//------------------------------// // Chapter 10 Teaser // Story: Life as a Pony // by Tray Hunter //------------------------------// Tray here! I wanted to thank you all for sticking with me and for all the patience, with which you are waiting for the next chapter. I'm still writing on it but I'm optimistic that it will be done soon... at least I hope so. Anyway, since you all are such a great audience and we just hit the 3500 clicks... I proudly present to you the first teaser for the latest installment of Life as a Pony! Chapter 10: Betatesting is Magic (Just the productiontitle) By Tray Hunter Editing by Doctor Brony "Are you done yet?" Ticks asked the still frowning pegasus, sitting on the ground before him. "You have been sitting there for the last 10 minutes!" ‘Give him another minute. If he isn't out of it then, I'll reactivate some of my old shaking functions!' "I don’t think giving the guy a seizure is the best move to make. Smokey! Just snap out of it!" He was short of losing his patience. Suddenly the red-maned pony's eyelids started to twitch and his wings flapped unwillingly. 'Haha! Take that, you big child!' The wings accelerated and the pegasus took off. At least for a second, as B suddenly ceased the motion, causing a certain pony's face to meet the ground. "Ouch!” “Was that really necessary? I mean, MORE brain damage isn’t what we’re looking for here. I’d hate to see what you’re like with a concussion. You could have just given him shiver or a shudder or something like that." 'Could have, but this way’s way more fun. It hurts, but it was totally worth it!' The pegasus got up, holding his head with a hoof. His eyes spun around in their sockets. "Dude, are you alright?" Ticks cantered over to his friend. "Shiny star is shiny and goooood!" Smokey stumbled around, trying to maintain his balance. "I can see fooorrreeeeeeeveeeer!" The unicorn sighed and guided his temporarily mentally damaged friend into the library. "Ehh...Twilight? We have a prob-" Suddenly ponies jumped out of every corner of the library, shouting "Surprise!!!" Ticks looked at his friend, getting a sheepish smile and another "Surprise!" from him. "Wait! You two planned this, just to get me back into the library? Did you really have to face-plant for this?" "It had to be authentic!" 'Eeeyup!’ The blue pony frowned. He was going to say something but was suddenly dragged away by a pink hoof. After Pinkie had introduced Ticks to everypony (and slipped some hot sauce into his drink) she dashed off and disappeared in the masses of dancing ponies. "Yeah! These ponies really know how to party." Suddenly something caught his attention. Actually it was somepony. ...or better yet somebush. "Psst! Dude! Get over here!" Smokey whispered from his hiding place, which was actually just one of Twilight’s plants. "You’ve gotta hurry! Before she sees you!" The unicorn rolled his eyes and cantered over to the talking and shivering flora. "Smokey! What are you doing?" His face lurked out of the leaves and he said "I'm hiding from her!" he pointed at a pink unicorn mare with an unusually colorful mane and tail. Ticks eyes widened "Isn't that her? I mean...you-know-who?!" 'Exactly! And somepony is still afraid of meeting her.' The plant turned over to the concerned unicorn. "You have to cover me! I'll try to jump into the kitchen and hide inside the fridge!" "Dude, are you serious? You think a walking pegasus is catching more attention than a jumping bush?" 'Mmh, never thought about it that way...' Smokey slowly got out of his cover and looked around. His expression suddenly turned to a shocked grimace. The pegasus turned around and looked directly into the violet eyes of a certain mare. "You?" they spoke in unison, staring at each other. * * * * * After what seemed like an eternity, Ticks spoke up, breaking the silence with sillyness. "Oh, you must be Starberry Burst! Nice to meet you! Smokey has told me soooo much about you!" he took her hoof and shacked it as hard and fast he could. "L-l-let g-g-gooo!" she stuttered while trying to free from the unwilling vibration. She galloped away and out of the door, when the unicorn released her from his ‘Surprise Hoof Shake’ (Patent Pending). "Thanks brony!" Smokey said in relief, holding a hoof in his friends direction. "Eh, no problem, dude." they brohoofed and laughed at their overcoming of the pegasus' evil ex-lover. The rest of the night included dancing, more laughing and something Pinkie called a “Surprise Cocktail.” This beverage mostly contains the spare sips of every glass nearby and, you guessed it, hot sauce. "Dude, can you lend me some bits?" Smokey looked at the blonde unicorn as if he just asked him for a second horn. "Why do you need money? The drinks are free!" ‘And I worked hard for my money!’ Ticks smiled and answered "Trust me! I have a plan!" “Fine. But I want my money back, ok? I don’t exactly have a ‘ready source of income.’” Smokey said as he slipped out a small hoof-full of bits and tossed them to Ticks. ‘But tha-’ “Ah-ah. What have we been talking about?” ‘... Sharing is caring.’ “Exactly!” Ticks just smiled, and with that he left for a nearby table, three borrowed bits between his teeth. "Gentlecolts, may I join your party?" After half an hour, the other ponies left the table and left our time-reversing hero alone with his 100 bits. "I guess Blackjack is just my game!" You’ve probably figured out that he couldn't possibly fail at this game. Every time he would make a mistake or get the wrong cards, he would simply travel back a few seconds and try again. On the other hoof, this technique means a lot of patience and concentration. Not only that, but the spell is exhausting over time and these ‘30 minutes’ took him about two hours. Meanwhile, Smokey won a speed drinking contest. Usually he wouldn't have to use his magic sensor to win this, but B talked him into it. Basically because it would make navigating to the glasses (without throwing some of them over) way easier. Unfortunately, he forgot to alter his talking speed, so nopony understood him when he asked for the next round. At about 3 a.m. the ponies started to leave, and so our completely drunk protagonists decided to call it a night as well. "Bye Pinks!" the pegasus yelled at the partymare "Sweet party *yawn* and stuff!" Ticks tried to maintain his balance as he cantered towards the door. "Yeah! We should do this again soon!" "Huh? You're leaving already?" Pinkie sighed "Alright, good night, you two! Or is it good day? ...good time?" Suddenly she started to shiver a bit, her ears fluffed, her eyes twittered and her knees twitched. The door to the library swung open and something small rolled in, followed by a loud bang and smoke filled the room, blinding and confusing the ponies. "Whats going on now?" Smokey asked, concentrating the smoke in a corner of the library. Suddenly a hoof hit him in the head, knocking him out. "Hey what are you doing, you mean Meanie McMeanpants?" Pinkie Pie yelled at the intruders. Her anger was met by a small dart, sticking in her shoulder. The pink earthpony was fast asleep within seconds. "Target condemned! Begin Witnesses Protocol Alpha?" one of the intruders asked through his gasmask. Another simply shook his head and said "Negative! Begin evac!" With that the first intruder pointed his hoof at the unconscious pegasus and shot a net at him. They took him and were away, as fast as they arrived. Will they be able to rescue Smokie? Will there be any more encounters with Starberry Burst? Will there ever be a "Life as a Pony"-liveaction movie? Who will star Ticks? Will Morgan Freeman narate B? Some of this in the actual chapter In the meantime: Get to know another pony with a seemingly similiar fate. Lore Venture He loves sunshine, flowers and dusty old tombs in the middle of the Everfree with traps that go SWING and STOMP. And if you ask yourselves why I mentioned him, let me tell you that sometimes the paths we take lead to a crossroad. *EPIC VOICE OFF*