In the dead of night, an empty and meager amusement park was set along the side of the road and surrounded by various chains of restaurants and stores. There wasn’t a sign of light or life in the park from its lamps along the paths to the ones that illuminated the roller coasters, the go-karts, and other rides. However, one spot was still very much alight: the red big-top tent that served at the park’s centerpiece. While the outside world didn’t seem to care or listen, loud music boomed through the tent’s tough hide, which suddenly transitioned into a fast snare roll.
“Ladies and gentleman!” shouted a younger man taking the center platform inside with a microphone to his mouth. “Do we have a show for you!”
The man dressed himself in a bright-red tuxedo jacket with a yellow tropical-themed shirt and a very loose blue tie, as well as a pair of red pants and black loafers. His short, dyed, orange hair was mostly hidden underneath his black top hat, which he held by the brim.
“Introducing for the very first time to not just this stage, but to the very world, please give a very warm welcome to our brand new star…”
As he waved his hat upwards behind him, two men in all black attire tilted the spotlight up towards the ceiling, revealing a pink pony with a puffy pink mane and two yellow balloons and a blue balloon emblazoned on both sides of her flank standing atop a diving platform. She stood on her hind legs and waved at the non-existent audience as if there were indeed a standing ovation just for her.
“…Pinkie Pie!”
“Weee!” she shouted as she leapt off and towards a trapeze rigged towards her with a weak string.
Pinkie Pie swung over the emcee on the platform and towards a rope further away. Letting go of the wooden bar, she wrapped her arms around the rope and swung over the stands, kicking her feet about excitedly as she began to swing back to the stage.
Loosening her grip, Pinkie Pie swayed herself towards the ground, landing on all four hooves and sliding besides the emcee on his stand.
“Isn’t she amazing, folks?” he screamed excitedly. “WOOO!”
Pinkie Pie giggled as several others in the stands, including a man and woman in matching leotards, several elaborate clowns, and a burly bald man in a red leotard applauded the feats that Pinkie Pie could accomplish.
“Heeheehee!” Pinkie Pie giggled. “This is awesome Billy! And you say were already performing tomorrow?”
“Yes, Pinkie,” cooed Billy. “You’re going to make us all so proud!”
“I like making people proud! But not as much as making people laugh! Tomorrow’s going to be a proud-laughter day! I just know it!”
“Yes,” Billy agreed with a warm smile, “so do I. So do I…”
_________________________________________________________________________________________
On the stage of a school auditorium, a group of costumed females emerged from a groups of applauding performers on both sides of the stage. Walking up to the front, the females took a bow to the rabid crowds of their parents and peers. On the walkway just below the stage’s edge, Walt panned across the line of girls, making sure to get every single one.
As the girls broke apart and joined the two groups on both sides of the stage, a man in a brown trench coat and suit costume walked up alone, another round of applause erupting from the house.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Inside Walt’s bedroom, Twilight and Alice viewed Walt’s laptop’s screen as the man in the trench coat walked off to the side to let the next two actors take their bows. Appearing on both sides from backstage were Mary and Yurik, dressed in their final costumes as Sally and Emcee, respectively, getting roars and cheers from the audience.
“Woo!” she yelled, clopping her front hooves together as Alice too whooped in support. “Go, Yurik!”
Mary and Yurik took their bows, both Mary and Yurik evidently trying to fight the tears as the final moments of their final high school musical performance were running out.
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The rest of the cast and extras gathered into two lines, clasping their hands together and engaging in to simultaneous bows. With a final wave to the audience, the two lines backed away as the large red curtains closed on them, the audience’s cheers not letting up. Once the actors were entirely concealed, Walt hit the record button on his camera, ending the shot and the stream.
As the performers clamored to the dressing rooms, Yurik and Mary stood still, each wiping their eyes of tears. While Yurik let out a couple of amazed and relieved chuckles, Mary’s sobs were unquestionable. Yurik patted Mary’s back in consolation. Mary then leaned herself onto Yurik and hugged him tight. Yurik was quick to return the embrace, savoring the moments he had left with her that night.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Twilight and Alice laughed as the stream ended, Twilight already beginning to show Alice out.
“That was fun, Alice,” said Twilight, “but you should probably be going before Yurik and Walt get back home.”
Realizing that Alice wasn’t moving from her spot, Twilight turned her head to see Alice’s face glued to the screen.
“Alice,” scolded Twilight, “didn’t you hear me?”
“I heard you,” Alice said, clicking on a video in the recommended section. “I think I might have just found one of your friends…”
“Really?” she suddenly exclaimed, hopping back onto Walt’s seat. “Who?”
Alice let the video she clicked on play out, allowing her to see what appeared to be Pinkie Pie swinging on a rope over a crowd of electrified spectators, who all gasped with excitement as she passed over their heads.
“Alice?” asked Twilight with rising intensity. “Where is this?”
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Yurik emerged from a crowd of waiting friends and family members, searching for his own. It didn’t take him long before he saw Walt, Evey, and their mom, Walt holding his camera back and his tripod case. His smile returned as Evey ran up to him, allowing him to lift her up to his shoulder and walk her back to her mom and Walt.
“Great job again,” congratulated Walt’s mom. “Are you sad it’s over?”
“Yeah,” sighed Yurik. “But man, Mary was a mess. I had to spend some time trying to calm her down; that’s why I’m late.”
“Well,” Walt said, “we’re all going to miss this, aren’t we?”
“You still did a great job, Yury!” squeaked Evey.
“Thanks, kiddo…” said Yurik.
Just then, Yurik’s phone rang in his pocket, making him set Evey down and pull the phone from his pocket, seeing that it was Alice who was calling.
“Hold on,” Yurik excused himself before walking towards a small dining hall in the back.
Yurik pressed the green icon on his phone, putting it to his ear.
“Hello?” he asked.
“We found one,” spoke Alice.
“Found one?”
“One of Twilight’s friends,” she revealed.
