Four Corners

It was an ordinary day in the Canterlot Castle. Birds chirped outside, servants bustled about and guards marched back and forth through the hallways. It was lunchtime, and the servants were busy rushing food to the nobility and, more importantly, royalty in the castle. Celestia sat in her bedchambers, sipping tea and conversing with her sister as they waited patiently for their lunch.

Celestia had just recieved a message from Zecora, who had come all the way to Canterlot to relay a message from her homeland. It turned out that a tribe on the Zebrican Plains required four cut amethysts to make a super-telescope, able to see planets orbiting other starts clear as day. Celestia had a personal collection of gemstones, and would be glad to send some, but her sister thought otherwise.

"But sister," Luna asked, "Why do the Zebra Tribes want amethysts? Can they not mine it themselves?"

"You don't understand, Luna," Celestia replied. "The Zebras are not only primitive, but their lands are almost deprived of any precious gems. It would be extremely hard to make a telescope of rocks and dirt, hm?"

"Yes sister, but I don't see why they need gemstones to make this telescope. Can they not use glass?"

"Well, they could. But they want amethyst, since they provide much better magnification than other gems and glass."

"I see," Luna mumbled as a servant hustled through Celestia's door with a tray of two wonderfully crafted daisy sandwiches.

"Here y'are, milords," The servant said before hurrying out of the room.

"I still think it's pointless," Luna mumbled. "Amethysts don't grow on trees."

"I'm sure we can spare a few," Celestia responded, before grasping her sandwich and raising her glass to Luna. "Cheers."

The sisters happily chowed down, not bothering with manners since they were practically alone, and Celestia didn't expect the lone guard in the room to go around telling everyone her naughty pleasures. Several minutes of talking and eating later, Celestia bid Luna farewell and trotted out to the throne room, where she sat regally, awaiting any petty affairs that dragged themselves onto her doorstep.

Hours later, when none came, she decided that now would be a good time to send the four amethysts to the Zebrican tribe that had messaged her earlier. Turning to one of her guardsmen, she lightly tapped him on the shoulder, causing him to turn and face her.

"Yes, your highness?"

"Great Flame, there's no need to call me that when nopony's around," Celestia chuckled. "But could you please go and retrieve four amethysts from my bedchambers?"

"Right away, your highness." Great Flame trotted off and returned moments later, a small pouch in his mouth.

Celestia took the bag in her magical grasp and thanked her personal guard before setting the bag in front of her. In her mind, she began thinking of ways to get the bag to the Zebra tribe. She knew where it was on the globe, but it would take weeks to get it there by mail. Dragonmail was far too pricy, even for royalty, and finding dragons who could do it was challenging and risky. She could use her message-sending spell, but she could only send it to Spike and other magically-hatched dragons.

Think, Celestia. Think. Suddenly, a thought crossed her mind. Oh! Idea...

Celestia remembered a spell her sister had taught her when they were little. It was a portal spell, used to link two places together with two small portals. Luna had specifically told her that using it was risky, as it drained quite a bit of one's energy. So much, in fact, that only alicorns could pull such a task off. Since she was the strongest being in Equestria, or so she thought, she decided that this would be a good way to send the amethysts to the Zebras.

"Servant!" Celestia called. Instantly, a servant arrived at the foot of her throne. "I'm going to cast a spell that is potentially dangerous, so make sure nopony interrupts me while I'm doing it."

"Yes, your highness." The servant trotted off and exited the throne room quickly.

Celestia then began conjuring the spell. As she did, her horn began glowing brighter and brighter, eventually causing several of the guards to slightly squint. A dark blue sphere began to form in front of Celestia. It grew to the size of a pony's head. As it grew, it began sucking air through it and making a loud roaring sound, somewhat like a harsh wind. Celestia levitated the bag of amethysts towards the portal as many of the guards and servants in the room gawked in awe at the anomaly before them.

"Off you go!" Celestia called over the roaring of the portal, tossing the bag of amethysts towards the portal.

"PRINCESS CELESTIA!" A voice roared.

"AAH!" Celestia yelled as the bag soared into the portal.

The portal then shrank out of existence, but not before flattening out somewhat and shifting from blue to black.

"Oh, for my own sake, what?" Celestia asked, annoyed. She glanced towards the doorway, where none other than her personal protege Twilight Sparkle stood.

"Oh my goodness!" Twilight said. "I'm so sorry, I thought you were being attacked!"

"Well, I wasn't," Celestia replied, regaining her calm posture. "What is it, my student?"

"I've come to deliver my friendship report in person. I've learned a very valuable lesson today when Discord lost his temper at Fluttershy!"

"Well then," Celestia smiled warmly, "Let's hear it."

