the hall as Pile shut the door again. Trap was waiting for her when she entered again.
“It wasn’t one of the machines?” she asked.
Olive shook her head. “Better set up a reverse soundproofing spell,” she said with a sigh. “We got a snoring kirin on our hooves.”
Author's Note
Fun Fact: Most ponies call Snare Trap "Trap," but because she's not most ponies, Olive refers to her as "Snare."
Rune Glare and Dust Glint trotted along the well-trodden path deep into the Everfree Forest. After hearing about Zecora from the ponies of Ponyville, they had been eager to meet the zebra from a strange, new culture. Now the two kirin were good friends with the zebra shaman.
Today, however, the path wound a different route, curving into a small meadow full of flowers. Chief among them was a blue blossom with large leaves, a bulb, and dark streaks across its petals.
“It would seem the forest has led us astray,” Rune huffed, looking back the way they came. “Zecora warned us about that.”
“Still, what a lovely meadow,” Dust said as he trotted over. “I’ve never seen flowers like this before. They almost remind me of foal’s breath.” He leaned in and took a few sniffs.
“We should be careful,” Rune said with a frown, walking over to join her brother. “This is the Everfree Forest. For all we know, they could be poison.”
“Well, they don’t smell poisonous,” Dust said with a smirk. “I feel fine.”
Rune huffed, leaning down and taking a few tentative sniffs. Grains of pollen were sucked into her nostril, and she let out a mighty sneeze that knocked her back on her haunches.
“Well, they do have a bit of pollen,” Dust admitted, letting out a sneeze himself. He sniffled, rubbing at his snout. “Weird… now my nose feels stopped up.”
“Mine too,” Rune said, sniffling herself. “I told you we should’ve left them alone.”
”Well, Zecora’s hut can’t be too much farther,” Dust said. “Maybe she’ll have something for this… this…” He sneezed loudly, knocking himself back on his haunches.
“I sure hope so,” Rune grumbled.
As they got to their hooves, trying to sniffle their noses clear, there came a rustling from the nearby bushes. Glowing green eyes and a wooden snout poked out, followed by the rumbling growls of wood against wood.
Stepping from the underbrush was a canine-like creature, made entirely of bits of mossy woods and sticks. It growled at the two kirin as it approached, stalking low to the ground.
“Fascinating,” Dust said nasally. “An animated creature made of wood.”
“It’s a timberwolf!” Rune snapped.
“Nothing to worry about,” Dusyt said with a smirk. “Wood is very flammable.”
He bravely stepped forward and up to the timberwolf. “You don’t scare me,” he said, before he gave another sneeze.
The timberwolf flinched away from the sneeze, but then lunged forward with a snarling roar. Dust Glint focused all his anger to the surface, and there was an explosion of bright blue.
As Rune waved away the misty smoke that had formed, she stared at her brother in shock. Instead of a proper nirik, his coat and scales were now bright white, tinged with pale blue flames.
And instead of flash frying the lunging timberwolf, it was now encased in a block of ice. Its eyes were wide with surprise as it glanced around at its confinement, shaking this way and that to try and get loose.
“Dusty! Are you alright?” Rune asked.
“That… was weird,” Dust admitted, his flames snuffing out as he shivered. “Ice instead of fire?”
Rune squinted at the flowers. “I remember now! These flowers are poison joke! Zecora told us about them, remember?”
“The flower that plays practical jokes? I thought she was exaggerating,” Dust huffed, letting off another sneeze. “Funny joke, turning flaming niriks into icy niriks. It literally gave us colds.”
“We need to hurry to her hut, maybe she has a cure,” Rune insisted, sneezing once more before the two set off for what they hoped was Zecora’s hut.
Author's Note
Fun Fact: This Poison Joke routine was inspired by the original Ben 10 show, from when Ben got a cold and Heatblast turned into a walking cold front.
“They’re everywhere!”
Ghost Pepper raced into the barn, a trio of frying pans caught in her magic. She set to work smacking away the little round, winged pests from everywhere she saw one. They were chomping down on everything! The wood of the barn, the hay, the feed for the cows, nothing was safe!
“Jack! Any luck?” Pepper called out of the barn.
“Nope!” Her younger brother, Pepperjack, swung a shovel at the creatures. Just like Pepper’s efforts, they knocked the creatures away, but barely phased them. One started gnawing on the shovel itself, and he had to buck it off.
“What are these things?” Pepper remarked, shaking off several who had started chewing on one of her frying pans.
“Think they’re called ‘parasprites,’” Jack replied, chasing some away as they started heading towards the vegetable patches. “Our cousin Carolina dealt with them a while ago.”
“Well how’d she get rid of them?” Pepper growled, snaring several parasprites in her magic and flinging them as far away as she could.
“Tryin’ to remember… wait! That’s it!” Jack exclaimed. “They like music!”
“Music?!” Pepper scowled in confusion. “Keep ‘em off of everything. I think I got an idea.”
“Easier said than done!” Jack called after her.
She raced back towards the farmhouse, swatting this way and that as she went. She only succeeded in briefly dazing the rapidly multiplying pests. She glanced at a row of pepper-producing cacti, and was shocked to see the parasprites happily chomping away on one of the hottest peppers in Equestria.
“Well I’ll be darned,” she muttered, before barging in through the back door.
Clay Hoof and Siren Song were busy swatting and shooing the creatures from out of the family home. Siren had taken to using a frying pan like her daughter, but was having far less success in actually hitting the winged pests.
“Ma, Pa! I think I know how to deal with ‘em!” Pepper called, stunning a nearby parasprite by flattening it with a frying pan.
“How’s that?” Clay asked, grunting as she shoved a pile of the dazed critters out the front door, and bucking them off into the distance for good measure.
“Cousin Carolina got rid of hers by music, maybe we can do that too,” Pepper said, helping her mother swat a few of the pests in the kitchen.
“You really think these things’ll listen to music?” Clay remarked, slamming the front door shut in several parasprites’ faces.
“It’s better than nothing, love,” Siren replied, panting from exertion.
“I’ll try and find my harmonica,” Clay said, smacking a parapsrite from his shoulder before running upstairs.
“Ma, you think they’ll like your singin’?” Pepper asked.
“Well, I’ve had worse audiences,” Siren huffed. “Worth a shot.”
The sharp, metallic notes of a harmonica sounded from up the stairs. The parasprites about the room perked up, stopping midchew or midflight to listen in. Clay came down the stairs, harmonica to his lips and a breezy, happy tune flowing from his instrument.
Siren Song took a deep breath and added a sharp note of her voice to the song, following her husband out the backdoor.
The parasprites formed a line behind the two, bouncing along merrily and seemingly forgetting about their meals. Jack raced over to Pepper as she walked along with their parents, glancing back at the train of parasprites they were gathering.
“Where’ll we take all these?” Jack huffed.
“Out to Bramble Valley, I reckon. Long as it’s far away from here,” Pepper said, checking to make sure the pests were all obeying.
“Bramble Valley’s miles away!” Jack cried.
“Better sore hooves than eaten crops, Jack,” Pepper sighed.
Author's Note
Pepperjack: Male, Unicorn
About: The younger brother of Ghost Pepper who mainly sticks around his parents' farm and the town of Paxton Junction. Jack got his cutie mark when he tried mixing grated pepper in with the farm's cheese, creating his namesake.
Appearances: None so far.
Clay Hoof: Male, Earth Pony
About: Clay Hoof came out to the deserts around Paxton Junction to domesticate and farm one of the hottest peppers in Equestria: the cactus pepper. His efforts proved successful, and he started both a thriving ranch and a family.
Appearances: None so far.
Siren Song: Female, Unicorn
About: A famous singer from Canterlot. She met Clay Hoof by fate when her train broke down in Paxton Junction. With the hotels booked, Clay offered to let her stay on the ranch. Though adverse to country living at first, she soon fell in love with Clay Hoof. Though she's often away on tour, she always tries to make time for her family back home.
Appearances: None so far.
A charcoal grey unicorn filly with a bright orange mane and tail streaked with gold stepped up to the entrance of the cave and swallowed. She turned to look at her two friends. “I don’t think this is a good idea.”
A dark blue Pegasus filly with a golden mane and tail smirked at her. “C’mon Bea, it’s just a cave,” she said.
A green earth pony colt with dark green mane and tail beside her nodded. “Besides, if we’re going to join the Royal Guard someday, we have to face our fears, right?”
Young Beacon Fire nodded, turning back to the cave entrance and steeling herself with a deep breath. “Did… either of you bring a lantern?”
Starshot Glitz snorted. “I did,” she said. “Why can’t you use your magic?”
“My parents said I shouldn’t use it in an enclosed space until I get better control of it,” Beacon sighed, blushing. “Might set something on fire.”
“Well, there’s nothing flammable in a cave,” Verdant Moss remarked. “But if you’re sure, we can use Star’s lantern.”
Beacon nodded. “So, uh, after you guys.” She gestured to the cave.
Starshot reached into her saddlebag and fished out her lantern. She used a self-striking match to light it and held it aloft as she stepped into the cave, followed by Verdant and then Beacon.
The light coming in from the entrance didn’t last as the three foals made their way deeper. Beacon gawked at the jagged stalagmites and stalactites—they reminded her of giant fangs, ready to clamp down at a moment’s notice.
Soon, they were navigating a winding tunnel that got so narrow in places they nearly had to crawl on the ground. Finally, the tunnel opened on a huge, cavernous room. Starshot’s lantern caught the glints of crystal shards and formations littering the floor and walls.
“Amazing,” Verdant breathed.
“Yeah,” Beacon said. “Now I know why the dragons used to pillage Equestria so much.”