“You what?” Yurik nearly shouted.
“I left the video on Walt’s laptop. Call me as soon as you watch it.”
Alice hung the phone up, and with only a moment’s hesitation, Yurik quickly walked down the hall where his family was waiting.
“So,” Walt’s mom suggested, “where do you want to spend your celebratory din–”
“I need to get home,” Yurik interrupted, as he passed by.
Walt’s mother and Walt, distressed by Yurik’s urgency, quickly followed Yurik outside
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Walt and Yurik entered inside the former’s room, Yurik shutting and locking the door behind him. Walt flipped his Macbook open and typed in his password, instantly being greeted to the YouTube page that Alice had left.
“Billy Bonnaroo Show,” read Walt aloud. “5/18/14”
“Is this the video?” asked Yurik.
“Yeah, but…”
Walt hit play regardless, and from the shaky phone camera that served as the point of view, the emcee Billy motioned his hat to the ceiling, revealing Pinkie Pie on the diving platform. Both Yurik and Walt’s eyes were agape as they saw Pinkie Pie perform, swinging over the crowd of excited spectators.
“And this guy is just showing her out in public?” asked Walt.
“She seems to be enjoying it at least,” Yurik responded with an unsure shrug.
“That’s not the point. This video already has over 50,000 hits, so it’s not like this is being kept under wraps. This guy’s going to have police all over his ass if he keeps parading her around like that.”
“Regardless,” he said, pulling his phone out, “Alice told me to call her once we saw.”
Hitting the number for Alice, Yurik paced about the room, awaiting for her to pick up. After only half a dialtone, Alice answered.
“You saw that, right?” she spoke
“Of course I did,” replied Yurik. “What now?”
“That circus is located about a mile or two west of Disney World. It’s called Bonnaroo Bonanza. We’re going to need to get there as quick as possible if we want any chance of rescuing Pinkie Pie before the cops come in with some kind of warrant.”
“What are you thinking?”
“Tomorrow afternoon, at the absolute latest.”
“Aha…” Yurik nervously laughed, “don’t forget, this is finals week for us, and we can’t just skip out on that!”
“I know. Wouldn’t that make a great excuse?”
Yurik paused, unsure where Alice was heading with this. Walt turned around and looked at Yurik, also unsure of what this break meant.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
“Your children are alright, Mrs. Faber,” Kieran lowly spoke through a Bluetooth speaker, sitting in the driver’s seat of a large van with Alice, Walt, Yurik, and Twilight.
Kieran was wearing a formal white shirt and black pants outfit with his silver hair stuffed in a brown wig. Yurik and Walt each had their school backpacks and a duffle bag that was only filled a quarter way, making it sag.
“Please,” begged Walt’s mother with humor in her voice, “call me Bette.”
“Very well, Bette. Your children and their friend Alice came to our house after school with her friend for a studying cram and sleepover. They will be back right in time for school the next morning. I can assure you that.”
Yurik and Walt laughed, impressed by Kieran’s mimicry.
“Well…” Bette groaned. “That’s fine. And I can reach you on this number?”
“Of course. We’ll be in touch.”
“Yes, well, thank you very much Mr. Wilson.”
“Take care, Bette.”
Kieran pressed the end call button on his steering wheel and reached up for a pair of sunglasses in a compartment in the roof.
“Do you have all your things?” asked Kieran as he unbuckled his seatbelt.
Yurik and Walt nodded as Kieran looked behind him.
“Good,” he responded, his hand on the door handle. “Let’s go.”
Kieran, Walt, Yurik, and Alice stepped out of the car onto the runway of O’Hare airport, the driver’s side door set right beside the stairway doors to a small, but sleek private jet. As the four of them ascended the steps and inside with their bags, Twilight slunk on the floor of the van towards the driver’s side door, hoping not to be seen by a valet that stood by, awaiting the arrival of those on board so he could escort it off the runway.
Once Alice, the last in line, stepped into the jet, the door/stairway began to slide up and close. At the last second, Twilight quickly charged her horn and vanished in a bright flash. The valet looked behind him to see nothing there, only for a burst of light and zapping noise to emit from inside the plane. The valet turned quickly back to see nothing there. Grumbling in delusion, he opened the driver’s door and started the car.
Inside the plane, which was white with blue carpeting, as well as a miniature bar and fridge in the back, Twilight was near the front with Alice and Yurik, breathing in and out in fast succession at her close call with being spotted. Walt looked out the window of the plane to see the van driving off on the runway.
“I think it’s safe to say that he didn’t see us,” Walt said. “I think we’re all clear.”
“The control tower will be the judge of that,” Kieran remarked, walking to the cockpit.
Twilight, fully recovered from her adrenaline rush, walked around to observe the plane, impressed by its luxurious nature.
“Whose is this?” asked Twilight. “This isn’t Kieran’s is it?”
“It is,” Alice responded. “If you want the resources to begin a citywide vigilante movement, you better have the means to do so.”
“So along with that entire factory… just how much money does Kieran have?”
“Enough.”
Twilight looked wondrously to Kieran as he entered the cockpit, closing the door behind him.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Kieran’s plane flew high among the clouds. With only an hour into the flight, each of the passengers lounging in their seats. Walt’s headphones were plugged in while he watched Much Ado About Nothing through Netflix on his computer. Alice managed her deck on her tray table, which appeared to consist of insect-type monsters with supporting spells and trap cards.
Yurik walked to the fridge in the back and grabbed a can of Coca Cola and a schooner glass hanging upside-down from a metal rack. He popped the can open and walked to his seat. He passed by Twilight, whom he caught looking out the window with a slightly fearful grimace on her face.
“Twilight,” he questioned, “what’s wrong?”
His voice shocked her a little as she turned to see him facing her.
“Yurik,” she sighed. “You startled me. I’ve just never flown in something like this before. I have my own set of wings, so I’m not used to flying while in this… metal tube.”
