//------------------------------// // Chapter 5 // Story: Domino Effect // by Wheller //------------------------------// Chapter 5 Twilight Sparkle and Pips Domino returned to the Library to the sounds of books falling off their shelves. Twilight opened the door to discover Vinyl Scratch lying on her back, her hooves up in the air holding Dinky Doo at hooves length. Dinky Doo was swinging her legs wildly in anger. Rainbow Dash and Spike had constructed fortifications out of the overturned Sofa, and were wearing kangaroo Brodie helmets. Spike’s helmet being comically too big for him, books had been tossed haphazardly about the Library. Twilight stood with her mouth hanging open, she couldn’t believe what she was seeing. “WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!” She cried out. Vinyl tilted her head back, and Dinky stopped moving. Both of them looked towards the door. Likewise, Rainbow Dash and Spike poked their heads above cover to look. Pips Domino turned to Twilight and gave her a grin. “Well there you go Murphy.” “Thank Celestia! My saviour has returned!” Vinyl cried out sarcastically. She tilted her head back and looked up at Dinky. “You are in big trouble missy!” Twilight looked as if she was about to explode with anger. “As far as I’m concerned... you BOTH are responsible for this mess, and you will be cleaning it up!” “Yes Twilight,” Vinyl and Dinky said simultaneously, Vinyl set Dinky down and the two of them started picking books back up and placing them back where they belong, though Dinky gave Vinyl another kick in the shins while Twilight wasn’t looking, causing the unicorn mare to hop up and down slightly in pain. “Cheeky nipper!” Vinyl spat at her under her breath, causing Dinky to stick her tongue out at her. Twilight sighed and then looked towards Rainbow Dash and Spike. “Where did you get those?” “They were in the scout car that’s parked out back,” Spike said simply, referring to the kangaroo scout car that Vinyl Scratch had ‘borrowed’ on her return trip from South Island. “They came in really handy when the books started flying!” Twilight sighed loudly. “Dinky?” Twilight asked. Dinky Doo looked up at Twilight from her cleaning and stared directly at her. “Come here please,” Twilight said simply. Dinky obeyed, crossing the room and looking at Twilight intensely. “Dinky... I understand that you’re upset with Vinyl, but this? This is not okay,” Twilight said. “You could have seriously hurt her or yourself...” “Hey! Thanks for showing concern for us!” Rainbow Dash called out. Twilight shot Rainbow Dash a dirty look, causing her to recoil and hide behind the overturned sofa. “Sorry!” Rainbow Dash quipped, causing Spike to grin at her. “Dude, you’re whipped!” Spike said with a chuckle, causing Rainbow Dash to shove the heavy steel helmet over his eyes. “I’m not saying that you have to forgive Vinyl, but please, at least be civil, for the rest of our sakes?” Twilight pleaded. Dinky looked down towards the ground guiltily. “Okay... I’m sorry Twilight.” Twilight offered Dinky a small smile before turning to Vinyl Scratch. “As for you! You’re an adult! Act like it!” Vinyl frowned, glancing towards the ground and looking incredibly guilty, at least, as far as Twilight could tell with those goggles of hers that were blocking her eyes. A somewhat quiet, slow, clapping noise came from behind them, everypony turned around to discover that they had forgotten about Pips Domino, who was applauding Twilight’s management of the situation. “Very nice! Well handled!” Pips said with a grin. “I’m sorry you had to see that... it’s not like this around here all the time, I promise!” Twilight said. “That’s a shame, because I’m rather enjoying myself. If you’ll excuse me though, I must ready myself for Pinkie Pie’s party,” Pips bid them a farewell as he trotted up the stairs. Rainbow Dash and Spike turned back over the sofa and pushed it back into place. “Glad to see somepony is enjoying himself!” Rainbow Dash said with mild annoyance. “I don’t know about him...” “Oh come on Rainbow Dash!” Vinyl called back as she used her magic to levitate some of the books back to their places. “I probably would have made the same comment.” “Yeah well I actually know you!” Rainbow Dash said. “I don’t know him.” They all pitched in to help clean up the Library. Leaving the bottom shelves