“Quite a haul,” Starshot said. She set down her lantern to walk over to one of the formations. Three different crystals—one orange, one green, and one sky blue—had all grown into shard spires together. Star scraped a hoof at the crystals until she had dug up a small one of each and joined her two friends again.
“These’ll make for a nice souvenir,” she said, stowing them away in her saddlebags.
Verdant nodded. His attention was suddenly drawn to the ceiling and he jumped. “I thought I saw something move up there,” he hissed.
Beacon and Starshot’s heads snapped upward to look, the latter holding the lantern aloft. The flickering flame caused the shadows of the stalactites to dance across the ceiling. Dozens of pairs of small, red eyes opened one by one as the light splashed them, and soon dropped with hissing screeches.
“Bats!” Starshot cried, as she and her friends huddled on the floor, forelegs over their heads.
The lantern was discarded, and upon hitting the ground, the flame within snuffed out, leaving the three in the dark. Their screams were only overshadowed by the screeching of fleeing bats and the flaps of their many wings.
As the noise slowly subsided, the foals hesitantly opened their eyes—only to find their world completely bathed in inky blackness.
“Oh horseapples, my dad will kill me if I broke his lantern!” Starshot exclaimed.
“We have more pressing concerns now, Star!” Verdant exclaimed, his voice echoing around the chamber.
“Well we still need to find the lantern!”
Beacon’s breathing was heavy as her eyes strained in the dark. With a little focusing, she could barely make out the forms of her two friends as they felt around for the lantern. Her eyes slid up slowly to her horn and she swallowed.
“You have strong elemental magic, Beacon. That’s not a bad thing, but… it can be a little harder to control than most magic ,” came her father’s voice. “It requires the utmost concentration to use. You must focus…”
"Focus,” Beacon muttered to herself, nodding.
She shut her eyes and focused on her magic, feeling sparks light up her horn. She heard Starshot and Verdant’s voices, but it was murmuring over the hum of her own magic in her head. She felt a pulse of warm magic light up her horn—and then stop.
Hesitantly, she opened her eyes and found the entire cavern bathed in a warm, orange light. Verdant and Starshot were staring at her, mouths agape. She followed their gaze up her horn, and winced at the brightness.
An orb of fire, barely bigger than an apple, was floating just past the tip of her horn. As she cautiously got to her hooves, the fireball followed. “I did it,” she whispered. “I did it!”
“Wow,” Verdant said.
Starshot nodded in agreement, before her focus shifted to the cavern floor. She found and picked up the lantern and looked it over.
“Nothing serious, but I only brought one match with me,” she huffed, before looking around. “Which way did we come?”
“I can lead us out, I think,” Beacon said, looking up to the fireball. She noticed the flames that comprised it flicker towards the far wall, and turned the opposite direction. The light illuminated the way out, and lit their way as they made it through the winding tunnel.
Sweat dotted Beacon’s forehead, both from the proximity to her own fiery magic and the exertion of keeping it contained. Fortunately, their trek didn’t last long—they were soon close enough to the entrance for it to light the rest of their way. Beacon’s fireball snuffed out as she breathed a sigh of relief.
The three foals ran to the surface as fast as their hooves could carry them, cheering once they stood in the open sun again.
“You did it, Bea!” Verdant exclaimed, hugging her.
“Who says your magic’s hard to control,” Starshot agreed, hugging her from the other side.
Beacon chuckled. “Yeah…” she said.
A bright light from behind them caught the three friend’s attention. Verdant and Skyshot looked back as Beacon looked over her shoulder. Her eyes widened when she realized it was her own flanks that were glowing.
As the glow subsided, the image of an ornate, burning torch adorned her flanks.
“Your cutie mark!” Starshot exclaimed.
“And you got it before we got ours. I’m jealous,” Verdant said with a playful nudge.
“Wow,” Beacon breathed, and her mind wandered as to what it could possibly mean.
Author's Note
Starshot Glitz: Female, Pegasus
About: Beacon Fire's fillyhood friend who shared her dream of joining the Royal Guard. Eventually, she would find her talents elsewhere and moved onto another career path. She and Beacon are still close friends.
Appearances: None so far.
Verdant Moss: Male, Earth Pony
About: Beacon Fire's fillyhood friend who shared her dream of joining the Royal Guard. He eventually discovered talents that would lead him down a different career path, but he and Beacon are still close friends.
Appearances: None so far.
Fun fact: Starshot and Verdant were made for this OC-tober challenge!
“I c-can’t believe you talked me into this,” Cherry Blanche muttered, tugging at the blue vest with golden lightning bolts on it. She stood alongside several other pegasi as they waited to be called out into the arena, each of them sporting their own vest.
“Hey! You’re the one who wants to meet and greet with the Wonderbolts ,” came a snarling voice in her ear. “And since you refuse to let me do all the heavy lifting, it’s on you.”
Cherry swallowed. This was meant to be some sort of fan exhibition. A way for Wonderbolts fans to show their passion, and maybe a chance for the Wonderbolts to do some scouting. It was meant to be friendly, but Cherry could tell from the faces around her that it’d be anything but.
“At least listen to me,” the voice huffed. “You don’t have to do this alone—and seeing as I’m stuck with you, I’d rather not be bruised .”
Cherry nodded. She flinched as the gates into the stadium opened and the light poured in. She was all bust pushed along by the crowd as they made their way onto the field. Her ears flattened at the roar of the crowd in the stands.
“Mares and gentlecolts!” came the announcer over the loudspeaker. “Welcome to the Wonderbolts Pre-Show Exhibition Game! The rules are very simple.”
A pegasus in a referee uniform flapped down, holding a bright orange ball. She held it aloft to show the crowd of pegasi.
“The first pegasus to score a goal at either one of the baskets wins a backstage meet and greet with the Wonderbolts, complete with free autographs! Now, pegasi: on your mark!”
“You can do this, Cherry Blanche. ”
“Get set!”
“Do it for the Wonderbolts. Do it for Spitfire.”
“FLAP!”
Cherry was buffeted by a storm of pegasi as they rocketed into the air at once. She fell to the cloud floor of the stadium and looked up with a gasp. The pegasi were in a skyward tussle, each wrestling for control of the ball, which was lost in their midst.
“Eye on the ball, wait for an opening ,” the voice cautioned.
Cherry nodded, getting to her hooves and priming her wings for takeoff. Her eyes locked onto a flash of bright orange in the throng of pegasi.
“NOW! ”
Cherry felt foreign strength pump into her wings and she rocketed from the ground. She tucked her wings against her sides, letting the initial momentum push her through the struggling mass of pegasi. Outstretched forehooves grasped the ball and she cleared the mass.
“Fly, you fool! Fly like your life depends on it!”
Cherry’s heart roared in her chest as her wings pumped, eager to get distance between her and her rivals. But she could feel the shift behind her, the attention now focused on her.
“They’re closing in on me!” she squeaked.
“Hard about!”
Cherry grit her teeth and flared her wings, banking hard around to the left. The pegasi swarm flew past her, overshooting as she pumped her wings towards the opposite goal. This had befuddled the group enough for Cherry to sink the ball, much to the crowd’s applause.
“And we have a winner!” the announcer cheered. “Number 13, Cherry Blanche!”
“Fantastic wingwork out there,” the announcer said to Cherry in the locker room, patting her on the shoulder. “The Wonderbolts will be ready for you in a few minutes.”
“Thank you,” Cherry said with a grateful nod. Her heart still hammered, even after the exhibition and the show were long over.
As the announcer left, her ear flicked towards the sound of lone clops in applause.
“Not bad, Cherry, not bad at all.”
She turned towards a floor-length mirror set up in the locker room and approached it. She was hardly surprised by the reflection.
The mare in the mirror shared her white coat, her pale pink cherry cutie mark, even her cherry red, slightly curly mane and tail. But her reflection was a batpony, with a jagged horn of crimson magic sprouting from her forehead and a fanged grin.
“You surprise me,” Contessa Crimson purred. “You’ve come a long way since we first met.”
Cherry smiled and nodded, though it faltered slightly. They had come a long way since then—now she didn’t need to wear the Bat Crest for Contessa Crimson’s thoughts to join hers, or Crimson’s strength to flow through her body. They were becoming closer.
For better or for worse.
Author's Note
Cherry Blanche: Female, Pegasus
About: A shy pegasus who grew up close to the ground. Even more timid than Fluttershy, Cherry was a meek pony, even after meeting and befriending Ghost Pepper. She has a crush on Spitfire of the Wonderbolts.
Appearances: None so far.
Contessa Crimson: Female, Bat-Alicorn
About: When Cherry Blanche found a cursed artifact called the Bat Crest, she developed a Hyde-like alter ego named Contessa Crimson. Immensely powerful and arrogant, Crimson is everything Cherry isn't and lords over her with that fact. Though as time went on, she grew to be more encouraging than demeaning. Her immense power comes with a major drawback: an overwhelming hunger for fruit.
Appearances: None so far.
Fun fact: Ghost Pepper also has a cursed artifact, called the Hellfire Dagger. They share a third friend brought to life by a third cursed artifact.
As night fell over Chicacolt, the suburbs came alive with the sound of happy foals and delighted screams and laughter. In the city, however, fewer dared to walk the streets, especially alone. Even on a night like this.
In a dimly lit parking lot, two masked ponies hopped over a chain link fence and made their way towards rows of cars. While one kept an eye on the street, the other set down a large duffel bag and pulled out a crowbar.
“Keep it quiet,” the first pony hissed to him. “No breakin’ windows.”
“Right,” the second grunted.