“Truth be told,” Yurik said, “it’s one of the safest ways to travel. You have little to no traffic up here, and you’re not confined to a road, but you probably know all about that, right?”
“I suppose… at the same time, I’m also in control. To place my life in someone else’s hands–”
“Twilight,” Yurik chuckled, taking the seat behind hers, “this is Kieran we’re talking about. I say that we can trust him.”
Twilight smiled, almost forgetting this fact.
“Yeah…” she replied. “I guess you’re right.”
Yurik smiled, looking down at his relatively untouched soda.
“Are you thirsty?” Yurik asked.
“Hm?” Twilight answered. “A little, I think.”
“Then here,” he offered, reaching his can and glass around her seat towards her, “take my coke.”
“Coke?”
“It’s called soda,” Yurik explained. “It’s a carbonated drink, and coke is just a variation of it.”
“Oh, I see. We do have sodas on our world too, so… Thank you, Yurik. I think I’ll take you up on that.”
Twilight took the can and glass from Yurik’s grasp, carefully pouring so the head would not spill over the glass. Yurik laid back in his own seat and looked up at the ceiling, while Twilight lifted her filled glass to her lips and sipped, which stretched into another smile at its refreshing taste.
“This is very good,” Twilight said, turning back to Yurik’s seat. “Where do you get this?”
“It’s a very common drink,” Yurik said. “Just don’t drink too much.”
“I understand. It still tastes pretty sugary, so I won’t drink a lot of it.”
“That’s good…”
“What do you think we’ll do when we get there?”
“I assume we’re going to check into some kind of motel to plan everything out. What we do from there is more than likely Kieran’s call.”
“Then… just sit back and enjoy the ride at this point?”
“Sounds like a great plan…”
Yurik snuggled himself into his seat, his eyes shut in preparation of a nice nap. Twilight continued to imbibe her cola, taking much more frequent and much greedier sips.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Kieran’s plane descended down towards and open runway of the Orlando International Airport, the late-afternoon sky and waters a purplish orange and the grass and palm trees a peerless shade of green. Yurik and Walt looked down at the sight, excited to see Florida and all its majesty.
In Twilight’s seat, five empty Coca Cola cans were scattered on the floor, another two standing upright on Twilight’s tray table. With her glass half empty, she brought the glass to her mouth and chugged the remaining liquid, wiping her mouth with her arm. Twilight pressed her face against the glass of the airplane, surprised to see the ground coming up so quickly.
“Are we here already?” asked Twilight.
“I believe so,” Yurik responded, his bags slung over his shoulders. “You might want to…” he mentioned, circling his finger at Twilight’s garbage, “get cleaned up before we leave.”
“Oh!” she exclaimed, crumpling her seven cans into a compact ball and grabbing her glass. “Of course!”
Twilight hopped out of her seat and towards the miniature bar, tossing her can-ball into a blue bin and putting her glass bottom-up in the small sink beneath the clean glasses. Yurik rolled his eyes with an amused smile and stood by the door where Walt and Alice were waiting.
The plane touched down on the runway, slowly slowing its speeds towards a black limo that was parked much further down. Kieran smirked as he slowed his plane down even more, merely rolling it towards the vehicle ahead where an Asian valet awaited them. Once it stopped, Kieran deployed a switch, allowing the step doors of the plane to drop down and allow the three humans to step off.
Twilight hid behind the wall to the right of the door, peering inside to get a good look at the limo’s interior. As Walt, Yurik, and Alice piled in, scooting themselves towards the front, Kieran emerged from the cockpit, walked to the door, and stepped down to the car as well. Once Kieran put himself in, the valet closed the door, walking towards the driver’s seat. Twilight charged her horn and vanished in a flash, the subsequent burst of light inside the limo going unnoticed by the valet before he opened his door to the steering wheel.
With a start of the engine, the valet drove off carrying the four humans and, unbeknownst to him, the equine stowaway.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
The limo drove down the highway, Twilight peering out the windows at the tropical trees and relaxing atmosphere. Yurik and Walt smiled warmly at Twilight’s new experience as she took it in head on.
“This place is beautiful,” remarked Twilight. “Pinkie Pie must have really found herself in a nice part of the world.”
“Hey,” Yurik chuckled, “Chicago’s not that bad either.”
“Except during the winter,” said Walt.
“Hmm. Touché.”
“So,” Twilight asked Kieran, “what’s our plan right now?”
“We’re making a stop first,” Kieran said. “Once we get to a motel, we’ll discuss our plans from there. This first part will only need to involve myself.”
“Where’s this first stop?” Twilight asked.
“Hmph…” he responded with a smile. “To Bonnaroo Bonanza, of course.”
Twilight gasped, unsure of what this plan would involve, but she settled herself down upon letting her trust in Kieran take over. With a changing of lanes, the limo went onto the exit from the freeway.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Kieran’s limo began to pull into the Bonnaroo Bonanza’s parking lot, which was swarming with happy families and children heading towards their cars to leave, having enjoyed their day.
“Kieran,” whispered Twilight, “we can’t just come and get Pinkie Pie with all these people around.”
“I don’t plan to,” he simply spoke. “Just stay here and don’t be seen.”
The limo pulled up to the curb near the park’s entrance, Kieran scooting towards the door. Straightening his wig as the car came to a complete stop, he opened the door and walked to the gate, where he could see the brightly dressed Billy shaking the hands of his guests as they left.
Kieran put on a pleasant smile as he stepped up to the gate, getting a negative reaction from the usher’s and those in the ticket booth.
“Sir!” called a red-headed female employee. “You can’t go in without a ticket!”
“The park’s set to close anyways!” called a male employee.
Kieran ignored them, stopping just shy of the gate where Billy’s attention was now draw to him
“Sir,” Kieran called to Billy. “You run the Pinkie Pie show, correct?”
“Yes, we do,” Billy replied with a bright smile before immediately changing to canned sadness as he put his hand to his heart, “but the park’s closing soon, so there won’t be any more shows today.”
