//------------------------------// // The Mystery Tour // Story: The EK // by Magi Tail Welkin //------------------------------// Autumn came close to ending and the day of Nightmare Nights arrived, this special holiday falls on the last full moon of the season. Ponies would dress up and have fun being scared. Fluttershy already told Cipher of her arrangement. Cipher in this instant felt torn, he wanted to spend time with his mare-friend but Nightmare Nights sounded like the only time he could use his disguise magic and not feel ashamed about old habits. Then he remembered King Thorax’s teaching about compromise, something his Majesty learned while living in the Crystal Empire. The two talked it out and came to an arrangement, Fluttershy could spend the night at Cipher’s house hiding in the spare room with a couple of her animal friends for company. Angel insisted he came, much to Riolu’s annoyance, but Fuzzy-Legs the spider and Harry the bear came along too. Cipher, given his arthropod natural liked Fuzzy-Legs, and Riolu found a friend in Harry, the silly old bear. While the animals kept Fluttershy company Cipher would greet the foals, and Pinkie who would come to the door. He needed to think about his appearance, what would he appear as? But he still needed to do his day job before the night, and indeed he would be spending the afternoon on a special job too. Miss Cheerilee and the Cakes arranged a Mystery Tour for the afternoon, something to do with the Cakes Twins birthday, this being their second, but Cipher also remember Mrs Cake promising to take the twins to Canterlot today as well, this left him somewhat confused. On his rounds for the morning he spoke with the two newest arrivals to Ponyville. Prince Blueblood, who finally moved into town to start teaching young Aura about the energy of Aura, and now with a full fledge Aura Guardian, a AG in training and a Jakhowl in town Discord felt less sure about causing trouble for Princess Twilight and Company. Blueblood allow began to teach Riolu more on the Aura as well, but given his position in Canterlot and a new hobby as a journalist and columnist for the Ponyville Express he didn’t have much time to do much else. The other Mr Morals Waterbury, Cipher couldn’t quite understand what happened to him, but both he and King Thorax testified in Princess Luna’s investigation on the matter, partially funded by Lord Blue Moon. Cipher’s testimony proved the most useful and verifiable given his, closeness, to Her Tragedy, he said no pony by the name of Morals Waterbury ever got involved in the Secret Invasion. So, coupled with the information provided by the remaining member of the Waterbury Family he got pardoned and released. The family remained quite poor, but both Princess Twilight and Mayor Mare rectified this by appointing Morals the Everfree Kingdom’s new Foreign Secretary with a salary equal to his pay at during his time in the Canterlot Foreign Office. It started in the morning when Windy Miller, out with the eggs and milk meet Mrs Cake in the High Street, they greeted each other and Windy assured her Sugarcube Corner would get its regular delivery. Mrs Cake went on her way to the Post Office, with a big parcel, so big she needed to pull it on a small trolley. She opened the door and found no-pony at the counter “Shop?” she called “Any-pony in.” From the door leading into the Doo House Muffins peaked out with a basket of muffins in her mouth. She put them under the counter and smiled “Hello Mrs Cake. I just finished with the day’s complimentary muffins, do you want one?” Mrs Cake smiled “Oh, I would love one, but I can’t stop. I don’t want to be late taking the twins to Canterlot.”, Muffins walked up with smiling confusion, she put the parcel on the scales to work out the price of postage “Not too disappointed about missing the tour our they?” Mrs Cake smiled “Oh, they’re too excited about their birthday treat to worry about the tour. We’ll be back by this evening so we can join in the fun and get ready for Nightmare Nights.” She pulled out her purse “How much for the parcel?” Muffins looked at the scale again “That’ll be, three bits please.” She took it off “Talking about children Dauntless was telling me Princess Twilight’s already starting to