The second metal touched metal, however, there came a growling noise, like someone gruffly clearing their throat.
The two ponies froze, ears swiveling as they looked around the parking lot. They saw no one nearby, nor heard anything further. The wind blew an old newspaper through the lot, but nothing else moved.
“Maybe it was the wind,” muttered the first pony. “Get to pryin’.”
The second nodded, taking another look around the lot before putting his crowbar the car’s door.
“I said,” came a gruff voice, followed by more, louder throat clearing.
The two masked ponies snapped upright, the second one gripping the crowbar like a bat to use for defense. They scanned the lot again, but once again came up empty. This time they knew it wasn’t the wind.
“Up here.”
Slowly, their gazes panned upwards, and their pupils shrunk.
Hunched on one of the parking lot’s light poles was a cloaked, shadowy figure, sitting rigid like a gargoyle. The ponie’s face was obscured by a cowl with pointed ears, almost like a bat’s. In the moonlight, her eyes practically glowed.
“N-No flippin’ way,” the first pony muttered, taking a step back.
His friend was less hesitant, especially with the crowbar in his hooves. “Y-You ain’t real! You’re an urban legend!” he snapped, leveling the crowbar at the figure. “J-Just some jokester in a costume!”
“Oh I’m very real,” came the mare’s gravelly voice, and she rose up on her hind legs. The two robbers shrank back as she flared her cape, fully resembling a bat against the light of the moon overhead.
“Y-You’re supposed to be in Trottingham!” protested the first criminal.
“Well I’m here now.” The figure dropped down to the ground in front of them, rising back to her full height and squinting at the two. “And if you two know what’s good for you, you’ll give this up.”
The first criminal hid behind his cohort, who still brandished the crowbar, albeit much more shakily. The hooded figure took a step forward, and the two criminals let out a scream. The crowbar clattered to the ground and they fled the parking lot, leaving their bag behind.
The figure stood there for a moment more, watching them leave, before letting out an amused snort.
The pointy-eared cowl and cape shrunk back into her body, which regained its bright red hue. She shook her head, flaring her black mane and tail back out and adjusting the white goggles over her eyes.
“This is fun,” Penny Tumbler remarked with a grin. “I love Nightmare Night.”
Her ear flicked towards the sound of a car alarm a few blocks away and she sighed.
“Well, Plastic Mare’s work is never done,” she said, bouncing off in the direction of the racket. “Wonder if I could pull off Supermane next.”
Author's Note
Penny Tumbler/Plastic Mare: Female, Earth Pony
About: Penny Tumbler was an average safe cracker until a robbery went wrong and she was shot and doused with a mysterious chemical. Her body underwent a drastic change, allowing her to bend and stretch at will. She would go on to don a costume and fight crime under the guise of Plastic Mare.
Appearances: The Heroic Rebound of Plastic Mare (Plastic Mare Volume 1) (Upcoming), Plastic Mare Volume 2 (upcoming)
Fun fact: Supermane is already a work in progress by the talented Jade Dawn. Check out his work here!
“Sure you don’t want to come with us, Leaf?” Perlite asked as he and the rest of the landscapers walked the streets of Ponyville.
Leaf Pile flashed a sheepish smile. “Maybe some other time, I’m really beat,” he replied.
“Aww, but milkshakes are half off at Sugarcube Corner today?” Cherry Bonsai protested. “Best time to get ‘em!”
“I’m good on milkshakes, thanks,” Leaf said with a soft laugh. “You guys have fun.”
“Alright, if you’re sure,” Chilly Gust sighed. “Well, have a good one. See you tomorrow!”
Leaf Pile waved goodbye as they turned and headed for Sugarcube Corner. They all deserved a treat after a hard day at the Rich Estate—it was wild that the place was always so unkempt when they arrived. Like it was part of the Everfree Forest or something.
In reality, the disguised changeling needed some time to himself. Keeping up appearances was taxing, and he didn’t want to reveal himself just yet. It wasn’t that relations between ponies and changelings were strained—he was just too nervous.
As he turned the corner, headed for his home near the edge of town, he bumped into someone.
“Oh, I’m sorry! I wasn’t looking where I was going,” he said. “Are you alright?”
“No, no, I’m sorry. I was just distracted.”
Pile blinked when he realized what stood before him wasn’t a pony, nor any creature he’d seen before. Her coat was khaki in color and extra floofy. She had pearly white cloven hooves, and a stripe of similarly colored scales from her snout all the way down her back. Her curly mane was like a male lion’s, dark teal in color and curly, with a tuft at the tip of her tail and on the back of her back legs. A gnarled, maroon horn, almost like a branch, jutted from her forehead.
Pile blinked a few times, trying to find his words. “Uh… never seen you around town before,” was all he managed.
The creature giggled. “That’s because I’m from the Peaks of Peril. My name is Creek Shine, princess of the kirin.”
She gave a grand bow, and it was only then that Pile noticed the wooden tiara resting atop her head. He quickly gave a bow.
“I am so sorry, Your Majesty,” he spluttered.
“Oh please,” Creek snorted. “It’s fine. What’s your name?”
Pile blushed and stood upright. “Uh well… it’s P-Pile. L-Leaf Pile! Nice to meet you,” he said with a strained grin.
Creek giggled. “Well, Leaf Pile. I am indeed new in town. I still have an hour before I need to meet with Princess Twilight Sparkle, but perhaps you could show me around town?”
Pile gulped. “Well… sure! I’d be glad to.”
“Great! Do you know any good place to get a snack? I’m starving,” Creek said.
“Actually, Sugarcube Corner has milkshakes half off now… if you like milkshakes, that is,” Pile said, trotting along.
Creek trotted along beside him. “Milkshakes sound perfect .”
“That’s how you two met?” Olivine Facet snapped, frowning at Pile.
“Well, yeah. I thought it was the luckiest day of my life,” Pile said with a shrug and a smile. “You’re telling me the day you met Snare Trap wasn’t yours?”
Olive blushed and spluttered. “Well… of course it was! But that’s such a ridiculous scenario,” she said. “You just bump into some wayward princess?”
“Well, how did you two meet?” Pile raised an eyebrow.
Olive sat back on her haunches and crossed her forelegs, looking away dismissively. “We met when I needed a place to stay in Ponyville,” she said plainly.
Pile snorted. “And you made fun of how I met Creek?”
Author's Note
Fun fact 1: No, I didn't think to expand upon Pile's coworkers. Maybe next time.
Fun fact 2: In the cancelled Ponyville Noire: The Wayward Princess where Pile, Creek, Trap, and Olive were originally meant to debut, this is basically how Creek and Pile met! How Olive and Trap met would have also been included.
“Alright, rookie. Do you have eyes on the target yet, over? ” Frost Glide asked over the radio.
“Negative,” Flint Cylinders replied, scanning the cloudy horizon through his helmet’s visors. “You’d think a flaming airship would be easier to spot, over.”
“Weather Team Report says they shunted some thunderheads out that way. Might be obscuring line of sight.” Beacon Fire’s voice came over the radio. “If you see any large formations, be sure to investigate, over.”
“Will do, over and out,” Flint replied, before muttering under his breath, “What kind of airhead shoves thunderheads into the flight path of a passenger airship…”
The skies around him were quickly darkening, accompanied by the low rumble of thunder here and there. Suddenly, a bright light lit up his peripheral—only instead of being a bolt of lightning, it was a firework made of white light.
“Jetset to Hot Sauce, I’ve located a signal flare, over,” Flint reported.
“You have permission to proceed, Afterburner. We couldn’t get clear communications from the vessel, so be prepared for anything. Good luck, over and out ,” Beacon replied.
“Only my first real mission, no pressure,” Flint muttered.
The crystalline pack on his pack crackled with energy as he dove towards the source of the flare. Crystal wings flared out and helped him bank into the cloudbank. Flint’s eyes widened at the sight as he broke through the cloud barrier.
Most of the airship’s deck was smoldering. A smaller craft was pulled alongside it, and Flint could make out figures moving back and forth between it and the airship. It seemed to be an airship in its own right, though roughly the size of a small sailboat.
From their appearance, Flint surmised they were pirates, though he was surprised they were working this far in-land.
Flint angled towards the deck of the airship, extending his forelegs out. He only got glances of the startled pirates as he passed, but felt his forehooves connect with something soft as he passed. There were general exclamations as he passed, and he turned and ducked under the airship’s hull.
As he rose back up on the side of the pirate airship, he saw that two of them were sprawled out on the deck. The remainder—four in total—each drew a pistol and turned to fire at him. Rocketing upward, he heard the bangs of the guns’ reports, and smirked when he heard curses shortly after—and the soft whistling of air deflating.
As the gasbag of the pirate’s airship slowly deflated, Flint angled back towards the deck, coming from the stern this time. He swatted the gun from one of the pirate’s hooves with one swing and delivered a blow to the jaw with the other, knocking him against the side of the airship’s deckhouse.
He ducked under the sound of gunfire and used the jetpack’s momentum to ram a second pirate into the airship’s railing, knocking the wind from his lungs and collapsing him to the deck.
The two remaining pirates cast aside their guns for daggers, lunging at Flint. One succeeded in cutting the sleeve of his jacket before he forced the dagger down and delivered an elbow to his jaw.
As he fell, the other stabbed at Flint’s jetpack, only for him to jerk out the way.
“Hooves off the goods,” Flint growled, delivering a sharp jab that bloodied the pirate’s snout and sent him stumbling back.
Flint grabbed up some rope from the deck and set about tying the hooves of the unconscious pirates before peering into the deckhouse. He found the airship’s captain and a few of the crew tied up, and quickly freed them with the aid of one of the pirate’s daggers.