"Dear Princess Celes-"

Twilight was cut off as the portal from before suddenly tore open the air in front of Princess Celestia again.

Skyrim

It was another boring day of guard duty. Milvar was standing at his post just outside of Whiterun. In the distance he saw a farm. Then snow. Then a mountain. Covered in snow. Then a large field. White from snow.

Snow. Snow snow snow. The white stuff was cold, wet, and worse: it was everywhere.

"Gods, it's cold."

Milvar admitted it to himself. He hated Skyrim. He hated everything about it. First he was adventuring through Morthal when a prison break occured. A stray arrow hit his knee, crippling him and having him sent to guard Whiterun from Imperial attack.

Then, a tall man wearing black, spiky armor came over to him and shouted at him. No, not that kind of shout. He Shouted at Milvar, sending him flying hear over heels into a wall. When Milvar produced his battleaxe to confront the dark man, he uttered one word. Thane. He hated the Dovahkiin.He always used that excuse.

Then a dragon flew overhead, sending the people of Whiterun into a panic as said strange man downed the beast with a volley of arrows. Now not only was his assailant getting away with crimes, but he had left a giant, heavy skeleton for Milvar and the Stormcloaks to lug it out one bone at a time.

"Really, really cold."

Milvar rubbed his hands a little to warm them. It didn't do much.

"Yep."

Milvar hated Skyrim. A lot. It was cold, filled with dragons, bandits and an annoying caravan of Khajiit that stopped by now and then. And then there was the cold. Milvar sighed.

"Gods, send me somewhere warm!"

His wish was granted quickly as a dark, roaring hole tore open in front of him, sucking him into oblivion.

Naughty Bear

Come on. Just a little closer. That's it, you bumbling fat moron. Come to papa.

Naughty crouched in a garden, holding a set of fake leaves in front of him. His target, Chubby, was supposed to be going on holiday today. Well, was to be going on holiday. Paradise Island was a warm getaway for bears, but that wasn't where Chubby was going! He was going somewhere much hotter. A place full of fire, demons and suffering.

Chubby was almost five meters from Naughty's hiding place. He fiddled his paws nervously, checking behind him frequently to hopefully reveal the killer that had murdered Cuddles. And Happy. And all the other bears in the vicinity. Chubby also murmered to himself, as if in prayer to the Unibear that the murderer wouldn't suddenly jump out and scare him.

Just a little more... Yeah, that's it... Come on...

Naughty drew a deep breath as Chubby Bear drew nearer and nearer to the garden where Naughty was hidden. Closer. Closer... Cloooserrrr...

"BOOOO!"

The scene that set in afterwards was hilarious. Chubby was sent into an insane scramble for safety. Being the only one left alive in the area, Chubby was virtually defenseless. He always carried his revolver, but he wasn't the best shot with it. He drew his revolver, firing wildly into the bushes where Naughty hid. Being a hardened veteran of violence, Naughty didn't even blink as a stray bullet struck the tree to his left, barely missing his head. When Chubby's gun let out a loud click, Chubby quickly fumbled into his pockets to search for the spare rounds that he always kept.

Now's my chance, Naughty thought. He dropped the fake leaves, stood up and walked menacingly out of his hiding place, revealing his signature machete and malicious smile. Chubby noticed him straight away and screamed at the top of his lungs, bolting for anywhere but there. Naughty chuckled to himself as he took off after the insane bear. He broke into a sprint, closing the distance between him and the screaming Chubby.

That's when it happened. A glimmering black portal tore open the air in front of Naughty, and with his momentum from sprinting after Chubby, he could do nothing but cover his face and hope for the best as he tumbled into the hole.

Star Fox

Fox sighed audibly as he lay in the sick bay's bed. He played with his blaster idly, spinning it around his finger like a cowboy would. He still wore his flight suit, minus the jacket. Instead, he wore a T-shirt, which donned a large, burnt hole in the abdominal area. Behind that hole, there lay another hole, however this one was in Fox's skin. Fox stopped spinning his blaster and slid it into its holster. He looked down, annoyed, and studied the bandage covering his stomach. It still hurt, and he flopped back onto the bed, annoyed. He turned his head to the right, eyeing the rabbit that sat in the chair beside him.

"Peppy, I told you, I'm fine!"

"Fox," The rabbit said sternly, "That laser just barely missed your kidney, and if you ask me, that's a good reason to stay in bed. Now, stop fidgeting and let me change these bandages."

Fox sighed audibly. Again.

A simple mistake. That's all it was. He was at the firing range when his blaster went off and hit him in the belly. Big deal! He'd been shot before, and he didn't need to lay down right then and there. Even if he always kept his cool, he still hated being bed-ridden in the Great Fox II.