act funny over her pregnancy, rumours are going about that she may be carrying multiples.” Mrs Cake blinked “Really? I’ve heard nothing from Pinkie about it, although she is busy setting up both the Nightmare Nights party and the surprise at the end of the Mystery Tour.” She paid and left. She made it back to Sugarcube Corner and started putting cupcakes and other confectionaries in view for customers, on her back sat her Pegasus son, Pound Cake, he held a plate in his hoofs, Mrs Cake took it in her mouth and put it on the counter, then she kissed her son “Thank you sweetheart.”, Pound giggled and hugged “Welcome Mommy.” From the kitchen, Mr Carrot Cake pushed a small trolley with an un-iced cake into the room he glanced at his daughter Pumpkin Cake and smiled, using her magic she levitated one of the icing bags “You’re getting very good at magic Pumpkin, keep this up and we might sign you up for Princess Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns.”, Pumpkin’s face faulted slightly “But I like it here Daddy. I don’t want to leave Pound alone.”, Pound flew down beside his sister and they both said at once “We’re twins, we should be together.” Pinkie came out from her room and the twins turned and grew excited “Auntie Pinkie!” they shouted and ran to her, Pinkie held her hoofs out and hugged them “Hi guys,” she giggled “Do you always have to run into my like I’ve been away so long?” “You’re great Pinkie,” Pound said and Pumpkin nodded “You are so much fun.”, then they said together “We love fun.” Just then the shop door opened with the ring off the bell. Cipher walked in levitating a load of post “Good morning all.” He said as he gave three letters, a postcard and a parcel to Mr Cake, then walked over to Pinkie and gave the remaining letter to her, Pinkie mane took the letter because both hooves still held the twins. Cipher stepped back “I can’t stop I’m afraid, lots of letters today, and I need to get them done early” And he quickly walked out. Pinkie sighed “Just when I wanted to talk.”, a blue aura covered the envelop and opened it, Pinkie glanced at Pumpkin and smiled, she then read the letter and gasped with excitement, she then started bouncing up and down, the twin cheered and laughed. Mrs Cake rushed over, stopped her and quickly took the twins from her “Celestia Pinkie, what’s gotten you excited?” “Cheese Sandwich is coming!”, the foal started cheering too. Mrs Cake looked to her husband “This is going to be… interesting.” “Interesting?” Pinkie said, “It’s going to be exciting!”, last time Cheese came to Ponyville was on Rainbow Dash’s Birthday and Anniversary of her arrival to Ponyville, and Pinkie planned to make that year’s party big, which caught the attention of Cheese, the Super-Duper Party Pony. His presence and performance caught the attention of townsfolk of Ponyville, but at the expense of Pinkie, she initially thought her skills couldn’t match that of a professional party pony who travel from place to place. However, she resolved to prove herself as Ponyville’s premiere party pony so challenged Cheese to a Goof Off, a contest, with Rainbow as the judge where the two would compete to be the silliest. During her turn, Pinkie over did it and caused an accident which annoyed Rainbow. Pinkie realised she’d put her own desires in front of her friend’s and broke the promise she made to Rainbow Dash earlier in the day. So, she forfeited the contest and gave the win to Cheese. Thinking she could no longer be a party pony she decided to leave, but naturally her friends convinced not to leave. And surprisingly Cheese Sandwich revealed his history, as a colt he left his birthplace of Manehatten, and when he reached Ponyville he stumbled onto a party held by a young Pinkie Pie, it inspired him to be a party pony. In fact, the reason why Cheese came to Ponyville was to impress Pinkie. The two reconciled and together made the biggest birthday bash in Ponyville history, it had even been documented as one of the best events in the history of the Everfree Kingdom. The only question now was why Cheese Sandwich would be coming, most likely to help with the Nightmare Nights party. Pinkie stopped and blinked before gasping again “I’ve got to get some ideas now and fast. I can’t tell Cheese