“Could you do a request for me and my associates, then?”
Billy somewhat off put by Kieran’s persistence, changed to an annoyed frown.
“The park is closed, sir,” he spoke. “You’ll have to come back tomor–”
Billy’s words were stopped once Kieran pulled out his wallet and produced about a dozen hundred-dollar bills, his mouth along with the other employee’s opened wide.
“As I wanted to say,” Kieran said, putting the bills back into his wallet and into his pocket, “is that my coworkers and I are staying in Florida for the night, and we did not have time today to attend the show as regular guests. However, we were really hoping to see Pinkie Pie before we left, and we’ll do anything for you guys to put on a show.”
Kieran patted his wallet, both to entice the already shivering Billy and to ensure that no one pickpocketed him for revealing such money in public.
“I…” stammered Billy, looking at Kieran with a mixture of guilt and excitement, before the excitement won over. “What time would you like to come?”
“Will ten tonight be sufficient?” Kieran asked with a smug air. “After all, your other performers must rest for the next day’s show.”
“They will be fine! Entertaining others is of higher concern to us!”
As long as the price is right, of course, thought Kieran. “Thank you very much. You are most kind.”
“I will personally let you in. Just be here on time.”
“We wouldn’t for the world.”
“That’s great to hear! I shall see you and your associates in a few hours!” Billy dismissed with a gracious bow.
“Thank you again. We will be here at ten.”
Kieran turned around and walked away from the elated Billy and towards the limo, a normal and unassuming smile. Kieran opened the door and sat himself next to Twilight, whose eyes were already prying Kieran for answers and results.
“So what’s going on?” asked Twilight with vigor. “What happened?”
“I merely tossed in the bait,” Kieran responded. “He merely bit without a care in the world.”
“So what then?”
“I’ll explain at the motel.”
The valet driver put his car into drive and went to exit the parking lot, its exit slow as a steady stream of guests young and old left the park and to their own cars for the day.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Pinkie Pie sat in a small bedroom featuring a child-sized bed and a wardrobe, reading a magazine and flipping the pages every couple of seconds. Suddenly, Billy burst into the room, a beaming smile plastered on his face.
“Pinkie,” he shouted, “great news!”
“That already sounds way better than ‘good’ news!” she equally eagerly responded.
“A private group wants to come and see our show tonight! They’ll be here at ten!”
“Really?” she asked, shooting up onto her feet from the bed and onto the floor. “That is great news.”
Pinkie tried to force a smile for Billy, but even he could tell that she was straining to keep it genuine.
“Pinkie Pie?” he asked her, rushing to her side and kneeling down. “What’s wrong?”
“Well,” Pinkie Pie admitted, “I’m really thankful for you letting me stay over with you and letting me perform in your show, it’s just…”
“It’s just…?” he tried to squeeze out.
“It’s not quite as fun without my friends…”
“Pinkie,” Billy gasped in a hurt voice. “How could you say that? Aren’t I your friend?”
“Of course you are, Billy!” she responded with a tight, squeezing hug, “but I was talking about my friends from Equestria. I think they got sent to this place too, and I don’t know where they are!”
Pinkie Pie’s hug became tighter as she let out a few sobs. Billy looked genuinely heartbroken as he saw tears run down Pinkie Pie’s face. Billy soothed her by gently rubbing up and down her back, ending her cries but not releasing her hug.
“I’m sure like any good friend,” Billy assured her, “they are looking for you, and I’m sure if they try hard enough they will. Just know that as long as you’re here with me, you’re safe. I will protect you.”
Pinkie Pie found the strength to release her grip on Billy’s waist and looked up to him with a genuinely sincere smile.
“Thanks a bunch, Billy,” she said.
“Don’t mention it, kiddo,” responded Billy with a pat on her back. “Now, come on. Let’s do one more rehearsal before our show.”
“Okay!”
With a jolt, Pinkie Pie galloped out of the room, leaving Billy alone inside of it. Standing up, he exhaled a futile and sympathetic sigh, the difficulties of her friends finding her nearly impossible.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Twilight lied on her stomach on the king-sized bed of their clean, but cramped motel room while Yurik, Walt, and Alice sat on the edges, facing Kieran, who was blocking the television at the room’s front.
“Billy will meet us at the gate at ten,” explained Kieran. “I assume he will escort us to the tent. This way, we won’t have to break in while we’re in the cover of night when the park is closed and deserted.”
“Brilliant,” Twilight whispered.
“Alice, Yurik, and Walt will pose as coworkers of mine coming to see the show while on a business trip. I almost certain with the money I showed Billy at the gate and the way he reacted to it, he won’t ask many questions about what we do, if at all. In any other case, I will do the talking. Just be sure to be ready for when it’s time to actually take Pinkie Pie for ourselves. That is where you come in, Twilight.”
“Me?” she asked, sitting up and pointing to herself with her hoof.
“However, it will all depend on how well your flying and magical capabilities are.”
“My… magical capabilities?”
“Twilight, you wouldn’t by chance know invisibility spells, do you?”
“Of course, but they require a lot of magic to wield and can be physically exhausting. I can certainly try, but it depends how long I’ll be needing to travel.”
“A mile by air at the most.”
“Hmm…” she pondered, her hoof tapping her chin, “it shouldn’t too much a problem…”
“Excuse me,” Yurik said, “if Twilight knows this spell, how come we couldn’t just use that spell when getting Twilight from the car to the plane or from the limo to this room?”
“Yurik,” she informed, “invisibility is actually a much more advanced spell than teleportation. You’re talking about rendering every molecule in your body and perhaps anything else inside you completely transparent, whereas teleportation is merely rapid kinetic movement of the entire body from one place to another.”
“What about just teleporting here and there if invisibility burns too much energy?”
“I would need to see the inside of the tent with my own eyes so I can teleport back and forth between here and the park; that’s how teleportation works in general.”