for Dinky and Spike, Twilight and Vinyl used magic to sort books on the middle shelves, while Rainbow Dash picked up and placed as many as she could on the top shelves. Dinky had just placed the last book when Pips Domino trotted back down the stairs wearing a new suit identical to his old one, except this one looked as if it had just been neatly primed and pressed. “Wow, I’m impressed!” Pips said with a grin. “Shall we?” And with that, the group walked out of the Library down towards Sugarcube corner. ... They didn’t know how it was possible, but somehow, in the four hours since Twilight and Pips had visited Sugarcube Corner, Pinkie Pie had not only replaced all of the broken windows and swept up all the glass, but when Twilight glanced into the kitchen upon walking in to the front door, it looked as if nothing had happened at all today. “How does she do it...?” Twilight mumbled to herself. Just as suddenly, Pinkie Pie appeared from nowhere, springing up on the group as they walked through the door. “Hi! Glad you could make it! Now that the guest of honour is here, it’s a party!” Pinkie Pie said grinning widely. “Nice hat Dashie!” Rainbow Dash glanced upwards noticing that she was still wearing her brodie helmet she shrugged; deciding to keep it on, it was kind of cool anyway. Pips Domino smiled brightly at Pinkie Pie, and put out his hoof to shake hers. Pinkie Pie took it and shook enthusiastically. “Mr. Domino! We’d be honoured if you’d sing a song for us!” Pinkie Pie said grinning widely. “Well... sure! Why not!” Pips said with a grin and trotted over to the impromptu stage that Pinkie Pie had set up and tapped on the microphone. “Hello Ponyville! My name is Pips Domino! That’s okay if you haven’t heard that one before, I’m old,” Pips said with a shrug. “But that don’t mean I can’t still swing! And I got a song that I’d like to sing for you all!” Pips stepped away from the microphone for a moment, and looked over to the band that Pinkie Pie had obtained, how she had gotten all the instruments needed in such short notice. This Pinkie Pie character was clearly resourceful. Pips consulted with the band for a few moments before returning to the microphone. “They calllll you ladyyyyyy luck! But there is roooooom, for doubt! At times you have, a very unladylike wayyyyyyy of running out! You’re on this date with me, the pickins have been lush, and yet before this evening is over... you might give me brushhhh. You might forget your manners, you might refuse to stayyyyyyy... and so the best that I can do... is prayyyyyy.” The band kicked into full swing, trumpets blaring loudly as everypony began tapping along to rhythm. “Luck be a lady, tonight! Luck be a lady, tonight! Luck if you’ve ever been a lady to begin with, Luck be a lady, tonight!” Vinyl Scratch bobbed her head along with the beat, soon enough, everypony around her caught on. “Luck let a gentleman see. Just how nice a dame you can be. I know the way you’ve treated other guys you’ve been with Luck be a lady with me.” Even Twilight and Rainbow Dash were enjoying themselves, they could see why Vinyl idolised Pips Domino, and he wasn’t just good. He was spectacular. “A lady never leaves her escort; it isn't fair; it isn't nice. A lady doesn't wander all over the room, and blow on some other guys dice.” Vinyl Scratch glanced over to Twilight and offered her a grin. She had told her that she wasn’t going to regret it. More ponies from outside who weren’t at the party had started to come in. “Let’s keep this party polite! Never get out of my sight! Stick with me baby, I’m the guy that you came in with Luck be a lady! Toniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight!” The song ended and the entirety of Sugarcube corner burst into applause. ... If there was anything about Pips Domino that could be said, he was good with a crowd, he was performing for them, sure, but the colt loved to sing, and he was happy to sing for them, the party and ended up being more of an impromptu concert than anything else. Nopony complained though, and Pips graced them with his renditions of Blue Moon, Summer Wind, Come Fly With Me, and That's life. Ponyville had its first taste of Ol’ Blue eyes, The Chairman of the Board, Pips Domino himself. Now they could never go back. Pips Domino could only smile, he had them right where he wanted them.