“Is everyone alright?” Flint asked.
“The passengers are locked in the dining hall,” the captain said, shrugging off the ropes. “Who are you?”
“Name’s Afterburner, I work for the Royal Guard,” Flint said with a nod. “I’ll make sure the pirates are secure while you get this ship up and running.”
As he left the deckhouse, he heard one of the crew remark: “Boy howdy, wish the rest of the Guard was like him.”
Shrugging it off, Flint tapped the side of his helmet. “Jetset to Hot Sauce. Airship is secure, looks like pirates. Seems like everyone’s safe, over,” he said, grabbing the first unconscious pirate.
“Good work, Afterburner. We’ll meet the ship at port. Any sign of the Big Blue Coltscout, over?” Beacon asked.
“Afraid not. Looks like he missed this one, over.”
Author's Note
Flint Cylinders/Afterburner: Male, Earth Pony
About: Flint Cylinders was a race pilot when fate dropped the Pegasus Aeronautical Replacement Apparatus (P.A.R.A.) into his proverbial lap. Using his newfound power of flight, he fought Sombra Cultists out in Applewood before being recruited by Beacon Fire to be a part of her team.
Appearances: Plastic Mare Volume 2 (Upcoming)
Fun fact 1: If you couldn't guess by the jetpack and name, Flint is a ponified Rocketeer. Highly recommend the movie.
Raspberry Zinger gulped as she stared into the gloomy maw before her. She’d heard tales of the Everfree Forest before—the strange plants, the stranger animals, the unpredictable weather. All of it paled in comparison to what she peered into now. The foliage was too thick to see very far inside, and she winced at the noises coming from within.
She never thought she would be making a delivery here.
“Alright, Raspberry,” she muttered to herself, swallowing. “Y-You’ve delivered to worse places. C-Can’t think of them right now, but… I know you can do this. You have a customer waiting on you. You can’t let them down.”
Though she had no idea who would be crazy to live out in the middle of the freaking Everfree Forest .
Raspberry took one tentative step forward, and then another. And another. And another.
She kept going until she was well within the forest’s outer limits, and she quickly picked up the pace as the trees and underbrush grew thicker and thicker around her. Her hair stuck up on the back of her neck as she trotted, an overwhelming feeling of being watched ever present.
She heard a twig snap right beside her and that was enough to flair out her wings and start flying. Raspberry fought through the thick branches of forest canopy and the interwoven vines hanging from them.
She finally broke through with a triumphant cry—only to come face-to-face with an angry-looking thunderhead. It rumbled and shook before shooting a bolt of lightning at her. She just barely ducked the bolt, and with an “Eep!” she crashed back through the canopy to the forest floor.
“Alright, no flying. Noted,” she muttered, glancing skyward as she continued on.
Raspberry picked up the pace with her trotting as she tried to find the path to her customer’s home. Asking around Ponyville had made it appear as though the path was rather easy to follow, so long as you avoided the poison joke.
Apparently that luck was only for locals.
Raspberry got turned around back to the entrance of the forest twice as she tried to find her way. With a frustrated growl, she turned away the second time, intent on moving in as straight a line as possible into the forest—only to appear back where she started from.
With bewildered spluttering, Raspberry marched back into the forest, only for another twig snap to cause her to freeze up. She slowly turned her head towards the sound to find the glowing green eyes of a timberwolf staring back at her, snarling.
With a scream, Raspberry used a mixture of wing power and hoof power to run through the forest, leaping over rocks and tree roots and diving through the underbrush. She narrowly avoided a small field of blue flowers—the poison joke the Ponyville locals had warned her about, she surmised—and continued her frantic escape.
Glancing back over her shoulder to see if she was still being followed proved to be a mistake—she ran smack into the side of something and crashed to the ground. Rubbing her head, she realized she’d ran into the front door of some sort of hut.
The door opened, revealing a confused-looking zebra.
“Y-Your order, ma’am,” Raspberry said, reaching into her saddlebags and pulling out the miraculously unharmed package.
The zebra beamed as she took the package. “Thank you so much for delivering this to me,” she said, before turning a concerned gaze towards Raspberry. “Perhaps you would like to come in for some tea?”
“Tea sounds lovely,” Raspberry said with a strained smile, trying to knock loose some of the leaves and twigs from her mane.
Author's Note
Raspberry Zinger: Female, Pegasus
About: A deliverymare working for Slap and Stick Moving Company. Raspberry is quick to startle and rather jumpy. This problem is compounded by a batpony infatuated with her--that one of her coworkers has her convinced is after her blood because of her fruity name.
Appearances: None so far
Fun fact: Raspberry Zinger is named after an herbal tea!
“I cannot believe you talked me into this,” Beacon Fire huffed, shifting on her hooves as she peeked from behind the curtain. Why were there this many ponies at a silly old talent show?!
“Relax, Bea, you got this,” Pineapple Pizza said. “It’s not that long a song.”
“Besides, you’re the captain of the guard, remember?” Frost Glide said, nudging her shoulder with a chuckle. “You’re supposed to be tougher than this.”
“Right, captain of the guard , not singer !” Beacon hissed.
“Ya got nothin’ to worry ‘bout, Fire,” Ghost Pepper said, walking over and setting a comforting hoof on her shoulder and flashing a kind smile. “Ya sounded mighty good in practice—it’s mostly me I’m worried about. I’ve never played in front of an audience before.”
“You sounded great, too, Pepper,” Pineapple said.
“Yeah, I reckon so. I mostly get it from my pa,” Pepper said with a shrug. “He blows a mean harmonica.”
“And now!” came the booming voice of an announcer on the stage. “Please welcome our next contestants, Captain Beacon Fire and Ghost Pepper!”
Beacon’s ears drooped as the crowd applauded. “Did he have to bring up my rank?” she muttered.
Frost and Pineapple nudged her forward.
“Knock ‘em dead, Bea!” Pineapple hissed.
“Break a leg!” Frost added.
“I’ve never understood that,” Beacon said to Pepper as they headed past the curtain.
“Me either,” Pepper said with a shrug.
Beacon winced at the spotlights as the crowd applauded and stomped for the two performers. Pepper waved to the crowd and made her way over to a stool seated by a microphone on a stand and unslung her guitar. She beckoned over Beacon with a jerk of her head.
The captain gulped and walked up to a second microphone stand, squinting out at the crowd. She glanced back towards backstage and saw Frost and Pineapple nodding her on. Flashing them an uneasy smile, she turned back to the crowd.
“How’s, uh, everypony doing tonight?” she asked with a nervous chuckle. “Tonight, I’d like to sing for all of you ‘Equestria, The Land I Love,’ by Coloratura.”
She nodded to Pepper, who returned it and started strumming on her guitar. Beacon swallowed a lump, shut her eyes, and leaned into the microphone…
“Equestria, the land I love, a land of harmony.
“Our flag does wave, from high above, for ponykind to see…
“Equestria, a land of friends! Where ponykind do roam!
“They say true friendship never ends.
“Equestria, my home!”
As the strumming beside her stopped, Beacon hesitantly opened her eyes. She was abruptly overwhelmed by thunderous applause and the stomping of many hooves—most audibly, from her position, from backstage.
Pepper stood up beside her, setting aside her guitar and nodded to her. The two faced the audience, with Pepper taking off her hat before the two gave their bows. They waved to the crowd as Beacon headed off-stage, while Pepper replaced her hat and retrieved her guitar.
“You were amazing, Bea!” Frost exclaimed, her and Pineapple hugging her.
“I told you you could do it!” Pineapple agreed.
“Heh, thanks guys,” Beacon said sheepishly. “But it feels like my face is on fire right now.”
“Fantastic job!”
Beacon and her friends turned towards the new voice: an aquamarineish-grey earth pony with a curly indigo and opal mane and tail. A cutie mark of multicolored musical notes adorned her flank.
“I can’t say I’ve ever heard another pony sing that before,” she said, beaming at Beacon Fire. “And your friend plays a mean guitar. I just wanted to say thank you to you both, and best of luck with the judging.”
As she trotted away, Beacon spluttered. “Th-That was… Co-Co-Colora…” She trailed off as she flopped over in a dead faint.
Pepper emerged from the stage, eyes widening at the fainted unicorn. “What the hay happened to her?” she remarked.
Author's Note
Fun fact 1: Yes, that pony is who you think she is.
Fun fact 2: Beacon is willing to go above and beyond the call of duty--but she has a bit of stage fright.
“I can’t believe you talked me into this,” Olivine Facet grumbled, igniting her horn as she and Pile descended into the cave.
“W-Well, that Maud Pie said Ponyville had the best caves to find gemstones,” Pile replied, having shifted back to his changeling form. His compound eyes easily adjusted to darker environments. “Besides, you seemed like the best pony I know for the job—”
“Because I’m a crystal pony?” Olive shot a frown over her shoulder, one eyebrow raised.
“What?” Pile spluttered. “N-No! You just said you’d been practicing your gem finding spells, and I figured this would be the best place to try them.”
Olive blinked and turned back to the trek at hoof, her cheeks darker. “Ah. Right,” she muttered. “Still, what do you need a gemstone for so badly?”
Pile swallowed. “Well, uh… Creek’s birthday is coming up. At first, I wanted to make her a tiara, but then I realized I didn’t really know how to make one of those. And besides, Creek rarely wears hers as it is. So, I figured I could make her a necklace! I know a little about weaving,” he explained.
“And you couldn’t just buy her a nice necklace?” Olive huffed.
“Well, no. I thought it’d be special if I made it myself. Something from the heart, you know?” Pile said, looking around as the cave around them grew darker.