I’ve got nothing.” She rushed behind the counter and pulled a leaver, a trap door opened and she jumped in, the closed after her. Mr and Mrs Cake looked at each other, Carrot spoke first “Sounds like she’s got a crush on Sandwich.”, Cup nodded and went to the door “I’m sure it’ll all work out. Now dear, you’ve got the deliveries, haven’t you?” “Oh, thanks for reminding me.” He went to pick up and packed boxes, Pound and Pumpkin trotted up to them. Pound took off from the floor and picked up a box and Pumpkin levitated one as well. Mr Cake smiled proudly at his kids “Thanks for the help gingersnaps.” “You’re welcome Daddy.” They chimed and the three went outside to start packing the cart. Mrs Cake smiled as well. On the hill road lead into the town a yellow and lanky Earth Pony stood with a poncho and Stetson hat, a rubber chicken with its own Stetson sitting on his back. As he spoke the party blower in his mouth wiggled around “Yes sir Boneless Two, Ponyville is priming for a real blast of a party, I reckon Pinkie Pie will be needing help, what do you say?” He glanced at the prop which sagged slightly before squeaking, Cheese nodded “I hear you, we’d better get moving, this party may be a dozy, but what’s it all about?” He walked into town and almost immediately b-lined for the castle on the outskirts, both impressed and confused, to the stallion it looked out of place. He would have gone further, but then he felt the weight on his back, however minuscule, lighten, he quickly turned around and saw Boneless Two being levitated in a blue magical aura and floating towards a unicorn filly with an orange mane. Before Cheese could say anything the foot of his rubber chicken ended up chewed upon by said filly. Cheese yelp and pulled on Boneless Two’s neck, the prop stretched and the filly continued chewing. To the ponies around them they looked with confusion or amusement as the stallion they recognised as Cheese Sandwich played tug of war with Pumpkin Cake. “Pumpkin!” said a voice, the filly let go of Boneless and Cheese fell backwards and in fact rolled and lost his hat. Feeling dizzy he shook himself and looked back as Mr Cake talked sternly to her daughter “Pumpkin Cake, what have I, Mommy and Pinkie Pie said about chewing things that aren’t food?”, Pumpkin frowned, her ears slicked back and looked to the ground “It’s wrong, a bad habit, and I could choke.” “That’s right. Now say you’re sorry to the stallion.”, Pumpkin nodded and turned to Cheese, who brushed himself down, “Sorry sir. I can’t control myself sometimes.” “Oh, it’s no problem my little pony.” Cheese said, his voice no longer serious, he could be serious in front of a foal, he loved kids. Mr Cake blinked “Cheese Sandwich?” “The one and only,” he paused a chuckled “I was going to say the one and only super-duper party pony, but there’s Pinkie of course. Speaking of which where is she?” “Oh, she’s in Sugarcube Corner. Didn’t really expect you to be back so soon, Pinkie only got your letter this morning.” “When you travel around Equestria as much as I do, you get a lot stamina and speed.” He shook slightly “Wow, my Cheesy Sense is really drawn to Pinkie, this party she’s planning must be important.”, Carrot nodded and explained, Cheese smiled and nodded fast “I get it,” his back kegs start moving and built up speed “Got to get moving, so much to do, so little time.” And he sped off towards the confectionary bakery. Then he suddenly stopped and rushed past Carrot again “Forgot me hat.” And again, gone like shot. Cipher meanwhile parked the Mail Coach outside and went inside the Post Office “I hope I don’t get lost. Then again, getting lost might be part of the fun.” Muffins chuckled “It’s make a change from delivering the post.”, he nodded before asking aloud “I wonder where Cheerilee is taking us?” He glanced up at the clock on the wall and blinked “Sweet Celestia, is that the time? I must be off, they’ll be waiting for me at the Schoolhouse. Bye for now.” And he sped-walked out. He flew onto the driver’s seat, started the Coach up and drove off. He passed Chrome Blade on his midday patrol “Morning Cipher.” “Morning.” Hell called back and Riolu barked. Cipher arrived at the school right on time. The bell rang and Miss Cheerilee opened the door. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon hopped out first, then Crackle Pop, Dinky Doo, Featherweight and Pipsqueak, the CMC along with Tender Taps, Button Mash and Rumble, then at the back First Base, and Autumn and Stone Waterbury. Miss Cheerilee counted out the foals, all those allowed on the tour today anyway. Firelight considered herself a little too old for a treasure hunt. Snips got grounded for actions earlier in the week and Snails decided to brush up on his Buck-ball skills to try out for the recently announced junior league. And Aura had aura training with Prince Blueblood, she took any opportunity she could. Cheerilee smiled as the Waterbury Foals passed by “No-pony missing.” She grabbed a saddlebag and put it on her back. Cipher walked up to the excited and chatting crowd “Hello every-pony, ready to go when you are. But where to?” Miss Cheerilee giggled, she truly kept the Tour a mystery, she reached into the saddlebag and pulled out a yellow envelope “Well, I think some-pony should read out the first clue.” She turned to the foals “Who’s it to be?”, the foals immediately cried out at once to be the one. Miss Cheerilee smiled and gave the envelope to Scootaloo who took it out and read it “Find a spinning granny, she’d give you some thread.” Diamond Tiara narrowed her eyes “A spinning granny? What kind of nonsense is that?” Dinky Doo nodded “She’d get dizzy.” “Now then children.” Cheerilee said “We want to be home before dark, so have a good think, they we’ll be off. First how can a granny spin without getting dizzy.” Sweetie Belle looked over Scootaloo’s shoulder “It say something about a thread, Rarity told me it was common for mare a hundred years ago to use spinning wheels.” Apple Bloom started bouncing up and down “I know who has a spinning wheel! Granny Smith!”, all the foals, and Cipher looked at her and she explained “She and her mommy used to spin thread for clothes in the early days of Sweetie Apple Arches. Granny keeps it in her room.” Cheerilee nodded “Shall we go and see?” she turned to Cipher “First stop, Sweet Apple Arches Cipher, if you please.”, the Changeling chuckled “I think I know where that is.” He went to the Mail Coach and helped the foals in. He turned to the teacher “You’d better sit up top with me Cheerilee, just in case we get lost.” They climbed aboard and they start off on the tour. As the Mail Coach slowly rolled through and out the town the foals started arguing. Diamond Tiara told Pipsqueak to stop blocking the view from the window. Crackle Pop got into a quarrel with Dinky when he proclaimed he’d figure out all the clues first. Cipher glanced down and then to Cheerilee “Were foals like this when you were they’re age?”, Cheerilee giggled and nodded. They rolled into Sweet Apple Arches. Applejack and Big Mac came to help Cheerilee and Cipher keep the foals in order while they waited for Apple Bloom to get the clue, she did live here so she wouldn’t be invading. Apple Bloom ran to Granny Smith’s room and knocked. No reply, Apple Bloom frowned “Granny?”, she knocked again before she entered, then giggled. Granny Smith sat asleep in her rocking chair next to the old spinning wheel. She wore an old moth bitten bonnet. Apple Bloom walked up and tapped her granny awake. Granny Smith jumped “Land sakes!” she looked down at Apple Bloom “I thought you were on the tour?” Apple Bloom nodded “I am Granny, Miss Cheerilee sent me in to get the clue, every-pony else is waiting outside.” “Gosh darn it, I must’ve fallen asleep.” She looked to the basket beside her “Now then, where’s that thread?” She looked about “What did I do with the cotton-picking thing?” then her hoof went to her bonnet “Oh yeah, I kept it under my bonnet for safe keeping.” Apple Bloom giggled “You always lose stuff on the top of your head Granny, like your glasses.”, Granny chuckled and gave her the thread, a message wrapped around it, “Now you’d best be on your way Sugarcube, you’ve got a lot of touring to do, and I got a lot of work to do.”, Apple Bloom nodded and trotted out, when she heard Granny’s snoring again she giggled once more. She got outside and read it out “Go to a place where the night is not dark, give the cotton thread to a lady.” Diamond Tiara scratched her head