The Taste of Shenanigans

CHAPTER 4: Getting quizzical in Canterlot

After leaving several milkshakes on the table for Dr Madbrain, the five set off for Canterlot. Upon reaching the station for the Friendship Express, they were greeted by Derpy Hooves.
“Here’s a letter from the princess.” she said, passing an envelope to Twilight. “Because apparently I deliver stuff.”
“Oh, thanks.” she said, and used her special unicorn magic to open it.
Inside were five first-class train tickets.
“Ooh, nice.” said Rainbow Dash.
“Hold on!” said Applejack. “How did she know we were comin’?”
“You’re missing the point, AJ. These tickets are FIRST CLASS!” shouted Rainbow Dash.
Pinkie Pie began running in circles and warbling.
“OK, let’s just get on the train.” said Twilight.
They stepped on, and made their way to the first class section. The seats were red. As they got comfortable, the train started doing a train noise, and then set off.
“I love the scenery and all, but I kinda wish we could skip this whole journey.” mumbled Applejack.
When the train stopped, they got off, and walked towards the castle.
“Is anyone else worried about this?” asked Twilight.
“Nah.” said Applejack. “We all just think you’re crazy.”
Before Twilight could counter with a harsh yet witty remark about Applejack’s parents, there was a poof of gold smoke, and out from it walked an alicorn. She was golden all over, and all sparkly.
“Greetings. My name is Shinygold Goldenshine. Nice to meet you all.”
Twilight Sparkle’s jaw dropped. “Wh-who are you?”
“My name is Shinygold Goldenshine.”
“Yeah, but what is your… role?”
“I am Princess Celestia’s daughter.”
Rainbow Dash groaned. “Oh, no… this is like something from bad fanfiction.”
“Yeah!” said Pinkie Pie. “Really really REALLY bad fanfiction!”
Then Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie made out.
“Whoa.” said Rainbow Dash. “Don’t know where THAT came from.”
“HOLD UP A SECOND!” shouted Applejack. “What do you want with us, Shiny… golden… whatever?”
“I want to join you girls, of course! We can go on adventures, and get up to all sorts of shenanigans!”
“Sorry, lady, but we’re busy.”
Shinygold Goldenshine let out a single golden tear.
“Ignore her.” said Applejack. “Let’s just get on with… whatever this is.”
So off they trotted.
When they got to the castle, Princess Celestia was already outside, waiting for them.
“Hello there, dear friends. What brings you to my awesome abode?”
“We would like to talk to you about something.” replied Twilight Sparkle.
“Oh? Well, come in. We can discuss it over some drinks.”
“That’s very kind of you, princess.”
As they entered the castle, they were guided to a room with plenty of chairs. They were then each served a drink.
“Well then,” said Celestia, with a smile on her face. “What did you want to talk about?”
When they woke up, they were in a cold, dark room.
“What happened?” asked Twilight Sparkle. “And… why are we… ALL WEARING SOCKS?!”
“I dunno… but keep the noise down. My ear hurts.” said Applejack, rubbing the right side of her head.
Her look of discomfort changed to a look of panic.
“WHERE’S MY EAR?! WHERE’S MY EAR?!”
“What?” said Rainbow Dash.
“I CAN’T FIND IT! WHERE IS IT?!”
Rainbow Dash stuck her face close to Applejack’s and squinted.
“Yeah… it’s not there, AJ.”
“NOOOOOOOO!” she screamed. She then looked at the ground and sighed. “I liked that ear.”
“Forget that.” said Twilight. “For now we need to focus on getting out of… ear. Lol.”
Applejack head-butted Twilight Sparkle, knocking her unconscious. The others just looked on, afraid to say anything. Then Pinkie Pie spoke up.
“Oh, look, there’s a door!”
So Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy went through. What led from there was a series of twists and turns, with the occasional secret lever and odd trap door here and there. They gave up when they reached a steel door with a magical horn-scanning device beside it.