Olive snorted. “And here I thought you were fixing to find a stone for an engagement ring,” she said with a smirk.
“What?!” Pile’s voice reverberated around them. “No! N-Not yet, anyway! Besides, I don’t know how kirin propose or do marriage, it might be something completely different than how ponies do it. Especially royal kirin.”
Olive hummed in response, focusing on the task at hoof. A flat beam of green light emitted from her horn and danced up and down the walls as they went. She turned down a series of tunnels, following the way the beam flickered.
They walked in silence, until Pile spoke up: “So, uh, why were you practicing gem finding spells anyway? Didn’t take you for a spelunker.”
Olive spluttered, and her horn briefly sputtered out. She grumbled as she reignited the spell and continued on, her pace a little brisker. Pile frowned and hurried after her.
“That didn’t answer my question,” he said.
Olive muttered something under her breath, but even in the stillness of the cave, Pile couldn’t quite make it out.
“What?”
“I said I’m looking for stuff for Snare!” Olive stopped and shouted, her voice roaring back at her around the cave. Pile winced at the volume.
With a huff, Olive continued on with Pile close behind her.
“You’re looking for gems for Trap?” he asked. “Does she need them for a project or something?”
Olive stopped and stared at him, eye twitching. “Is the chitin of your skull that dense? I love her, you clod! Have you not been paying attention?!”
Pile winced again, blinking. “Well, you’re not the best at socializing so… I mean, I know you and her spend a lot of time together—and I know, you’re roommates, yeah—but I didn’t know how close you were.”
“We sleep in the same bed, Pile,” Olive said flatly.
It was Pile’s turn to blush. “Right. Ah… let’s just find those gemstones then. I’m sure we can find something nice for Creek… and Trap, too.”
“Yes, let’s,” Olive muttered, thankful the darkness of the cave at least hid her blush.
Author's Note
Fun fact: Olive is just a little bit of a tsundere. Again, she's inspired by Peridot.
“Thank you for coming on such short notice, Star,” Beacon Fire said as she and her fillyhood friend trotted through the halls of Canterlot Castle.
“Anything for a friend!” Starshot Glitz said with a grin. “And anything photography is my business, after all.” She adjusted her star-shaped shades proudly. A matching cutie mark of a grand, shooting star adorned her flank.
“How have things been out in Applewood?” Beacon led them down a different corridor, heading for the guard barracks.
Star sighed. “Off and on, sort of an off spell right now. Photo Finish has been quite the competition, but we haven’t been slacking off either,” she said. “Where she does fashion, we do film stars.”
“Well, at least you’re getting work,” Beacon said encouragingly.
“And you! Captain of the guard. At least one of us had our fillyhood dreams come true.” Star sighed. “But enough about me, Bea. What did you need my help with?” She raised an eyebrow at the captain.
“Well, the guard is getting photographed. It’s for both the records and public statement, show who’s in the guard and all that,” Beacon explained. “And one of my co-workers—and friends—is being more than a little camera shy.”
“Ah. Nervous?” Star smirked.
“Not sure. She’s very aggressive about not being photographed, but she won’t tell me why.” Beacon sighed. “She hasn’t been this closeted about something before. I was wondering if you… help her, with whatever’s wrong. Seeing as you know more about the photography business than me.”
“Happy to help, Bea. Lead the way,” Star said.
Beacon walked up to the door of the female guard barracks and knocked on the door. “Frost? You in there?” she called.
“Go away, Bea. I’m not getting a picture,” came the muffled reply from within.
“I’ve got someone with me who might be able to help you,” Beacon said. She sighed. “Don’t make me pull rank, Frost.”
“Fine, come in,” growled Frost Glide from within.
Beacon pushed the door open and trotted inside, followed by Star. The lights in the barracks were dim, and on the far side, seated on the edge of a bunk, was Frost Glide. The two trotted over to her and Beacon hopped on the bed beside her and set a hoof on her shoulder.
“Hey there,” Star said, lifting her shades and setting them on top of her brow. She extended a hoof to Frost. “Name’s Starshot Glitz, and old friend of Beacon’s. She says you didn’t want a photo?”
“No, I don’t,” Frost growled. The batpony grit her teeth, baring her fangs.
“But why? It’s mandatory for the guard,” Beacon said. “I don’t want to have to report you for insubordination.”
“It’s stupid.” Frost’s ears drooped.
“No it’s not,” Star said. “If it’s got you this upset.”
Frost huffed, gaze falling to the floor. “When I was a little filly in school, we had a picture day. I was excited to get my picture taken, but once I sat down, the camera flashed me and I just… went berserk.” She hugged her shoulders. “It was so scary, not being able to see anything that I freaked out. And it lasted so long . So I never got another photo since.”
“Your sensitivity to bright lights,” Beacon realized with a nod. “Of course.”
Star patted a hoof on her other shoulder sympathetically and smiled. “Well, what if I did your photo for the guard?” She looked to Beacon. “Would that be against protocol?”
“Well, no, but we’d have to mark it down in the funding report,” Beacon said, rubbing the back of her head.
“No, no charge for it,” Star said.
“I said I don’t want a photo!” Frost growled.
“Easy, easy,” Star said, taking Frost’s hoof in hers. “I won’t use a flash for it. It might look a little different from the others’ photos, but it’d work. I promise—no bright lights.”
“No flash?” Frost asked quietly.
Star nodded. “No flash.”
“I suppose so,” the batpony muttered, sliding off the bed.
“Thank you, Star,” Beacon said, sliding off with her.
“No problem.” Star beamed. “I’m just glad I brought some of my equipment with me.”
Author's Note
Fun fact: Starshot originally wanted to join the Royal Guard with Beacon and Verdant, but found her talent in photography. Now she runs a photography business out in Applewood.
Ghost Pepper adjusted her black Reiner-creased hat as she stepped onto the main street of Paxton Junction, a piece of straw sticking in her teeth. She glared down to the opposite end of the street.
Pepperjack stepped out into the middle of the street, mimicking her, as he adjust his own brown Reiner-creased hat above his eyes. He narrowed his gaze at Pepper.
“Y’all got a lot of nerve, challengin’ me here,” Pepper called.
“You’re getting slower and ya know it!” Jack called back.
Pepper grunted and reared back, a forehoof coming to rest on a holster strapped around her barrel. “Not too late to back out of this,” Pepper said.
Jack gave a “tsk” and reached for his own holster. “By all means, ladies first,” he replied.
“Suit yourself. We’ll draw on the count of three then.” Pepper spat out her piece of straw.
“Hooves only, no horns,” Jack called.
“Course not. Now, on your mark… 1!”
Hooves twitched against holsters.
“2!”
Steely eyes locked in squinted stares.
“…3!”
Pepper and Jack both drew slingshots from their holsters and rolled forward, taking aim—towards the buildings lining Main Street.
All along the windowsills, on the rooves, and even on the fences by the buildings were dozens of old bottles and tin cans. If not for Pepper’s magic, they would’ve had to have been set up by hoof—and there wouldn’t have been nearly enough for a proper challenge. And an odd number of targets meant there could only be one winner.
Methodically, Pepper and Jack drew a pebble into the sling of their slingshot and let it fly. Tin clattered and glass shattered as each of the siblings laid a bottle or a can low. Several of the townsfolks who had come out to watch the spectacle took cover behind barrels and crates, lest they be struck by a stray pebble.
Each of the siblings muttered under their breath, either another tally of a confirmed hit or a curse at a miss—or a stolen kill. Occasionally, they glanced back at one another, determination burning in their eyes.
After a few minutes of intense shooting, both siblings panted as they lowered their slingshots. Jack smirked as he stared down his older sister. “That makes 30 for me, sis!” he called.
Pepper grunted, before a glint of metal caught her eye. With a smirk, she raised her slingshot and fired. Jack winced as it whizzed over his head—and onto the edge of the bell tower of the church at the end of the street opposite of Pepper.
Her pebble struck true, knocking a can skyward. It bounced off the church’s bell with a thunderous clang.
“31,” Pepper said with a smirk, twirling her slingshot before holstering it.
“Dang it, I always miss one,” Jack growled, stuffing his own slingshot away.
The townsfolk peeked out of hiding and applauded as Pepper took off her hat and bowed to them.
“I’ll get ya one day, sis,” Jack said with a smirk.
“Maybe,” Pepper replied. “But for now—that means sarsaparilla’s on you.”
Jack huffed as he trudged towards the saloon, where a timid Cherry Blanche stepped out, watching the younger sibling enter. She turned to Pepper as she approached.
“Do you two always do that when you come to town?” she asked Pepper.
Pepper shrugged. “Just when we’re feelin’ thirsty,” she replied.
Author's Note
Fun fact: They're western-themed. I had to go full cowboy with them.
“Keep low, and try not to rustle the brush too much,” Blue Book muttered as he sneaked through the bushes. The blue unicorn with black mane and tail and a simple cutie mark of a book with a blue cover peeked out occasionally before moving on.
Behind him, Verdant Moss gave a sigh as he followed his friend, albeit at a much less covert pace. “Why are we out here again?” he asked, scratching at his dark green beard. A cutie mark of a leaf under a magnifying glass adorned his flank.
“Lot of travelers have been coming out of these woods disoriented, and with no memory of what happened to them,” Blue explained. “It must be some sort of cryptid, stalking these woods. It could be dangerous if it gets to town.”
“And why am I out here?” Verdant asked, peering around. He was a little more apprehensive now.
“You said you’ve been meaning to study the local plant life, didn’t you?” Blue glanced back at him.
“Kind of hard to do that while I’m off on a wild goose chase,” Verdant sighed. “You sure these travelers haven’t just been hitting the cider too hard?”