Yurik groaned, feeling belittled by his lack of understanding.
“Well,” he clarified, “if that’s the case, once you get here, will you be able to teleport us all back to the motel once we get Pinkie Pie?”
“I’m going to be burning a lot of energy flying here already on an invisibility spell,” Twilight said. “I might only have enough energy to get one, maybe two of you back to the motel before I’ll need to recharge to get the rest of you.”
“And how long would that be?” asked Alice.
“About fifteen minutes… at least.”
Yurik, Walt, and Alice sighed in disappointment, unsure what to do from there. Kieran kept silent, assessing the situation and making a plan. Upon coming up with one, he gently smiled and faced Twilight.
“Thank you Twilight, that’s all I needed,” responded Kieran, pulling his phone from his pocket and tossing it on the bed at Twilight’s front hooves. “I will be leaving my phone here. Alice will call the phone when we feel our meeting is coming to a close. Use your invisibility spell and teleport outside the room and fly to Bonnaroo Bonanza. I will provide you a map upon our departure.”
“But wait!” Twilight exclaimed. “How are you going to stall Billy while I’m resting? Who should I get first?”
“Isn’t that obvious?” Yurik said. “You should save Pinkie Pie first; that’s the whole point of coming here.”
Twilight gasped as she turned to Yurik.
“Also, I think I might have an idea on how to stall him and give you enough time to recharge yourself, and I’ll need to bring my duel disk.”
Twilight realizing what would happen, nodded to him, accepting his strategy.
“And then?” asked Walt.
Kieran smirked, looking at him.
“We head out…” he responded.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
With the sun now set over the area, the still-disguised Kieran, Yurik, Walt, and Alice stepped out of the limo, back at the entrance to Bonnaroo Bonanza. Kieran smirked upon seeing Billy underneath one of the lamps that shone down from the ticket gate. A trail of lamps formed the directions to the big top further down. Upon seeing Kieran, Billy eagerly swung back the park gate and walked towards Kieran and the other three.
“Welcome!” Billy chuckled. “I’m glad you could make it… er, I’m sorry, I never caught your name.”
“My apologies back then,” Kieran said with a firm shake of Billy’s hand. “My name is Aaron Wilson, and these are my associates.”
Billy stepped over towards Walt, who stood beside Alice and Yurik in line to introduce themselves.
“I’m Walt,” he greeted.
“Hi, I’m Alice,” she responded.
“Yurik,” he said.
“It’s so great to meet you all!” Billy said to them, backing up so he could address them all.
“Yes,” Kieran responded, “and if it’s all possible, we would like to say a few words to Pinkie Pie after the show.”
“Of course, of course! Please, do follow me. We have a great show for you tonight!”
Billy quickly walked forwards into the park, leaving Kieran, Yurik, Walt, and Alice to match his pace, equally prepared to save Pinkie Pie as Billy was to have her perform. Walt looked at Billy with a sense of mistrust and unease as the continued to follow him into the deserted carnival.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
A spot light came inside the stage to the sound of a loud drumroll through the speakers surrounding the outer edge of the tent. While shrouded in the darkness, Kieran, Yurik, Walt, and Alice kept their eyes on the light, where Billy stood front and center with a lavaliere microphone clipped to his jacket lapel.
“Ladies and gentlemen!” Billy announced. “Please, put your hands, or should I say ‘hooves,’ together for the one… the only… the amazing… Pinkie Pie!”
With a wave up with his hat, the spotlight sped up and house music began to kick on, revealing the pink earth mare Pinkie Pie standing on the diving platform. While Kieran, Walt, and Yurik applauded, each of them stunned by being able to see one of Twilight’s friends in the flesh, Alice shot out of her seat and cheered loudly as the lights came on to fully reveal her. Pinkie Pie looked down at the sole four attendees whose eyes were on her, a nervous sweat and smile appearing over her face.
There’s hardly anyone around, she thought, jumping onto the trapeze.
Swinging towards the rope, the lack of cheering continued to dampen Pinkie Pie’s spirits.
It’s so lonely, she mused as she grabbed hold of the rope and swung towards the stands where Kieran and the others were positioned.
As she began to swing over them, she looked down, only to see a glimpse of Twilight and the other four ponies and small dragon that she knew as her friends, making her eyes shoot open, her grip on the rope beginning to loosen.
“Twilight?” she wondered. “Rainbow Da–”
As she reached the arc of her swing, Pinkie Pie’s loosened grip slid her much further down the rope than she had wanted, which she noticed nearly instantly. Fearing for herself, she let out a surprised yelp and flailed her legs about, hugging the rope as tight as she could. Billy, Yurik, Walt, Alice, and several waiting carnies on the side gasped in terror as she began to swing low over the stands
Before she could strike Walt with her swing, Pinkie Pie yanked up on the rope, sending her just over Walt’s head and towards the center stage. Her shock began to subside as she let go of the rope and tumbled on the ground towards a fear-stricken Billy. Landing on her stomach, she quickly shot to her hooves and looked to the equally stunned Walt, Yurik, and Alice.
“Um…” she spoke with a nervous smile. “Tah-dah?”
Billy, realizing that both she and his guests were alright, laughed into the microphone.
“Isn’t she just amazing?” Billy shouted. “Let’s hear it!”
While Walt, Yurik, and Alice clapped solely out of principle, Kieran crossed his arms stared at Pinkie Pie as she took her place by Billy’s side, the latter affectionately petting her mane and neck.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Twilight continued to lie on the bed, staring at Kieran’s phone as she waited it to ring, feeling more and more impatient as the seconds ticked laboriously by.
“Come on,” Twilight whispered. “What’s taking so long?”
The only noise that served to entertain Twilight was the room’s air conditioning system, making Twilight groan as the boredom continued to get even worse.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
With the show having ended, Kieran, Yurik, Walt, and Alice walked onto the floor of the circus tent towards the embarrassed Billy and Pinkie Pie at the center platform.