Suddenly, Peppy pulled off the old bandages covering Fox's belly, sending a sharp pain through Fox's body.

"Ow." Fox glared daggers at Peppy.

Peppy shrugged as he began applied the new bandages to Fox's wound. Fox found his eyelids becoming heavy. He gave his head a quick shake to wake himself up. It wasn't that he hadn't fallen asleep next to his comrades, but the fact that this had been the first time he had relaxed in weeks drove him to sleep. Fox knew he was fighting a losing battle, and laid his head back on the pillow before promptly drifting off into sleep.

Only to suddenly wake up again.

This time, Peppy wasn't beside him when he woke up. Instead, Falco napped in the chair beside the medical terminals, snoring quietly. It seemed Fox has slept dreamlessly, and Falco the "tough guy" had taken Peppy's place at keeping watch over the injured Fox. Poor fellow. Even if he was Fox's best friend, even he couldn't stay up all night to make sure said friend was going to be all right.

Fox sat up, wincing at the lessened pain in his abdomen. Glancing down, he noticed his bandages had been changed again. A small red stain showed itself of the surface of the bandages, but the pain had died down rather nicely. It didn't hurt as bad as it did before, at least. Looking back up, he stood up and reached over to collect his jacket hanging on a hook by the door. Falco stirred slightly as his friend stood up, causing the bed to chair slightly. Fox smiled and slid his jacket on. Suddenly, Falco uttered something under his breath.

"Mmm... Krystal, you're so hot..."

Fox snapped his gaze towards his friend. He noticed a small smile forming on Falco's beak.

"And sexy, and vixeny..."

Fox's eyebrows lowered as his friend cracked one eye open slightly, fixing on Fox.

"And foxy, and furry..."

Fox smiled slightly as he leaned towards Falco. Falco suddenly burst out laughing and opened his other eye lazily. Fox patted his friend on the shoulder as he walked toward the sick bay door.

"I'm going for a little walk, Bird Brain," He said.

"Yeah, sure, whatever," Falco mumbled as he sat up groggily, shaking the sleep from his eyes. "Just don't go stumbling into any walls, eh Fox?"

Nobody responded.

"Fox?" Falco called. He glanced around for any sight of the guy, but found that the room was empty.

"... Fluffy? Where'd ya go?"

Moonbase Alpha

"John Madden."

Horatio hopped slowly and surely across the surface of the moon.

"John Madden?" Julien asked.

"John Madden. Because soccer is for asterisk."

"Uhhh... Yeah."

Horatio and his friend Julien were goofing around on the moon, toying with their suit's voice modifiers and generally being nuisances to any other astronauts that were actually doing work. Today was their day off, so they decided to go for a short drive on the moon. Earth shined in the sky above them as they strided towards a rover that was sitting in the sunlight. Horatio and Julien climbed aboard.

"Let's go on adventure!" Horatio said, pointing into the distance.

Horatio plugged his suit's backpack into the driver's hatch. The rover (somehow) made a faint rumble as it started up, before its wheels whirred to life, sending the pair speeding across the lunar surface. Many rocks and bumps caused him to rock back and forth as he sped across the ground.

===LOL TIME TRANSITION===

Several hours later, the rover clunked to a halt. Horatio unplugged himself from the rover, stepped off and watched his friend hop onto the ground from the back of the rover. The pair regarded each other's mirror-like visors before turning towards the large cave opening Horatio had mentioned earlier.

"We're here!" Horatio announced. His suit's voice module made his voice sound as if it had come from more a robot than a human.

"Cool," Were Julien's only words. "I thought you were lying when you said there was a cave here."

They had never come across a cave before. It had an almost gloomy look to it. As soon as the cave's mouth started, the darkness started also. A quiet click resounded through Horatio's radio as his flashlight beamed to life, scaring away the darkness and revealing a deep, long tunnel. However, something caught Horatio's eye: A glowing, blueish-black portal was slowly starting to form at the cave's entrance.

"Julien, Julien!" Horatio's robotic voice droned.

"What now?" Said the astronaut, who had been too busy studying the rover to notice the portal expanding over the cave's mouth.

"Look!" Horatio yelled.

And look Julien did. In fact, they both looked for a minute before turning to eachother.

"I'm going inside," Horatio stated. He started walking towards the portal, only a few yards away from the rover.

"No! You don't know what's out there, you fool!" Julien took off after his friend, but his suit's bulkiness slowed him down.

"I'm doing it."

"Stop!"

"Doing it," Horatio said almost jokingly.

Without warning, Horatio was sucked violently into the portal a split second before it suddenly hissed shut, vanishing from existence. Julien was left to gape in awe at the disappearance of his soul-less friend.

"Well," Julien said, folding his arms. "You don't see that every day."