“Not cider season,” Blue refuted. “Besides, they weren’t hungover. It look like they were… drained somehow. They didn’t seem to be injured, save some scrapes and bruises, but they certainly weren’t alright.”
“Well if this thing doesn’t kill, then what’s the problem?”
“It hasn’t killed yet . And we still don’t know what we’re dealing with. It could grow more danger—down! ”
Blue forced his friend down into the bushes as the sound of rustling leaves and snapping twigs approached them. The two ponies held their breath as a large, brown bear snorted and sniffed its way past their hiding place.
Verdant and Blue watched as it continued on deeper into the forest, seemingly not picking up on the two hiding in the bush.
“It’s a grizzly,” Verdant hissed. “We need to get out of here.”
As he made a move to flee in the opposite direction, Blue grabbed his shoulder. He had a serious frown pointed in the direction the bear had gone.
“C’mon, Blue!” Verdant hissed. “Your cryptid hunt can wait!”
“Verdant, we don’t have grizzlies around here,” Blue said, turning to him. “The most we get is black bears.”
“Well maybe it just moved in—those things are dangerous! We can’t just go poking around after one,” Verdant protested.
“Then we’d better keep low and sneaky then,” Blue replied, creeping from the bush and following the bear’s trail deeper into the woods.
“Blue!” Verdant called after him. Biting his lower lip and looking around, he finally hurried after his friend.
He caught up to Blue Book and the two made their way through thicker and thicker underbrush. A definite, wide trail had been made through it, allowing them an easy trail to follow. Soon, the canopy started to blot out the light of the midday sun.
Blue halted their progress on the edge of a glade deep in the woods, where a makeshift campsite seemed to have been made. A few hollow logs had been moved around a stone fire pit full of burnt twigs.
The bear approached the firepit and glanced around, glaring this way and that.
And then it erupted in a burst of green flame.
Blue and Verdant had to cover each other’s mouths at the sight. Replacing the bear was a tall, lithe figure with a membrane like mane and tail and dark chitin. A jagged horn protruded from her forehead, and a pair of thin wings buzzed on her back.
Verdant jerked his head back the way they came and Blue agreed. Together, they crept back the way they had come, doing their best not to raise too much noise.
“Queen Chrysalis! Here?!” Verdant snapped once they were sure they were out of earshot.
“Right, we definitely need to tell someone now,” Blue said, nodding. “And that can most definitely get more dangerous.”
Author's Note
Blue Book: Male, Earth Pony
About: Always on the lookout for mysteries and odd occurrences, Blue Book usually finds trouble more often than not. Still, he's great at tracking down the weird of the world.
Appearances: None so far.
Fun fact 1: Blue Book and Ghost Pepper are my oldest pony OCs!
Fun fact 2: In his original intended appearance that never became a story, Blue Book was meant to be the love interest to Queen Chrysalis--and probably my first attempt at reforming her.
“This is a neat show you all do,” Pinkie said as she bounced around backstage alongside Silly String. The unicorn was giddy with excitement at having the party pony visit. “And it’s just you three?”
“Yep! Me, my big sister Anne, and my brother-in-law, Showstopper,” Silly replied. “There’s Anne now!”
The older unicorn was busy looking at a checklist on a clipboard as the two approached. She looked up to see Pinkie waving enthusiastically at her.
“Hi Anne! It’s so nice to meet you!” Pinkie exclaimed, grinning broadly.
Anne simply raised an eyebrow, a blank frown plastered on her muzzle, before she continued on her way, returning to her clipboard. Pinkie’s wave slowed to a stop and she tilted her head as she watched Anne go.
“Uh… did I say something wrong?” Pinkie asked.
“No, my sister has always been like that,” Silly said with a sigh. “Ever since she was a little filly.”
“I guess that’s how other ponies see Maud,” Pinkie remarked, turning to Silly. “So, what happened?”
“Well, it was when she was in school…”
“Alright, class,” the teacher said. “Today we have a new student joining us today. Please give a warm welcome to Anne Marionette.”
The quiet half-zebra unicorn stepped forward and gave a shy smile and slight wave to the class.
“Hello,” she said.
“Whoa! Check out her forelegs!” one of the students exclaimed, jabbing a hoof at her.
Anne winced back, green eyes falling upon the white stripes that lined her legs. She hid one foreleg behind the other and bit her lower lip.
“Why do you have stripes? I thought only zebras had stripes?” another filly asked.
“Or, if you’re a zebra, why do you have a unicorn horn?” a third inquired.
“Now that’s enough!” the teacher said firmly. “I shall not have anyone be bullied for their appearance. If Miss Marionette wishes to answer your questions, she will do so if she wants to.”
The teacher turned to Anne and knelt down to her, setting a forehoof on her shoulder. Anne looked up at her and wiped a tear forming in the corner of her eye.
“Now, Anne, don’t let them bother you,” she said. “And don’t feel pressured to answer them if you don’t want to. And if somepony is bothering you about it, feel free to come to me, alright?”
Anne quietly nodded before walking to her seat near the back, her head lowered. She didn’t need to look to know they were all still watching her as she sat in her seat.
“Alright, class, let’s begin today’s lesson,” the teacher said, turning to the blackboard and plucking up a piece of chalk.
All around her, Anne’s ear flicked as they heard the whispers and murmurings. The word “Stripes” was the most prevalent. The makings of a stony frown began to set on Anne’s muzzle.
“Oh no!” Pinkie exclaimed. “That’s terrible!”
Silly nodded. “My sister has kept to herself ever since,” she said. “I’m surprised she even got married the way she’s so closeted.”
“We’ve got to find a way to get her out of her shell,” Pinkie said, slamming one forehoof into the other firmly. “I guess I know what my friendship mission here is after all.”
“Then let’s get to planning,” Silly said. “There isn’t a moment to lose!”
Author's Note
Fun fact 1: While I've never done anything with Silly or Anne, this was my original idea: Pinkie going on a friendship mission to help them out.
Fun fact 2: Anne's meant to even resemble the Puppet from FNaF, hence the black coat and white striping. Even the green eyes.
Late at night, Penny Tumbler patrolled the industrial district of Chicacolt, keeping to the shadows as she prowled.
There had been an uptick in thefts from the factories—and given her own history with such things, it was for the safety of the public as well as the criminals themselves that she put a stop to it.
So far, she had only the night shift workers on her patrol, but she kept an eye and ear out for a car or truck out of place. As she bounced over to Crawdad Alchemical, her ears picked up a distinct sound—but it wasn’t the sound of a robbery in progress or a hasty getaway.
It was desperate barking and yipping, accompanied by the sound of frantic splashing.
Gasping, Penny bounced towards the sound, shifting into her costume form—being her natural form was easier for stealth, but duty called!
She bounded over a tall chain link fence and wound up next to a drainage ditch. A flickering streetlight illuminated the puddle of viscous, multi-colored liquid pooled at the bottom—and the poor dog that was currently struggling to swim in it.
“Hang on, I got you!” Penny called, thrusting her two forelegs down to the poor creature. They stretched and curled around the dog’s struggling middle and hoisted him up without a second thought about what might be in the puddle.
Setting the dog on the ground, Penny grimaced as it coughed and wheezed. He was a bloodhound with a shaggy coat—completely soaked in whatever chemicals had seeped out of the nearby drainage pipe.
Penny bit her lower lip as she recompressed and looked around, but she could see no one nearby looking for their dog, nor any sort of medic that could help. Then her eyes fell down to her unnaturally red legs, capped in black around her hooves, and she frowned with determination.
“Hang on, dog,” Penny said, picking up the shivering hound in one coiling foreleg. The other three coiled like springs and she bounced off into the night. Retracing her steps by memory, she bounced as fast as her rubbery limbs could take her down a desolate road and into the forest.
And before long, she was in front of a familiar hut, fortunately illuminated within.
Penny rapidly beat on the door. “Makazi! Please, I need help!” she called.
The door opened, revealing the shadowy form of the zebra shaman who lived within. His confused gaze turned serious when Penny offered the shivering dog to him.
“He needs help, please,” Penny said. “You were the only one I could think of. Can you help him?”
“I’ll see what I can do,” Mazaki said firmly, nodding. “Quickly, bring him inside.”
Penny limped inside, holding the dog close. He gazed up at her, panting, and she flashed him a reassuring smile.
“Makazi’ll help you, I promise,” she whispered. “He worked wonders on me.”
As daylight broke through the curtains of the hut and fell upon the dog in the bed, breathing evenly as he slept, Penny opened the hut’s door. She staggered over to the bed and watched the dog carefully.
Makazi perked up from the hearth in the center of the hut, raising an eyebrow at Penny. “You seem tired,” he said. “Did you sleep?”
“I couldn’t,” Penny croaked, shaking her head—it sagged a little more than it should for a normal pony. “So I just did patrol until morning. How is he?”
“I gave him the same remedy as I gave you,” Makazi said, joining her at the bedside and offering her a steaming mug that smelled richly of herbs. “He has been sleeping since. What happened to him?”
“I don’t know, I found him stuck in a drainage ditch full of chemicals,” Penny said, flashing a grateful smile as she took the mug and took a sip. A zing of energy shot through her. “Phew, way stronger than coffee.”
“I see your compassion has grown much since we last met, Penny Tumbler,” Makazi said with a smile.
The dog stirred, catching their attention. He abruptly climbed out of the bed, tail wagging.
“Hey there, boy,” Penny said, grinning. “Do you feel better?”
“What is that on his nose?” Makazi asked.