“Sooo… to pass this, we need a unicorn?” asked Rainbow Dash. “Well, how about that?”
“Nah.” said Applejack. “I can do this.”
Applejack bucked the door and sprained her ankle.
“Ugh. K, maybe we will need Twilight. Who wants to go get her?”
“Not necessary.” came a voice from behind them.
They swivelled around, and stood there was a white unicorn with a purple mane and tail, wielding an orange leg.
“Hey! Bucky McGillicuddy! You’re alive!” shouted Applejack.
“Oh, wow!” said Pinkie. “She looks like Rarity!”
“That’s because it IS Rarity.” said Rainbow Dash.
“Oh… wait… then… that means…”
Pinkie Pie gasped. “RARITY! YOU’RE ALIVE! ASDFGHJKL!”
“Yes, darlings. It is I. Let me help with that door.”
Rarity brushed her horn in front of the scanner. It beeped, and then the steel door slowly slid open, revealing the outside world.
“Cool, thanks.” said Applejack. “So, why are you alive, anyway?”
“It’s a long story. Well, actually, it isn’t. Here’s what happened.”
She cleared her throat.
“As you know, I was buried beneath a load of debris. Then I remembered I had magical powers, so I levitated the pieces of rubble and got up. In doing so, I accidentally released the robot. You know, that one that looks like my sister.”
“Uh-huh. Go on.”
“Well, anyway, it was trapped before, so releasing it was pretty stupid. It started advancing towards me, so I picked up your leg and smashed its robotic head in. It only took a single swipe.”
“Told ya, Pinkie.” said Applejack. “One kick.”
Rarity glared at Applejack. “Can I finish?”
“Sure. Sorry.”
“After that, I went to look for you lot. The first place I went was the library, where Spike told me you left him a note, saying you’d gone to Canterlot. So, I came here. That’s it, really.”
“But how’d you know we were in this dungeon place?”
“Princess Celestia told me. She said I could go and let you out if I wanted.”
“Huh. Just like that?”
“Well first she made me do… things. But I don’t want to talk about that. I like your socks, by the way.”
She glanced around.
“Where’s Twilight, then?”
“Oh, she got on my nerves, so I knocked her out.”
“I see. Welp, who wants milkshakes?”
They all went ‘yay’ and set off for the library.
(Time passes)
Upon arriving at the library, Spike rushed towards them. “You should’ve seen what just happened! That evil doctor dude escaped!”
“Oh?” said Rainbow Dash. “You sure you didn’t just look in the wrong place again?”
“Yes. I’m sure. He’s gone.”
“Let me guess. He… built a rocket? Made from milkshakes?”
“Very funny. But yeah, he did, actually. That’s why there are holes in the floor and the roof.”
“…huh. Alright then.”
They looked up, and there, in the ceiling, was a big hole. As was there in the floor.
“Oh yeah!” said Pinkie Pie, falling over and giggling like a lunatic. “This place is TRASHED!”
“Yeah… Twilight’s going to freak. Where is she, anyway?”
“In Princess Celestia’s dungeon.” replied Applejack.
“Uh-huh. By the way, before that evil doctor dude escaped, this guy came in and destroyed the milkshake machine.”
“WHAT?!” shouted Pinkie Pie. “WHERE THE HAY DID HE GO?!”
“Well, he said something about needing to confront the princess…”
Applejack looked devastated. “Please don’t tell me we’re going back to Canterlot again.”
“WE’RE GOING BACK TO CANTERLOT AGAIN! THAT MACHINE WAS A PRESENT FOR TWILIGHT! HE HAD NO RIGHT TO DO THAT! I WILL HAVE SOME STRONG WORDS WITH HIM! BLARG!”
“Ugh… well, Rarity? Could you at least fix my hat before we go?”
“Sure, darling.”
“Also, can I have my leg back?”
“No. And I want all of your socks. I like their stripes.”
“Fine.”
So they went to Rarity’s place, where she fixed Applejack’s hat, and after storing the mysterious socks in the stripy drawer, they went back to Canterlot again.

END OF CHAPTER 4