“Pinkie Pie,” Kieran spoke. “You weren’t hurt back then, were you?”
“Huh?” she perked up, gladdened by his caring for her well-being. “It’s okay, mister! I’ve taken falls way worser than that!”
Kieran looked oddly at Pinkie Pie’s choice of words, only to be approached by Billy.
“Aaron,” he acted with melodramatic sadness with a bow and his hat over his chest, “I’m terribly sorry for what happened during the show. Is there any way I could make it up to you all?”
Yurik, shocked to see his plan fall as perfectly into place as he wanted it, gasped, but then changed it to a smile as he approached Billy.
“In fact,” Yurik said, “there is.”
“Hmm?” Billy queried, his ears tuned to Yurik’s request.
“How open are you to suggestions?”
“Suggestions? Oh, I’m completely for suggestions! What do you suggest my good sir?”
Yurik looked to Kieran, who gave him an approving nod to go ahead with his suggestion.
“You see,” Yurik said with grandeur, “we are a non-profit organization to help provide the best in quality entertainment, which, in our humble opinion, is dueling.”
“I’m not sure what you’re getting across here,” Billy said, “but I do run a circus show here.”
“I’m fully aware,” Yurik responded. “However, my suggestion has not been made yet.”
“Then what is it?”
“What say you to introducing action duels to your… repertoire?”
Billy seized up at the suggestion, looking at Yurik as if he were crazy.
“B– B– But–,” he stuttered. “I cannot perform action duels! I do not have a solid vision generator!”
“That is why we have come to you. I wish to duel you and see if your establishment is worthy of a donation for you to earn your own.”
Billy, now seeing the opportunity before him, began to light up with sparkling eyes, Pinkie Pie looking cautiously at them.
“You mean…” he shuddered.
“Just imagine it,” Yurik egged further. “You and Pinkie Pie, locked in battle with your own monsters and flying about the tent. The audiences will go wild–”
“Alright, stop!” shouted Billy. “I accept! Pinkie Pie, will you please get my duel disk from my office?”
“Yes, Billy!” she responded, galloping off to do her keeper the favor.
Kieran watched as Pinkie Pie went off, then turning to Alice, instructing her with a nod. Pulling out her phone, Alice browsed for Kieran’s number, pressing the call icon and sneaking the phone back into her pocket.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
The screen on Kieran’s phone went alight and its ringtone went off. Twilight, understanding the cue, shot to her hooves and charged her horn.
I’m coming Pinkie, she thought with a strain.
A magenta halo appeared before Twilight’s body, moving down it and rendering the body it passed invisible until she had completely vanished. From just outside the window, a bright magenta flash appeared with nothing appearing from it but the sound of flapping wings.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Pinkie Pie returned shortly after with a shiny, banana-yellow duel disk in her teeth. Slowing down to a trot, she went to Billy’s side and let go of it, letting Billy take it and place it upon his arm, a band fastening from the bottom and onto the forearm.
“Thank you, Pinkie,” he said. “Please stand back with Aaron and the others.”
“Okie doke, Billy!” she chirped, hopping over next to Kieran and Alice near the edge of the stage.
Walt stood behind them, glancing around with his eyes for Twilight’s possible entrance. Yurik stood before Billy about thirty feet away from him, his back close to the short wall separating the stage from the stands, his own duel disk on his arm.
“I’m guessing that we shouldn’t let up on each other, then?” Billy asked.
“Not if you want a free fifty-thousand dollar donation, you shouldn’t,” spoke Yurik. “Come at me with everything you have.”
“That’s fine by me,” he said, pulling his blade disk off his duel disk. “Prepare to be entertained!”
Billy whipped his blade disk out towards Yurik, while Yurik pulled his blade disk off and tossed it near Billy. The two blade disks circled about each other and returned to their owners and hovered beside their duel disks, their blades emitting from the lights on the disk’s sides. Both duelists’ decks shuffled inside their slots and stopped only a second or so afterwards.
“Connection complete,” said a robotic female voice. “Yurik Clayer vs. Billy Bonnaroo. Draw.”
Yurik and Billy each drew five cards from their decks, looking at each other with excited smiles on their faces.
“Uh, say, guys,” Pinkie Pie whispered, leaning towards Kieran, “what’s this dueling that they’ll be doing? And also, can I play too?”
“Sorry,” Kieran responded. “This is a game between Yurik and your friend Billy there.”
“Oh…”
Without warning, Pinkie Pie pulled a megaphone seemingly from nowhere behind her and aimed it at Billy.
“Good luck, Billy!” she screamed, forcing Alice, Walt, and even Kieran to cover their ears in sheer discomfort. “Duel his socks off!”
“I plan to, Pinkie Pie,” Billy said, still looking straight at Yurik with a smug smile. “Let us keep our audience waiting no longer! Let’s go, Yurik!”
“Yeah!” he agreed.
“DUEL!” the two of them shouted.
================
Yurik:
LP: 4000
Billy:
LP: 4000
================
At that very moment, a purple light appeared inside the top of the tent, Twilight flying down towards Pinkie Pie and landing before her. Kieran, Alice, and Walt shielded themselves from the dust that Twilight’s landing picked up while Billy turned towards Twilight with a shocked expression. Pinkie Pie’s eyes widened upon recognizing Twilight, taking a heavy breath in.
“Twi–” she tried to speak.
“No time to explain,” panted Twilight in exhaustion.
Charging her horn once again, she stepped forwards and hugged Pinkie Pie. With a bright flash, both Twilight and Pinkie Pie disappeared, leaving Billy stunned and heartbroken as he stared at the space where they once stood.
“Pinkie Pie!” he shouted.
Suddenly putting two and two together, he scowled intensely as he turned to face Yurik, a triumphant grin already on his face.
“You tricked me!” he shouted. “You led her friends here to take her from me!”
“And I apologize,” Yurik responded. “However, if you think you deserve Pinkie Pie more than we do, then continue to duel me.”