Penny blinked, then frowned. Sure enough, in place of his nose was a round, blue orb. Carefully, she reached out and touched it—and it gave like a rubber clown nose. The dog barked in reply.
Bouncing on his legs, the dog hopped onto the floor—and bounced literally around the room. His tail coiled like a spring, and he used it to bounce around, barking excitedly.
“…Where was this drainage ditch?” Makazi asked in wonder.
“By Crawdad Alchemical. You don’t think…” Penny looked to him, eyes wide.
“He may have received the same treatment you did, yes.” Makazi nodded, smiling at the dog’s enthusiasm.
The dog wound up pouncing on Penny, licking her muzzle excitedly. She cackled and giggled. “Ok, ok! Down boy!” she said breathlessly, gently pushing him off.
The bloodhound barked and stood at attention, his tail wagging. It was only then that she realized he lacked a collar as well. Penny stretched a hoof over and pet his head.
“He seems to lack a home—and he has taken quite a liking to you,” Makazi said. “And I believe you would be well equipped for his, ah, newfound enthusiasm.”
“Yeah,” Penny said, smiling down at him. “You’re a regular strechy mutt, aren’t ya… perhaps that’s what I’ll call you. Plastic Mare’s sidekick: Stretch-o-Mutt. Stretch for short.”
Stretch barked happily in response, bouncing on his paws.
Author's Note
Fun fact 1: Stretch-o-Mutt is entirely based off of the character from the Krypto The Superdog cartoon, who is essentially the pet version of Plastic Man. Don't know yet if he'll be canon or not to Plastic Mare.
Fun fact 2: You'll find out who Makazi is in The Heroic Rebound of Plastic Mare .
Rune Glare and Dust Glint raced inside the Facet and Trap Repair Shop and slammed the door behind them. They ran into the repair shop’s garage spaces, which had been transformed into the repair shop’s main repair area.
“He’s coming!” Rune hissed. “Is everything set?”
Olivine Facet, with a crooked, striped party hat seated atop her head, gestured around the repair shop. Banners hung from the walls and a few decorated the various toolboxes. Balloons dangled from any object that could hold them down—even wrenches and various other hoof tools. A large folding table with a cake and several plates sat in the middle of the garage floor.
“What do you think?” Olive said flatly.
“I’m so excited,” Creek Shine said, bouncing on her hooves. “Pile said he’s never really celebrated his birthday before. He’s going to be so surprised!”
“Hatching Day,” Snare Trap corrected. “That’s what the changelings call it. I guess there’s so many of them in the Hive that it’d be hard to plan that many parties.”
“Or maybe old Queen Chrysalis didn’t party much,” Olive groused with a shrug.
“I sure hope he will be surprised,” Dust pointed out. “Changelings are very apt at reading emotions, love or otherwise. I hope he didn’t catch on to us.”
“I’m sure he didn’t, Dusty,” Rune said, patting him on the shoulder. “We told him to pick up some cookies from Sugarcube Corner like you said, all the way on the other side of town.”
“Aaand, we told Pinkie Pie it was his birthday today,” Dust said proudly with a very knowing wink.
Olive smacked her forehead. “Good grief, we want him to be able to celebrate it today! ” she remarked, before frowning at all the decorations. “Don’t you think you went a little overboard, Snare?”
“I followed the book,” Trap said with a shrug, producing a hardback book with a pink cover and an image of three balloons on the spine. The cover read: “How to Throw the ULTIMATE Surprise Party! By Pinkie D. Pie. Twenty-Fifth Edition.”
“’Twenty-Fifth?’” Dust remarked as he read the cover.
“Pinkie Pie comes out with one about every year,” Olive said with a sigh.
“And to answer your question, Olive, I underdid it according to the book. There were a lot of things I couldn’t find. I wanted to try and make a party cannon, but I couldn’t find ‘party-grade gunpowder’ anywhere,” Trap continued.
Creek walked over and peeked out the door, before racing back to the group. “He’s almost here!”
“The lights!” Rune hissed, her magic flaring up. There was a subtle click of a light switch, and the entire garage went dark.
The front door to the office creaked open. “Hello? Olive? Trap?” Pile called as he looked around. “I got the cookies—Pinkie said I should bring cupcakes too.”
As he stepped into the garage, the lights clicked on abruptly, startling him.
“SURPRISE!” the group cheered, with Rune and Dust tossing confetti on Pile.
“Happy birthday, Pile!” Creek cheered, using her magic to pull him to her into a warm hug.
“Oh! Wow,” Pile remarked as Olive carefully relieved him of the cookie and cupcake boxes. “Thanks everyone.”
“There’s presents upstairs, but Olive insisted we not get cake anywhere we couldn’t clean it,” Trap said. “Happy Hatching Day.”
“I don’t know what to say,” Pile said with a teary smile, buried in Creek’s chest floof. “Thank you all so much.”
“Anything for a friend,” Olive said with a smirk.
“Or lingfriend,” Creek said with a wink, giving Pile a peck on the snout.atc
Author's Note
Fun fact: Hard to keep a secret from a changeling, seeing how good they are with sensing emotions.
“So this is where you work now, Verd?” Beacon Fire asked as she followed her fillyhood friend down the paved stone path.
“Yep,” Verdant Moss replied. “Bea, welcome to what we like to call ‘The Garden.’”
He gestured to the expanse of flora before them. Beacon’s eyes scanned over it all, wide with awe. Paved pathways made a series of interconnected rings, each space full of vibrant green plants or brightly colored flowers. Wooden buildings line the outermost ring, some large, some smaller—the smaller ones seemed to be made inside of giant trees.
“And what exactly do you do here?” Beacon asked as they continued down the path.
“Well, Treehugger likes to call it the ‘Equestrian Botany Expedition,’ or ‘EBE’ for short,” Verdant continued. “Our mission is to keep a complete record of Equestria’s various flora—as well as the flora of other lands. In addition, we provide aid to those with ailing plants or crops. We’re… not official yet, though, in terms of being recognized by the Princesses.”
“Amazing,” Beacon said, looking up at a series of trees that shaded the path with their branches. “Where have you all been?”
“Well, some places have been less productive than others,” Verdant admitted. “Not many plants out in Griffonstone or Yakyakistan. But, we have been tied up for several weeks out in the Peaks of Peril. I plan on visiting there myself soon.”
“The home of the kirin?” Beacon asked.
“It’s a vibrant jungle, Bea. Numerous plants we’ve never seen before, and a variety of local edible fruits and plants,” Verdant said, his voice carrying a sense of awe. “In fact, we should be getting some starts here soon for what the kirin call ‘nirik peppers.’”
“Sounds spicy,” Beacon said with a laugh. “Well, as soon as we can get the inspectors out here, we should have no problem in getting you recognized by the royalty. Heck, the Princesses are probably going to want to see all this.”
“Really?” Verdant’s eyes lit up.
“Really. This place is amazing, Verd,” Beacon said, leaning in to sniff a nearby flower. She flashed her old friend a smirk. “Still wish you had joined the guard?”
Verdant laughed. “No, not really. I knew that wasn’t right for me the moment I got my cutie mark.” He smiled back at the image of a leaf under a magnifying glass. “Imagine me, discovering a new species of moss of all things.”
“You got an eye for plants,” Beacon agreed. “Remember the time, you, me, and Star went camping and you saved us from poison ivy?”
Verdant chuckled and brushed it off. “Oh stop. I’m sure either of you would’ve seen it before I did.”
“Well, it looks good walking around out here,” Beacon said. “What’s in all the buildings?”
“The larger buildings are laboratories and greenhouses to study plants,” Verdant said, pointing them out. “The smaller buildings are residencies for some of the non-travelling staff. Helps to be near your place of work, after all.”
“Right. Well, I’ll need to do is meet up with Treehugger and we can schedule an inspection,” Beacon said. “Where is she?”
“She’s off visiting her friend Fluttershy today, but she’ll be back by this evening,” Verdant said. “Why don’t I show you around some of the buildings, show you what we’re working on.”
“I’d like that,” Beacon said, following Verdant as he led her towards one of the larger buildings.
Author's Note
Fun fact: Verdant Moss, like Starshot Glitz, wanted to join the Royal Guard with Beacon Fire when they were younger, but he found his calling in botany. As such, he joined Treehuger's research project here.
“I hate this,” Beacon Fire grumbled, trotting along a path. There was nothing wrong with it, of course, it was still intact—it was just that it was upside down.
“Try flying upside down in this mess,” Frost Glide grumbled, narrowly avoiding a streetlight that was bent into a pretzel.
“Keep your eyes sharp, we have to make sure everyone’s evacuated from here, Princess Celestia’s orders,” Beacon replied.
Gritting her teeth, she leapt across a gap next to the upside down path and swam the rest of the way to a nearby hut. She kicked open the door. “Royal Guard! Anypony home?” she called inside.
Getting no response, she careful swam over to the next house. Frost joined alongside her, letting out a startled “ack!” as she flew face first into a cotton candy cloud. She shoved it away and spat out chocolate milk.
“What’s even causing this?” Frost grumbled.
“Discord, who else?” Beacon huffed. She kicked the house’s door open and made her announcement, once again getting no reply.
“Well, yeah, I kinda guessed that—I guess I mean why is he doing this?” Frost asked. “I thought he had reformed or something.”
“Well, from the reports I’ve heard, he’s got something called ‘catscratch fever’ or something. He can’t stop snapping his fingers—or claws, or whatever he has." At Frost Glide’s skeptical look, she added, “Yeah, I know. Sounds crazy.”
“That would be Discord for you,” Frost sighed.
“Hey, have you seen Pineapple anywhere?” Beacon hopped over and perched on a floating bench. The legs had sprouted little wings, keeping it aloft and steady in the fluctuating gravity.