and Silver Spoon questioned “Where the night is not dark?”, Diamond then spoke “But it’s always dark at night, it’s partly why we have Nightmare Nights to begin with.” First Base tapped his hoof “Maybe it means a knight, as in a knight in shining armour.” Autumn titled her head “Shining Armour? But we can’t go to the Crystal Empire, not in time to be back before dark.”, Stone smiled and shook his head “There is a knight in Ponyville, a Royal Knight,” First Base nodded and spoke out “Flash!” Featherweight spoke up “What about the never dark part? Prince Flash has a dark blue mane?” Crackle replied, “He’s wears bright armour.” Button Mash then added “What about Major Fields? He has a suit of armour in Kimblewick Hall.” Cheerilee, who for most of the time conversed with Big Mac, turned and spoke “Why don’t we go down the Castle of Friendship and see if Prince Flash is our Knight.” Dinky then spoke “What about the lady? Princess Twilight is way above being a lady.”, Cheerilee giggled “Maybe we should go and find out.” She turned to Applejack and Big Mac “Goodbye, give my regards and thanks to Granny Smith.” Applejack waved “You’re welcome, and we sure will.” “Yep.” As the foals climbing in Pipsqueak said, “I wish we could have this every, it’s much better than school.”, Stone nudged him “Pip, sometimes you don’t realise you’ll miss something until after it’s gone.”, Cipher looked down at hearing this and nodded, the Waterbury Family would know. He looked to the road and called out “All aboard for the Castle of Friendship.” He flicked the reigned and they rolled off. He only hoped the foals guessed correctly, you shouldn’t make a mistake on a Mystery Tour, otherwise you end up getting lost. But they soon arrived at the Castle. And much to his surprise both the Major and Flash stood at the bottom of the entrance steps in their armour. The Major started to approach, the armour squeaked and clanked restricting his movement “Oh, blast this armour.” He turned to Flash “If you could sir.”, Flash chuckled and held up his hoof “Halt! The lady approaches.” The doors opened and out walked none other than Miss Grey. Dressed in an ornate kimono, her mane tied in a long tail like her actual tail and a basket held in her wing, she curtsied “Lady Grey greets you, with my basket of surprises.” A scroll rested in said basket, “Now who’s to give me something?” Sweetie Belle spoke up “You look lovely in that Miss Grey.” “Thank you, Sweetie Belle. Now what about the basket?”, Apple Bloom stepped up and put the cotton thread into it and took out the scroll.” Cheerilee called over “Give the scroll to First Base, he figured out the meaning of the knight in the last clue.” First Base beamed as Apple Bloom gave the scroll over, he cleared his throat “It says, find a royal crown, in a very small town. Go post-haste, there is no time to waste.” Apple Bloom glanced to the other CMC fillies and the three colts standing with them “Sound’s like Zecora wrote that one.”, they giggled. Diamond Tiara tapped her hoof “Royal crown? We’ll excluding my flank, there’s the diadems Princess Twilight keeps inside the Castle.” Flash shook his head “We’re not allowing any-pony inside right now.” Silver Spoon spoke up “There’s a crown on the Mail Coach. The clue also said post-haste, we should try the Post Office.” Miss Grey and the Major stood together and wished them luck as the tour continued. Flash returned inside to check on Twilight. The foals started chattering again about the difficulty of the clues, Diamond and Silver praised themselves for figuring out the clue together. It didn’t take them long to get back to the town and onto the High Street. Outside the Post Office, Dauntless Doo and Muffins stood dressed up as well. Muffins tooted a toy horn. Dauntless looked the over way and smiled “Ah, here they come.”, Muffins giggled “I feel all funny dressed up like this.” “I think you look lovely Ditzy.”, she giggled as the Mail Coach rolled in and she then yelled “Hooray for Ponyville.”, Dauntless glanced at her “Good grief Ditzy, you sound like you’re at a Hoof-ball match.” The foals walked up and Crackle and Dinky looked confused and slightly embarrassed “Mom? Dad?” Crackle asked and Dinky followed with “Our you part of the Mystery Tour?”, they