“What?”
“If you win, we will return Pinkie Pie to your guardianship, no questions asked. However, if I win, we will leave with Pinkie Pie in ours. Again, no questions asked.”
Billy, turning back towards Kieran, Alice, and Walt, continued to seethe in betrayal.
“And why should I trust you after what you’ve just done?!” yelled Billy.
“If we wanted,” Yurik said with a straight, serious face, “that purple alicorn could have teleported us all away from here and left you completely high and dry.”
Of course, he thought as he read Billy’s angered face, Twilight couldn’t have done that at all, but as if you would know about alicorn magic like we do.
“Also,” he continued, “only we know where that alicorn took her. If you try to leave and squeal to the cops at any point in time, you will never see us, nor your Pinkie Pie ever again, guaranteed. However, we are sporting men, and we are offering you a chance to take her for yourself.”
“Fine, then!” Billy angrily shouted. “I’ll accept your sick game. Now, take your turn!”
Kieran smirked with a proud huff, glad to see Yurik hold his own as he had done. As per Billy’s instruction, Yurik produced a single card from his hand.
“I summon Pegassist of Night!” shouted Yurik, placing the monster on one of his monster zones.
Appearing from a blue portal on the ground before Yurik was a jet-black pegasus with perfectly preened wings and a dark purple mane and tail, presenting itself with a loud whinny as it stared at Billy with its red eyes.
Pegassist of Night
ATK: 1800
Lvl.: 4
With his monster out, Yurik grabbed two more cards from his hand and placed them in his spell/trap slot.
“I place two cards face down and end my turn,” he concluded.
Status: Hand: 2 Life: 4000 Monsters: 1 Pendulum Zones: 0 Pendulum Scale: – Spells/Traps: 2
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Inside Kieran’s motel room, Twilight and Pinkie Pie appeared on top of the bed in a bright magenta flash of light. Twilight, exhausted from her travel, collapsed and breathed in and out on the bed. Pinkie Pie, now able to get a good look at her familiar savior, beamed and piled herself onto Twilight, who could only react with bulging eyes as the life was squeezed out of her.
“Twilight!” she cried. “You came for me? Aren’t you happy to see me? I know I am! Why aren’t you happy to see me?”
“Pinkie,” sighed Twilight. “I just burned a lot of magic getting to that circus and bringing you here. I need to rest up so I can get the others in a bit.”
“Others?” she asked as she slowly relinquished her hug.
“Those other humans besides Billy are our friends. They found me and took me in much like how Billy did. But I’m here to bring you back,” Twilight said with a smile, happy to see her friend’s face.
Pinkie Pie too smiled, but her mouth pursed up and her eyes went wide upon realizing something.
“Hey,” she said, glancing around the room. “Where’s Rainbow Dash? Or Fluttershy? Or Rarity? Or–”
“We’re not sure yet,” Twilight replied with more strength, managing to get to her feet. “You were the first one we were able to find.”
“Find? But we aren’t playing hide and seek here, Twilight, because how are we supposed to know where they’re hiding?”
“Those other humans have been looking for us; they know how. You can trust them.”
Twilight hopped off the bed and walked towards the window, leaving Pinkie Pie satisfied.
“Okay, Twilight,” she chirped, “I trust you to trust them. Can we just go back though?”
“What!?” Twilight exclaimed, jerking around to her. “Why?”
“I just want to say goodbye to Billy before we go.”
“Pinkie, we can’t.”
“Well, why not?” she asked with rising frustration.
“Because… I… we just can’t Pinkie. It’s too dangerous.”
“But Billy isn’t dangerous, Twilight. He’s actually a lot like me… if he was a guy… and he wasn’t a pony…”
“Pinkie Pie, we don’t have time to argue. I need to leave in a few minutes to go get the others so we can work on getting back home.”
“I understand Twi, but…. please let me have just one super-duper quick second to say goodbye to him. Please, Twilight. I owe him that much for helping me.”
Twilight opened her mouth, but kept from speaking upon seeing Pinkie Pie’s hurt face. Twilight’s ears drooped down as she looked down at the ground, unsure what she should do.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
“My turn,” declared Billy, his fingers on his deck. “Draw!”
Billy glanced at the card in his hand, smirking at what he had with him. Grabbing both cards, he began to make his move.
“I set the pendulum scale with the sca–”
A magenta bubble appeared and immediately burst in front of Kieran, Alice, and Walt, heavily surprising the latter two as both Twilight and Pinkie Pie were now standing there, looking at both Yurik and Billy, who looked elated at her return.
“Pinkie Pie!” he cried, tears forming in his eyes. “You came back for me!”
“Actually, Billy,” Twilight responded bluntly, “I brought her back because she has something to tell you.”
Billy, as well as Walt, Alice, and even Kieran slightly gasped at this statement. Pinkie Pie took a few steps forwards as she looked Billy in the eyes.
“Billy,” she said, feeling more torn as she went on, “I really want to thank you for looking out for me these past couple of days and letting me perform in your show. But… I want to go with Twilight and her new friends.”
Billy choked at the words, stumbling backwards as if they were a physical blow to him.
“As much as I want to entertain people in your show, I need to help find my friends with them so we can get back home. It’s just… I came here to say… goodbye Billy. It's been fun.”
With stifled sobs, Billy tried to compose himself before her, but could not. Pinkie Pie frowned as he bowed his head down. Twilight shared a look of sympathy with Pinkie Pie, as Billy clenched his right fist.
“I’m sorry, Billy,” Yurik spoke, “but this had to be done sooner or later.”
With his open right hand, Yurik lifted it up and lowered it down towards the top of his deck.
“I surre–”
“STOP IT!” Billy screamed, scaring Pinkie Pie and Twilight, also making Yurik jerk his hand off of his deck. “I will not accept surrender from the likes of you! I’m going to bury you like you are me!”
