My Little Pony: A Race Against Time

by CJ Esmerio

A Friendly Invite

Author's Note:

"My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic"belongs to DHX Media and Hasbro, while the Warrior of Twilight is the creator of Stardust Balance.

[Twilight's Castle]

"..."

"Casey.."

"..."

"Casey!"

After hearing a familiar pony yell out his name, Casey yawned, and muttered, "I already told you, Starlight, I don't need you as my alarm clock."

"Well, ever since that one adventure," replied the light-purple unicorn. "You've been sleeping in more often than usual… and besides, what sort of friend would I be if I didn't wake you up every morning?"

As he got out of his bed, Casey rubbed his eyes for a little bit, and said, "First, leave the generosity stuff to Rarity… and two, you're more like an annoying sister than a close friend."

"Oh,ha ha ha," said Starlight, in a sarcastic tone, and was about to continue her sentence when she noticed that Casey was going to the library. "Why are you going that way?"

"To go and visit… uh…" Casey started to say, but then, he stopped after seeing an almost sad look on his friend's face. "I haven't really… been around much, have I?"

Starlight shook her head, and said, "Not since you and him started hanging out more with each other… but that's okay, I mean… if you prefer to-"

"No, no, it's fine," replied Casey. "I can always visit him another time."

As he watched her begin to smile, the young pony asked, "So, what did you want to do today?"

---

Inside the library, Spike was pacing back and forth, quietly humming to himself while he waited for-

WHOOSH!

"So, how did it go?" asked the young dragon.

Taking a quick look back at the Crystal Mirror, Twilight replied, "Just fine, Spike… she'll make sure to let the others know about Casey's party."

Spike nodded his head, and said, "Awesome… but, uh, won't it be kind of weird for two versions of us to be in the same room for almost the whole day?"

"Not as weird as when Pinkie had that one party here," reminded a chuckling Twilight, who looked through the remaining invitations that were in her saddlebag. "And speaking of Pinkie, we have to go deliver her invitation."

As the two of them began to walk out of the castle, a confused Spike asked, "But, uh, isn't she the one in charge of decorating this place when it's the day of his party?"

"Yes, but it's the thought that counts, Spike," replied the young princess. "And it's a good thing that Starlight will keep him busy in the meantime."

"What do you think they'll do together?"

---

After following Starlight out of the castle, and onto the nearest clear field of grass, Casey looked at the object he was currently holding, and said, "Uh, no offense, Star, but… I don't know how to fly a kite."

"No worries, I'll teach you," replied a smiling Starlight. "I mean, if Pinkie's sister could figure out how, then it should be simple for you to learn."

Taking another look at the kite in his hooves, an unsure Casey replied, "Uh,yeah, sure… so, how do we get it in the air?"

---

[Sugarcube Corner]

"Thanks for the invitation, Twilight! Now I'll make sure that I do aperfectjob with Casey's party decorations!"

Twilight chuckled, and she shook her head, saying, "Just do whatever you're comfortable with, Pinkie, it's only a birthday party."

"Well,yeah, but it's gonna be the first one with all ofus," reminded Pinkie. "So, I have to make sure this is memorable for-"

DING!

Suddenly, after the noise of the oven went off, Pinkie cried, "Ooh, yeah, his cake is done!"

Twilight and Spike watched as their friend began to add various cake decorations to what would be Casey's birthday cake, and she said, "It smells delicious, Pinkie… hopefully he loves chocolate!"

---

With her kite now up in the air, Starlight said, "Okay, Casey, since today's a good-enough-windy day, you just have to lift your kite up until it catches the wind.

"Then, let go of the bridle and begin to let some line out. After that, pull on the line to point the kite up because this will help the kite climb higher into the air… understand?"

Casey nodded his head, and said, "Absolutely, Star… but, um, just one more thing… can you help untangle me out of this mess?"

Somehow, the young pony had wrapped his kite's string all around his body, and it almost looked like he'd been tied up by Applejack with her lasso.

"This is gonna take a while…" said Starlight, letting out a sigh of amusement.

---

After finishing up with Pinkie, Twilight and Spike went over to Rarity's home to deliver her invitation, and then, it was off to Rainbow's house.

Unfortunately, when it seemed like she wasn't there, Twilight decided to simply leave it on her doorstep, positive that her friend would notice it whenever she came back home, and made her way over to Sweet Apple Acres.

Meanwhile

"Good thing the door is always open… and she's supposed to be our future ruler one day."

With the castle currently unoccupied, the cloaked pony casually made his way inside, and started walking upstairs to the library.

"Figures that she'd care more about this damn castle than the damage that she caused."

Once he was inside the book-filled room, the cloaked pony stood still to observe the Crystal Mirror world-traveling machine.

"The last thing I need is an alien or some other freakish pony ruining my plans by coming here… so how about we put a stop to that?"

---

[Fluttershy's Cottage]

After reading the birthday invitation, Fluttershy gave her friend a grateful smile, and said, "Thank you, Twilight… I hope Casey will enjoy it."

"Oh, he'd better," said Twilight, with a chuckle. "Especially since he's supposed to be limiting his time with-"

POOF!

Before she could finish her sentence, a familar draconequs appeared in the middle of the living room, and said, "I'm sorry, but I could have sworn that I heard something about aparty…"

Twilight let out a sigh, and replied, "Yes,Discord, it's a party for Casey, and we're having it at the castle in a few days."

"Splendid!"cried Discord, who was making a bunch of confetti appear above the two ponies heads. "I'll be sure to drop by whenever-"

"Uh, hate to burst your bubble, Discord," said Spike, who was looking through Twilight's saddle bag. "But we don't have any more invitations to give out, so I'm not sure if-"

He was suddenly interrupted by Discord's laughter, and the draconequs said, "Oh, I don't need an invitation, little one… besides, what would a party be withoutmethere?"

Before anyone could answer, Discord snapped his fingers, and in the blink of an eye, he was gone.

"Well, I don't think it'll bethatbad having him show up to Casey's party," said Fluttershy, trying to be optimistic. "I mean, if it's like that one time when I went to his home for-"

"Ahem!"

The trio of friends turned to the side, where a white-colored and impatient bunny was glaring at Fluttershy, who said, "Oh, dear, I almost forgot… alright, let's get you your carrot, Angel."

---

Now that he'd done his work on the Crystal Mirror, the cloaked pony quickly headed out of the castle, with a smile across his face.

"Now it's time to pay a visit to the so-called rulers of Equestria…"