“Last I saw him, he was on the edge of town,” Frost said. “I’m gonna head north, see if anyone’s still there. Any word from the princesses on stopping this?”
“Twilight and her friends are trying to make it through this mess to see if Fluttershy can help him,” Beacon reported. “I’m going to head west towards the center of town, good luck.”
“You’re the one who needs it—that’s the last place I saw Discord,” Frost replied, giving a brief salute before clumsily flying around the floating remnants of Ponyville.
Beacon sighed, steeling herself as she swam through the town, carefully dodging floating trash cans and barrels. She saw a few of the Pegasus guards carrying ponies towards the edge of town—fortunately, whatever was going on with Discord seemed to be localized. Outside the borders of Ponyville was normalcy.
The sound of snapping drew Beacon towards the center of town. There, in all his chaotic was Discord, dancing like he had ants in his pants—even though he wasn’t wearing any. He seemed lost to some sort of music—music only he could hear, obviously, but Beacon surmised it was some sort of dancing—and his claws snapped to a beat.
“Discord!” Beacon bellowed.
“Oh, you must be a member of the Royal Guard,” Discord said, looking genuinely relieved. “So terribly sorry for this, but I can’t get this music out of my head.”
“Have you tried tuning it out?” Beacon huffed, landing on a shrubbery. She quickly scrambled off of it onto a nearby roof as it growled at her.
“Dogwood. And do be careful about getting closer, my magic can—”
Discord was cut off as a snap of his fingers changed Beacon’s golden armor into a clown suit, complete with face paint.
“HEY!” she shouted, glaring at her new outfit. She grit her teeth, horn flaring with magic.
“I’d say it’s an improvement,” Discord replied. “I don’t think your magic is going to—”
With a snap, the fireball she had been conjuring turned into soap bubbles and drifted away.
“Help,” he finished quietly.
“Sometimes I hate this job,” Beacon muttered, frowning at Discord. “You know, I liked you better when you were a garden ornament.”
“I was a work of art, wasn’t I?” laughed Discord, cha-chaing past her.
“Fluttershy, hurry up,” Beacon groaned.
Author's Note
Fun fact: Writing Discord is fun.
Day 30 -Sisterhooves Social
Years ago…
Anne Marionette panted, struggling to focus as she pranced through a series of baskets. It was a struggle to keep her eyes focused on where she wanted to land and her younger sister cheering her on ahead.
“C’mon Anne, you got this!” Silly String cheered, bouncing in place.
A slight smile crossed Anne’s muzzle as she pranced through the final series of baskets. “What’s next?” she panted.
“We gotta climb! We have a lead though,” Silly pointed out, gesturing to a series of three large crates stacked on top of one another.
“Let’s not waste it then,” Anne huffed, gently urging Silly to the crates.
As Silly climbed up first, Anne glanced back at the other contestants. All of them were stumbling through the baskets, and some of them were partially covered in mud. Anne’s horn flickered with green magic, lightening Silly’s load as she climbed up.
“C’mon, Anne!” Silly called, before hopping down the other side.
Anne nodded, huffing as she struggled to climb up the crates. Lifting Silly with her magic was easy, seeing how little she was—Anne was worried she’d burn out if she tried the same trick on herself.
And there was certainly nothing in the rules against “sisterly encouragement,” surely.
Anne carefully hopped down the other side of the crates, gawking at Silly. She was seated at a picnic table, halfway through an apple pie.
“You gotshta eat one too, Anne!” Silly mumbled, spraying crumbs everywhere.
Anne groaned. Apple was her least favorite, but she had entered this to get Silly a blue ribbon, and that was what she was going to do.
Even if it killed her.
Walking over and sitting down, Anne hurried through her pie, grimacing with each bite. She had no doubt it was properly prepared for the event—an Apple-made apple pie had a quality standard, after all—it was just her least favorite flavor.
Groaning, Anne followed Silly to the next event. She gained a little more pep in her step when some of the competitors raced over and sat down at their own pies.
“Push, Anne!” Silly called, struggling to push a large bale of hay.
With a sigh of relief and a gurgling stomach, Anne sighed. This seemed the least difficult task so far. Bracing both forehooves against the bale, she pushed with all her might. It slipped from Silly’s grasp as Anne pushed it across the finish line.
Silly promptly bounced over to an open tub full of grapes. A little nozzle on the side led to an empty jar.
“Grape juice?” Anne perked up, happily stomping in her favorite snack.
“We’re gonna need a bath after this, huh?” laughed Silly as they stomped together.
“Might be a little purple-hooved for a while,” Anne admitted, a smile crossing her muzzle. It was mostly at Silly’s happiness.
With a slow gurgle, the jar filled with grape juice. A referee mare blew a whistle, signaling them on to the next event.
“On to the blue ribbon!” Silly cheered, bouncing off to the next event.
“Right behind you,” Anne said with a laugh.
Author's Note
Fun fact: Anne and Silly were the only sister OCs I have. Every other "sister" had a brother.
Day 31 - Nightmare Nights!
“Alright, Frost and Pineapple, you two are in charge while I’m away,” Beacon Fire said, adjusting her dress.
“At the policepony’s masquerade ball, dancing with Cold Case,” Frost Glide said smugly.
Beacon blushed. “That’s beside the point,” she replied. “The princesses granted me time off tonight and I’m using it—granted, Cadance might have had some sway on it, but who knows.”
“Oh probably,” Pineapple replied with a chuckle. “Don’t worry, Bea: we’ll hold down the fort for ya. You just have a good time, alright?”
“And don’t get too hammered that you have to spend the night over,” Frost said with a not-so subtle wink and a nudge.
Beacon smiled and rolled her eyes. “You two are as bad as Shining and Cadance,” she said. “Happy Nightmare Night.” With a wave she stepped out of the barracks.
“Happy Nightmare Night!” Pineapple called back, before turning to Frost. “Think it’ll be an easy night?”
“Nightmare Night? The one night of the year where people are all dressed up, pulling tricks or looking for treats?” Frost asked with a laugh. “Bea got off easy.”
“I can’t believe you talked me into this,” Olivine Facet grumbled, tugging at her costume. It was supposed to be an alien, but she found the bobbing antennae and grey suit a little too much.
“Why? You look great!” Snare Trapped grinned. She herself was fitted in a regal gown and a fake tiara befitting a princess.
“No, you look great,” Olive said, face flushed. “I look ridiculous!”
“Well, you wanted something scientific, I tried finding the most scientific thing they had,” Trap said, blushing herself. “It was either this or the wind-up robot.”
“Whatever,” Olive huffed. “Are Pile and Creek going to be joining us?”
“You bet! Creek said she was excited to try Nightmare Night,” Trap replied as the two of them walked downstairs to the front door. As they opened it, their jaws both dropped.
“Hello there,” Princess Twilight Sparkle replied, waving.
“Huh? Wha—?” Olive spluttered.
“Pile! That’s cheating!”
Creek Shine walked over, dressed in a devilish onesie and horns. She nudged “Twilight,” who burst into green flames, revealing Pile, similarly-dressed like Creek. He sheepishly smiled at his two friends.
“Yeah, Pile. It’s about dressing up in a costume , not disguising yourself,” Trap said.
“Those sound like the same thing,” Pile pointed out.
“Whatever,” Olive huffed. “Can we please get to trick-or-treating so this ridiculous costume is at least somewhat useful?”
“Right!” Creek proclaimed. “On to candy!”
“Will Rune and Dust be joining us?” Trap asked as they set off from the repair shop.
“They’re around somewhere,” Creek replied. “They decided to go as Cerberus—no idea how they’re even moving in that thing.”
“Well, at least I don’t feel so bad about my costume now,” Olive said with a snicker, imagining the three-headed dog as a costume.
“I don’t think this is a good idea, Pepper,” Cherry Blanche said, dressed like a masked batpony.
“Why not? It’s Nightmare Night!” Ghost Pepper replied, dressed in glowing paint that resembled bones.
“He’s still a skeleton!” Cherry hissed.
“I’m right here you know.”
Iron Bones gave a hoarse grunt as he lumbered up to them, the armor keeping him alive rattling with each step.
“I think it makes a right nice costume,” Pepper said. “No one will know.”
“Right,” Iron said, tapping his chin. “How’s it go again? Nightmare Night, what a fright, give me something sweet to bite.”
“There, ya got it,” Pepper said, smiling proudly.
“But Pepper, he’s a skeleton ,” Cherry insisted. “He can’t even eat anything.”
“Well, more for us then,” Pepper said, patting Iron Bones on the shoulder.
The force knocked his head from his body, causing it to bounce along the ground. “Watch it!” he grunted.
Nearby, a few trick-or-treating ponies screamed and fled at the sight. Pepper sighed, walking over and picking up his head.
“Well, at least you’re plenty scary enough,” she said with a shrug.
Author's Note
Iron Bones: Male, Skeleton pony
About: In life, Iron Bones was known as "Iron Hide." He was the best friend and guard to a merchant pony. When she passed away, he was buried alongside her in her tomb. Many years later, Ghost Pepper and Cherry Blanche would put the Bone Armor, a cursed artifact, on his bones, reanimating him. As long as he wears it, he walks the earth again.
Appearances: None so far.
Fun Fact: Cold Case belongs to PonyJosiah13 , and is shipped with Beacon Fire in the Ponyville Noire series and is planned to be shipped with her in Shadows Over Equestria: Ignis Reignited . Mentioned with his permission.
And that's all folks! I hope you've enjoyed reading. Here's to more OCs in the future.
-yours truly,