With a crazed smile, Billy turned to face Pinkie Pie, who began to back away and hide behind Twilight.
“Just watch, Pinkie,” he demanded. “I’m going to defeat these thieves, and I’m going to save you from them! Then we can continue entertaining people for the rest of our lives. Just you wait!”
Billy returned his right hand to his cards, picking two cards from his hand and revealing them to Yurik.
“I set the pendulum scale with the rank 1 Parstival Carousel and the rank 5 Parstival Coaster!” declared Billy.
Billy slammed both cards on the outer zones of his blades, making two large blue portals appear on both sides of his field. On the portal to Billy’s left, a small merry-go-round with a horse bolted in all four quarters rose up to the ground.
On Billy’s right side, tracks began to snake around in an ovular shape with a three-car roller coaster train appearing on the rails before they connected together, forming a single circuit. The ceiling of the tent began to transform into a deep-blue sky as a bright 1 and 5 appeared over the merry-go-round and roller coaster.
Parstival Carousel
Pendulum Scale: 1
Parstival Coaster
Pendulum Scale: 5
“Now I can special summon any monsters from my hand whose levels are between 2 and 4,” he continued. “Pendulum summon!”
Billy took two more cards from his hand and placed them on the innermost zones of his duel disk, making the large star appear in the sky with a red portal opening up below its center. Two orange auras flew down from the portal and landed before Billy in a blast of dust that Yurik and the spectators shielded their eyes from.
When the debris settled, two monsters were now visible. The first was a very muscular and bald man in a blue leotard, tight matching boots, and an unnaturally stretched smile across his face towards the lobes of his ears. The second was a small tabby cat with a large red bow and an oddly blank expression, featuring half closed eyes and a slight frown.
“Take the stage,” called Billy, “Parstival Burly Milton! Parstival Buster Kitten!”
While Buster Kitten sat lazily on its rump, Burly Milton clenched its fists at Yurik and his black pegasus.
Parstival Burly Milton
ATK: 1500
Lvl.: 4
Parstival Buster Kitten
ATK: 500
Lvl.: 2
Yurik stared out at Billy’s monsters with confusion, but with a sense of mistrust and uncertainty.
This guy just brings out two monsters much weaker than my own? Yurik pondered. Just what is he planning?
“I activate the effects of both my Parstival Carousel and my Parstival Coaster in my pendulum zones!” Billy exclaimed. “With both of these cards, I can special summon Happy Tokens to my opponent’s side of the field in defense position equal to the number of monsters pendulum summoned to my side of the field.”
Alice and Walt gasped loudly at this perverse strategy, Pinkie Pie gasping more out of confusion.
“Wait,” Pinkie Pie said rather casually, “what’s a token?”
“They are representations of monsters that appear on the field from a card effect,” responded Twilight.
“Oh, I get it! …Wait, what does any of that mean?”
“That means two per pendulum monster,” Yurik snarled, “meaning…”
“I summon four Happy Tokens to your side of the field!” finished Billy with a pointing of his finger.
Suddenly, two exit stalls rose from the ground inside Billy’s field beside his pendulum monsters. Just then, two life-sized inflated clown figures with painted laughing smiles bounced out of each of the exits to the rides and took their place on the remaining spaces on Yurik’s field.
Happy Token
DEF: 0
Lvl.: 1
Happy Token
DEF: 0
Lvl.: 1
Happy Token
DEF: 0
Lvl.: 1
Happy Token
DEF: 0
Lvl.: 1
“No way!” Walt shouted.
“Now Yurik’s field has been completely filled up!” commented Alice.
“I’m not done!” barked Billy. “I now activate the effect of Parstival Burly Milton!”
“There’s more?” Yurik grumbled.
“When this card is summoned to my side of the field, I can return one monster the opponent controls to the hand and then special summon one Happy Token to your side of the field.”
“Unbelievable!” Twilight sighed. “In just one turn, he’s going to completely seal Yurik up!”
Billy’s strongman monster charged at Pegassist of Night and grabbed it by the chest. With a massive heave, Yurik’s monster was sent airborne, a bright light appearing in the air where it had been sent. Appearing in its place was a single Happy Token monster as it landed feet first onto Yurik’s last monster zone, bobbling around before its position was set.
Happy Token
DEF: 0
Lvl.: 1
“And before I begin the battle,” addressed Billy, pointing to his Buster Kitten, “I’ll tell you about Parstival Buster Kitten’s effect. As long as it’s on the field, all Parstival monsters gain the effect of piercing damage.”
“Impossible!” Yurik shouted.
“Battle!” ordered Billy. “Parstival Buster Kitten, attack the Happy token to the left of the center one! Stoic Claw!”
Buster Kitten ran out towards its targeted monster, its expression never changing. Leaping up at the clown figure, its right claws glowed white as it slashed three cuts into the rubber, making the figure explode in fire and smoke. Yurik shielded himself from the blast as it blew into him, groaning as the flames produced a scorching sensation.
Yurik’s Life Points: 4000 -> 3500
“You’re up now!” commanded Billy. “Parstival Burly Milton, attack the center Happy Token. Showy Shove!”
Running up at the center token monster, Burly Milton checked into it and reduced it to a burst of yellow sparkles. Yurik braced himself as Billy’s monster charged straight into him, sending him flying and screaming off his feet as he fell to his stomach on the ground and ground to a stop.
Yurik’s Life Points: 3500 -> 2000
“Yurik!” shouted Twilight.
“It’s only his first turn…” Alice spoke grimly.
“…and he’s already drained half his life points,” continued Walt.
Billy chuckled as he saw Yurik lie still on the ground, making him shift into a full on laugh.
“I’m going to teach you for treading on my dreams,” Billy insanely giggled. “Just try and get up again so I can teach you some more!”
Pinkie Pie looked to Yurik with a concerned expression as Yurik struggled to move. She then stared out at Billy as he resumed his loud, mad laughter, hurt and frightened by what her friend had now become.