nodded and said together “We are.” Diamond held out her hoof “Can me and Silver Spoon have the next clue, please?” Muffins frowned and scratched her head “How did it go again?”, Dauntless rolled his eyes and spoke “Take the road to a place where a tree stands tall. Don’t let a stallion stop you if he should call.” He pointed to the horn in his wife’s hoof “Take and blow this trumpet then wait…” Muffins then continued pulling a key from her dress pocket “And this key will later help you to open the gate.” Cheerilee nodded “I think we can remember that. Thanks.”, Diamond and Silver took the key and the trumpet. “Be careful,” Muffins called “see you soon.” Surprisingly as they moved of this time the foals remained quiet. Cipher sighed with relief. Then the toy trumpet sounded and Apple Bloom shouted “Tender! Stop with that darn noise!”, Cipher sighed and turned to Cheerilee “Was the trumpet your idea?”, she blushed with embarrassment. They turned a corner in the road and reached the reach. Cipher’s eyes widened and he pulled the reins hard. The cart came to a sudden halt. Cipher, Cheerilee and Riolu stifled laughs. On the road before them Time Turner stood dressed as a highway-pony, a robber who stole from travellers. He held his hoof out “Um… Stand and deliver!” he reached into his clock and struggled to pull something out “Great Whickering Stallions! The thing’s stuck!” The foals got out and Pipsqueak scratched his head “What’s he doing Miss Cheerilee?”, the teacher giggled “I think he’s got something caught in his coat pocket.” With a hard tug, he pulled out a feather dusters “Ah got you. Give me your bits or I’ll tickle you helpless!” Cheerilee looked to Pipsqueak “Why don’t you ask Doctor Time Turner for the last clue?” “Really?” he asked excitedly, he trotted over. Time Turner took his hat off and presented it to Pipsqueak, a message inside, the foal took it “Thanks Mr Highway-pony.” He returned to the others and read out the clue “You must find a straw pony, who works all day and he works all night. He stands quite still and gives the birds a fright. Blow the trumpet and unlock the gate.” Tender Tap called out “I’ve got the trumpet.”, Apple Bloom rubbed her ear and shoved him slightly “We know.” She groaned. Miss Cheerilee called down from the seat as the foal climbed aboard, “What about the straw pony?” Rumble spoke up “A scarecrow? What about the robot in the field at the North-Eastern Windmill?”, Cheerilee nodded “That sounds like a good place to look.” Cipher chuckled with confusion at just how the organiser managed to get one of the disasters of Ponyville into this tour. Still, he headed for the North-Eastern Windmill. On the way, Pipsqueak said he wanted to dress up like that for Nightmare Night. They arrived at the Windmill and found the gate padlocked. The foals climbed down. Tender Tap blew the trumpet again as instructed. Diamond Tiara took the key out and fiddled with the padlock. She pushed the gate opened and walked into the yard. The Millers, the Cakes, Pinkie Pie, Cheese Sandwich and Fluttershy stood setting up tables of food and drink. Pinkie Pie turned as Tender blew the trumpet again and jumped excitedly “Just in time! Now we can Party!” party canons fired. Mrs Cake called “I bet you’re all hungry, there’s plenty for every-pony.” Cipher parked the Mail Coach in the yard and helped Riolu down. The Jakhowl ran to the table while Cipher went to join Fluttershy and get something to drink. Time Turner stopped his Lorry outside and walked in on the party “Have you got something for a hungry Highway-pony?” he laughed. The other players in the Mystery Tour arrived, along with the rest of the Council of Friendship. Cipher gave a glass of fruit juice to Fluttershy and asked, “What’s the mystery?”, she giggled “That you finally made it.”, he laughed “It was the foals who got us hear.”, she nodded and banged her glass to his “I’ll drink to that.” They took a sip and Cipher looked about at the ponies dressed up “I still don’t know what I’m going to do for Nightmare Nights,” he chuckled “Maybe I should disguise myself as a Vampire Bat Pony.” Fluttershy’s smiled wavered slightly and she took a quiet sip of her juice “Can I talk with you when we’re alone Cipher?”, Cipher raised an eyebrow.